Air India Express adds Bengaluru-Amritsar, Dammam routes

Bengaluru: Karnataka's air connectivity is set to receive a significant boost. Air India Express on Thursday announced a 25 per cent increase in its operations from the state this winter, introducing two new direct routes from Bengaluru.

Officials said the airline's weekly flights from Karnataka have grown from 380 last year to over 475 this season, reinforcing its commitment to the region.

In a statement, Air India Express said, "As part of this expansion, two new direct routes from Bengaluru are being introduced—connecting the city to Amritsar domestically and to Dammam internationally. Starting December 27, 2024, four weekly flights will operate between Bengaluru and Amritsar, while three weekly flights between Bengaluru and Dammam will commence on January 1, 2025."

The statement added that bookings for these routes are now open on the airline’s award-winning website, airindiaexpress.com, and other major booking channels.

In addition to these new routes, Air India Express recently launched services on the Bengaluru–Indore and Bengaluru–Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) routes. The airline has also increased its Bengaluru–Abu Dhabi flights to daily operations, with flights to Patna scheduled to begin on January 15, 2025.

The airline has enhanced operations at Mangaluru Airport as well, introducing new routes to Pune (from January 4, 2025), Singapore (from January 21, 2025), and Delhi (from February 1, 2025).

Mangaluru is now directly connected to Singapore, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, and eight destinations in the Middle East.

Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India Express, said, "The significant increase in connectivity from Karnataka reflects our commitment to the region, linking it meaningfully with key cities in the country, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Bengaluru is our largest domestic station, with over 415 weekly flights connecting 27 domestic and two international destinations."

Further, he added, "The new Bengaluru–Dammam route and the daily Bengaluru–Abu Dhabi flights offer crucial connections for the expatriate community, while our aircraft adorned with Kasuti-inspired livery celebrates Karnataka’s rich heritage and invites travellers to experience the state’s charm and the warm Indian hospitality of Air India Express."

According to the statement, Air India Express’ winter schedule has grown by 30 per cent from last year, supported by the airline's expanding fleet, which now includes over 90 aircraft.

"This winter, the airline will operate more than 400 daily flights compared to over 325 daily flights during the same period last year. The enhanced schedule includes a recent milestone of over 50 destinations, adding Bangkok, Dimapur, and Patna to the network," it added.