Air India and Drukair sign interline deal for India–Bhutan connections
Air India and Drukair, Royal Bhutan Airlines announced a new interline partnership on 26 August 2026. The deal lets travellers book Air India and Drukair flights on one ticket, with coordinated passenger and baggage transfer through Air India’s Delhi hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Interline means one ticket and through bags across both carriers’ flights. It is not the same as a codeshare or alliance joint venture—earn/burn for Maharaja Club and other loyalty programmes still follows each airline’s rules unless a separate award partnership is published.
What passengers get
- Single-ticket itineraries combining Air India and Drukair flights
- Through baggage and passenger transfer via Delhi (IGI)
- Competitive interline fares for India–Bhutan and beyond connections
- Air India guests: access to Paro via Delhi, then onward Bhutan domestic to Bumthang, Gelephu, and Yonphula
- Drukair guests: via Delhi, Guwahati, and Kolkata onto Air India’s domestic network (e.g. Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kochi) and long-haul gateways such as London Heathrow, New York JFK, Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto Pearson, and Vancouver
Why it matters for India travellers
Bhutan itineraries often meant separate tickets and reclaiming bags between Indian metros and Paro. A Delhi-hub interline path reduces that friction for leisure and business trips, and Air India says the partnership helps round out SAARC-region connectivity on its own or partner network.
Loyalty angle
Treat this as a connectivity win first. Unless Air India or Drukair publish award earning or redemption rules for the partner segment, do not assume Maharaja Club miles post on Drukair-operated legs—or the reverse. Check the fare rules and loyalty text at booking.
Who should care
Useful if you fly Air India into Delhi and need Paro or other Bhutan points, or if you start on Drukair and want a single ticket onto Air India’s domestic or international network. Skip obsessing over the headline if you already hold separate confirmed tickets and through-checked bags are not a constraint.