Hospitality CapitalAnalysis
Air India Express launches Abu Dhabi-Amritsar route, resumes Goa service
Carrier now operates 160 weekly flights to 17 Indian cities from Zayed International Airport.
Air India Express launched direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Amritsar and resumed service to Goa on October 25, 2026, operating three times weekly from Zayed International Airport. Abu Dhabi Airports confirmed both routes began operations on that date. The carrier now serves 17 Indian cities from the emirate with approximately 160 weekly flights.
Route network expansion from Abu Dhabi#
The Amritsar service connects Abu Dhabi with Punjab's commercial centre. Goa returns to the carrier's Abu Dhabi network as a leisure destination. Air India Express added six Indian destinations from the emirate since 2025: Guwahati, Indore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai and Pune. The airline's other direct routes from Abu Dhabi include Bengaluru, Delhi, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirappalli.
Frequency and capacity details#
Both the Amritsar and Goa services operate three times per week from Zayed International Airport. The 160 weekly flights across 17 Indian cities represent the carrier's total Abu Dhabi-India capacity as of October 2026. Air India Express stated the routes serve passengers travelling for holidays, business and family visits.
Operator statements on connectivity#
Carsten Norland, chief commercial officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, stated that India remains a key market for Abu Dhabi and the new routes expand travel options. Nipun Aggarwal, chairman of Air India Express and chief commercial officer of Air India, said the services add Abu Dhabi to the airline's international network. The additions follow six route launches from the emirate over the past year, according to the carrier's statement published October 28, 2026.
Abu Dhabi-India air traffic context#
Air India Express operates as a low-cost carrier within the Air India group. The airline's Abu Dhabi expansion aligns with traffic between the emirate and Indian cities serving business, leisure and visiting friends and relatives segments. The October 25 launch date for both routes coincided with the carrier's broader network build from Zayed International Airport, which opened as Abu Dhabi's main terminal in 2023.
Sources1 source across 1 domain
- khaleejtimes.comKhaleej TimesAir India Express launched Abu Dhabi-Amritsar and resumed Goa flights on October 25, 2026, operating three times weekly; carrier now serves 17 Indian cities with 160 weekly flights from Abu Dhabi
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