What is Air India Easy Connect?
Air India Easy Connect is a new flight option that lets international passengers start their trip from select Indian cities, then change planes at a major Air India airport before flying abroad, according to Air India’s launch announcement.
Air India says this should make overseas travel easier from Indian cities with fewer direct international flights.
The first flight takes passengers to a major Air India airport, where they then board their international flight.
- Check in once: Eligible passengers can check in to their final international destination at the first airport.
- Clear immigration before the first flight: Immigration clearance is completed at the first airport before the domestic flight, when the connection is eligible and the wait is less than four hours.
- No need to re-check bags: Checked bags are sent through when the connection is eligible and the wait is less than four hours, so passengers do not need to collect and check them in again at the connecting airport.
Where is Easy Connect available?
For now, Easy Connect is available only on specific routes.
The programs kicked off with Varanasi via Delhi. The first Easy Connect flight was AI1111 from Varanasi to Delhi.
Air India says AI1111 is timed for connections within four hours to 17 destinations, including London, Frankfurt, Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh.
Air India says it will add more Indian cities over the next few months, using Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru as the main connecting airports.
Planned cities include Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Patna, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam.
Check the exact airport on your ticket before you make plans, because some cities have more than one airport. Air India’s airport information page separates airport details by airport code and city.
How to book Easy Connect flights?
Bookings for Easy Connect flights are open across its usual channels, such as the official Air India booking website or travel agents like Wego. You do not need to use a separate Easy Connect booking portal.
The key is to book an eligible Air India itinerary from the spoke city to your final international destination, with the domestic flight and onward international flight on the same journey via the relevant Air India hub.
If you are travelling from Varanasi to Dubai, you would look for an eligible Air India itinerary from Varanasi to Dubai via Delhi.
Before paying, check the full routing, airport code, baggage tag-through and connection time, because the simplified immigration and baggage process applies when the connection is eligible and the wait is less than four hours.
How does the airport process work?
You should treat the first Indian airport as the start of your international journey.
- Before leaving home: Review Air India’s visa and document guidance so your passport, visa and destination paperwork match your final country.
- At the first airport: Arrive ready for international checks, because the Easy Connect process moves immigration clearance to the first airport when the connection is eligible and the wait is less than four hours.
- For Indian passport holders: Air India says passengers using Easy Connect must sign up for DigiYatra and upload their boarding passes.
- At the connecting airport: Follow transfer and boarding instructions for the international flight, because checked bags are already tagged to the final destination when the connection is eligible and the wait is less than four hours.
Air India says web check-in and Customs declaration are not available at spoke airports for Easy Connect passengers, so travellers should be ready to complete the required airport checks in person at the first airport.
Sources
- Air India — Air India launches Easy Connect flights
- Air India — Airport information
- Air India — Visas, documents and travel tips
- Air India — Flight status
- Air India — Track your bags
- Air India — Web check-in
- DigiYatra Foundation — Official DigiYatra information
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
