Air travel has unquestionably become the most popular mode of transportation, resulting in considerable market development for the airline sector. The airline industry in India is thriving, with a significant rise in the number of passengers travelling for both pleasure and commercial purposes. Because of the rising traffic, there is fierce competition among airlines, with each seeking to improve its service, connection, punctuality, pricing, and in-flight facilities in order to capture a bigger share of the market and be recognised as the best.
The country’s rapidly developing civil aviation industry powers the airlines here. As of November 2018, India’s domestic airline market was the third-largest in the world, and it is expected to assume the top place over the next 10 to 15 years. Much of this might be attributed to increased competition among India’s best domestic air carriers. Domestic airlines are also working hard to keep their customers satisfied by offering more flexible schedules, great deals, and easy-to-use booking systems. But, with so many options and competition, how can you pick the greatest flying experience?
Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) a government scheme aimed at making air travel more inexpensive for the general public has been launched, and it includes developing additional airports, helipads, watersports, and connecting larger cities with new regional flight routes.
What is Star Alliance Programme?
The Star Alliance is the greatest worldwide airline alliance in the world. Its 26 member airlines have a fleet of over 5,033 planes that fly to and from more than 1,290 airports in 195 countries on over 19,000 daily departures. The alliance features a Silver and Gold rewards program with benefits such as priority boarding and upgrades. Star Alliance airlines, like other airline alliances, share airport terminals, and many of its members planes are painted in the alliance’s livery. Air India is a member of this alliance, joined in July 2014. By extension, Air India Express and Alliance Air are member affiliates.
6 Best Airlines in India:
To assist you in making your selection, we’ve compiled a list of some of India’s top airline Companies that you may consider for your next journey.
1. IndiGo
IndiGo is India’s most popular low-cost carrier and the country’s largest in terms of passenger traffic. It has a 48.1 percent market share in India’s domestic aviation business and is Asia’s sixth-largest airline, with 66 flights to 51 domestic and 15 overseas destinations. Expect no free meals, business class seats, in-flight entertainment, or other perks while travelling with IndiGo. However, you will undoubtedly appreciate the airline’s low fares and on-time service, both of which are well-known features.
Fleet Name | Seating | In-Service |
Airbus A320-200 | 180 | 83 |
Airbus A320neo | 366 | 122 |
Airbus A321neo | 222 | 40 |
Airbus A321LR | TBA | – |
Airbus A321XLR | TBA | – |
ATR 72-600 | 74 | 29 |
Most Popular Flight Routes: The airline operates flights to European cities such as Athens, London, Vienna, and Zurich. They also offer more than 1000 domestic flights flying to and from cities like Bangalore, Lucknow, Chennai, Jaipur, and Kolkata daily.
Meal Included: No
2. Air India
Without India’s national carrier airline, this list of the best airlines in the country is incomplete. Air India’s subsidiaries, Alliance Air and Air India Express, are located at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi and serve domestic and Asian destinations. The airline provides a variety of in-flight entertainment options, as well as luxurious lounges in virtually every major city in India. This government-owned airline services over 90 domestic and international destinations and is the country’s third-largest domestic airline in terms of passengers.
A notable feature of this airline is its well-planned routes, flight schedules, efficient baggage handling, comfortable seats with plenty of legroom, and complimentary meals onboard. A complimentary drink is also served on international trips.
Fleet Name | Seating | In-Service |
Airbus A319-100 | 266 | 22 |
Airbus A320-200 | 318 | 9 |
Airbus A320neo | 162 | 27 |
Airbus A321-200 | 182 | 20 |
Boeing 747-400 | 660 | 4 |
Boeing 777-200LR | 238 | 3 |
Boeing 777-300ER | 342 | 15 |
Boeing 787-8 | 256 | 27 |
Most Popular Flight Routes: Some of Air India’s international flights include London, Birmingham, Paris, Chicago, and New York.
Meal Included: Yes
3. SpiceJet
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet operates daily services to 47 destinations throughout India using Bombardier Dash 8 and Boeing 737 aircraft. Its hubs include India’s capital New Delhi and Hyderabad. SpiceJet, in its attempts to move away from the low-cost tag, through its SpiceMax program provides travelers with premium services like extra legroom, complimentary meals, and quick check-in if you pay more. However, the airline has no in-flight entertainment or frequent flyer program.
Fleet Name | Seating | In-Service |
Airbus A320-200 | 180 | 2 |
Airbus A320-200 | 371 | 1 |
Boeing 737-700 | 283 | 7 |
Boeing 737-800 | 543 | 54 |
Boeing 737-900ER | 212 | 4 |
Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 189 | 13 |
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 | 78 | 19 |
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 NextGen | 90 | 10 |
Most Popular Flight Routes: The airline offers international flights to Bangkok, Dubai, and Hong Kong. They also operate more than 600 domestic flights between cities like Delhi, Jaipur, and Bangalore each day.
Meal Included: No
4. Vistara
In addition to being the sixth-largest domestic airline in India, AirVistara launched international flights from Delhi to Singapore, as a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons. It was founded in 2008 and is still running strong. It is India’s full-service and rather a luxurious airline. It offers in-flight meals and WiFi in-flight entertainment that offers movies of different genres.
Fleet Name | Seating | In-Service |
Airbus A320-200 | 158 | 7 |
Airbus A320neo | 180 | 29 |
Airbus A321neo | 188 | 3 |
Boeing 737-800 | 168 | 6 |
Boeing 787-9 | 299 | 2 |
Most Popular Flight Routes: The airline currently only offers international flights to Singapore and Bangkok. They also operate more than 200 flights per day between cities like Mumbai, Leh, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, and Delhi.
Meal Included: Yes
5. AirAsia
AirAsia is India’s fourth largest low-cost carrier, with daily flights connecting 21 locations utilising Airbus A320s. Tata Sons and AirAsia Berhad own this Bangalore-based joint venture, with Tata Sons owning a 51 percent interest in the airline. It began operations in 2014 and is the first foreign airline business to establish a subsidiary in India. It plans to grow its fleet and fly internationally at more reasonable fares in the near future.
Fleet Name | Seating | In-Service |
Airbus A320-200 | 180 | 30 |
Airbus A320neo | 186 | 4 |
Most Popular Flight Routes: The airline operates more than 100 daily domestic flights to and from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkota.
Meal Included: No
6. GoAir
GoAir operates daily flights to several domestic destinations across India with a fleet of Airbus aircraft. It is owned by Wadia Group and is the fifth largest airline in India, rated the best low-cost domestic airline of India. The airline’s headquarters are in Mumbai and is known for its cautious approach towards expansion. It offers a frequent flyer program called Go Club, which gives travelers the option to book premium seats through its Go Business service, where they can enjoy complimentary meals, priority check-in, extra legroom, and an increased baggage allowance.
Fleet Name | Seating | In-Service |
Airbus A320-200 | 180 | 7 |
Airbus A320neo | 186 | 50 |
Most Popular Flight Routes: GoAir flies internationally to Thailand, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait City, Singapore, and Male. They also operate more than 300 flights daily between cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata.
Meal Included: No
Conclusion
Want to know how you can get the best airfare deals with these airlines? Book your flights, hotels, or rent a car today without breaking the bank… Only with Yatrigann.
FAQs
Which is the best domestic airline in India?
IndiGo.
Which is the No. 1 airline in India?
IndiGo is current ranked as the best performing airline in India.
What are the top 10 airlines in the world?
Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, EVA Air, Hainan Airlines, Qantas Airways, Lufthansa, and Thai Airways are the top 10 airlines in the world.