NITN | @notintownlive | 17 Oct 2026, 01:17 am
Air India
Photo: Air India
Air India will launch non-stop flights between Delhi and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport on 2 February 2027, becoming the only airline to operate on the route. The airline will run four flights a week between the Indian capital and Osaka, Japan’s second-largest metropolitan area, using Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Osaka will be Air India’s second destination in Japan after Tokyo (Haneda). The airline currently operates daily flights from Delhi to Haneda and four flights a week from Mumbai. The new route expands its services to Japan amid growing demand from Indian travellers and closer economic, tourism and cultural ties between the two countries.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft assigned to the route will have 18 full-flat beds in Business Class and 241 seats in Economy Class.
Flight timings and multi-city travel options
The new service, AI360, will leave Delhi late in the evening and arrive in Osaka the following morning. The return flight, AI359, will depart Osaka late in the morning and reach Delhi the same evening. The schedule will allow passengers to connect with destinations across Air India’s domestic and international network.
The route will also allow travellers to book open-jaw itineraries, flying into Osaka and returning from Tokyo, or travelling in the opposite direction. Such arrangements offer flexibility for visitors planning trips to multiple Japanese cities. One popular option is the country’s “Golden Route”, which covers Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, as multi-city travel gains popularity among Indian visitors.
Bookings for the Delhi–Osaka flights are being progressively opened through Air India’s official website and mobile app, its customer contact centre, airport ticketing offices and travel agents worldwide.
Japan sees rising interest among Indian travellers
Japan has been attracting more Indian visitors in recent years. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), more than 315,000 Indians visited the country in 2025, up 35% from 2024 and nearly 80% above pre-pandemic levels.
Growing interest in Japan’s leisure activities, cultural attractions and cuisine is contributing to the increase, alongside expanding business links and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
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