Air India expands codeshare with Lufthansa Group, adds Austrian Airlines to network; What it means for flyers

Air India has expanded its codeshare partnership with Lufthansa Group, adding Austrian Airlines to its network and increasing the number of shared routes with Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), the airline said on Thursday.

The expanded agreement will enhance connectivity between India and Europe, introducing nearly 60 new codeshare routes across 12 Indian and 26 European cities. The total number of codeshare routes between Air India, Lufthansa, and SWISS will rise from 55 to nearly 100, while the new agreement with Austrian Airlines will add 26 additional routes.

What it means for flyers

Codesharing allows two or more airlines to sell seats on the same flight under their own airline designators and flight numbers to expand their network without adding additional flights.

With the expanded partnership, Air India passengers will now be able to access 26 destinations in Europe and three in the Americas through Lufthansa Group airlines. The Indian carrier will place its ‘AI’ designator code on flights operated by Lufthansa, SWISS, and, for the first time, Austrian Airlines.

Lufthansa will provide connectivity between Frankfurt and major European destinations, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, and Munich. SWISS will offer connections from Zurich to cities such as Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, and Stockholm, while Austrian Airlines will extend services from Vienna to European hubs, including Brussels, Düsseldorf, and Lyon.

On the other hand, Lufthansa Group passengers will gain access to Air India’s domestic network, connecting through 15 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Lufthansa Group carriers will add their codes to Air India’s international flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Kathmandu, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Flights between India and Germany or Switzerland operated by Air India and Lufthansa Group carriers will now be included in the expanded codeshare. For instance, travellers between Delhi and Frankfurt will have three daily flight options under Lufthansa’s ‘LH’ flight numbers, covering two flights by Air India and one by Lufthansa.

The partnership will progressively expand to include additional destinations, subject to regulatory approvals.

Both Air India and Lufthansa Group are members of Star Alliance, allowing frequent flyers to continue earning and redeeming miles across all four airlines. Elite status members of Air India’s Maharaja Club and Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More programs will benefit from priority services, additional baggage allowance, and lounge access.

“Our goal is to enable our customers to travel from any corner of the world to another via Air India and its partner airlines. The expansion of our partnership with Lufthansa Group is a step in that direction,” said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India.

Lufthansa Group’s Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx said the deepened cooperation will offer increased travel options and greater accessibility between Europe and India. “Lufthansa Group remains committed to India, and we are excited about the possibilities and potential the country and Air India as a partner have to offer,” he said.