Air India Maharaja Club

What Maharaja Club is

Maharaja Club is Air India’s frequent flyer programme. It sits inside Star Alliance, so elite status can unlock partner benefits when you fly other Star airlines. You earn Maharaja Points to redeem and Tier Points to climb status.

For many travellers this is the natural home airline programme after the Air India and Vistara merger. You get one loyalty home for a larger domestic and long-haul network, plus the option to use points on Air India flights and some Star Alliance partners.

How to join

1. Enrol free on Air India’s Maharaja Club pages or app.
2. Use the same personal details as your passport.
3. Add your membership number on every Air India or Air India Express booking before travel.
4. If you still have old Flying Returns or Club Vistara history, confirm it is linked or migrated in your current profile.

Maharaja Points vs Tier Points

• Maharaja Points: the balance you redeem for award flights, cabin upgrades, or cash-plus-points bookings.
• Tier Points: what moves you through Red, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
• On Air India and Air India Express spend, members commonly earn a fixed number of Tier Points per ₹100 regardless of tier, while Maharaja Point earn rises with status.
• Booking direct on the Air India website or app can add bonus Maharaja Points per ₹100. Confirm the live bonus before you choose a booking channel.

Elite tiers

Qualification uses a rolling period based on Tier Points or eligible flights, with a minimum share that must be on Air India or Air India Express. Thresholds below follow Air India’s published criteria and can change.

Silver is often the first status that feels useful for priority services. Gold is the usual target for lounge access and stronger Star Alliance recognition. Platinum adds more Air India-side flexibility such as richer change or cancellation treatment and extra upgrade tools. Always read the current benefit grid for your tier.

Earn on Air India flights

Direct bookings on the Air India website and app can add about 2 bonus Maharaja Points per ₹100 on top of the tier earn. Partner airline earn usually follows distance and fare class rules, which is different from the simple rupee-based Air India table.

Feeding points from credit cards

Several banks list Maharaja Club as a transfer partner. Ratios change, so treat any community snapshot as dated until you see the live portal.

• SBI Miles-family cards are often discussed around 1:1 into Maharaja Club.
• HSBC TravelOne or Premier are often discussed around 1:1.
• ICICI premium cards sometimes show strong ratios on selected products.
• Axis EDGE transfers may be available at product-specific ratios. Confirm before you move a large balance.
• Older Air India or Vistara co-brand cards may still earn while new products roll out. Read your current card terms.

How to redeem

• Use Maharaja Points for Air India award flights. Pricing can show Value and higher Prime style options depending on dates.
• Some Star Alliance partners can be booked online; others may need phone booking. Availability and pricing are calculator-led rather than a simple fixed chart.
• Cash plus points can help when you are slightly short.
• Cabin upgrades with points are useful when the cash upgrade price is poor and upgrade space exists.
• Compare Maharaja Club pricing with other Star programmes you can access. Sometimes a partner programme prices the same route better, or the reverse.

Family pooling and point life

• Family pooling lets a household gather points under one head account when set up correctly.
• Air India describes Maharaja Points as not expiring for active members, with paid Air India or Air India Express activity helping keep value alive.
• You can usually claim missing points for recent past flights through the official claim flow.
• Buying points can make sense for a tiny top-up to a confirmed award. It is rarely good as a bulk strategy.

Practical tips

• If you mainly fly Air India domestically and on a few long-haul routes, Maharaja Club is the cleanest status home.
• If your goal is a specific premium Star Alliance seat, compare Maharaja Club with KrisFlyer or another transferable Star currency before you commit bank points.
• Amex and other cards may earn heavily on Air India revenue tickets under current partner rules. That is separate from transferring points into Maharaja Club.
• Vistara-era vouchers or balances may still appear in your Air India profile. Use them carefully because voucher bookings can be less flexible.

Common beginner mistakes

• Transferring a large bank balance before checking award space and taxes.
• Chasing Platinum when Gold already covers the lounge and Star benefits you need.
• Ignoring the Air India or Air India Express minimum inside tier qualification.
• Assuming every Star Alliance award can be booked online in one click.
• Buying points far in advance with no redemption plan.

Simple starter plan

1. Join Maharaja Club and add the number on your next Air India booking.
2. Book direct when the bonus earn matters and the fare is otherwise equal.
3. Aim for Silver or Gold only if your flying volume can hold the tier.
4. Transfer bank points only after the award search looks fair versus cash.

• Aeroplan guide
• KrisFlyer guide
• Airline programmes
• Qatar Privilege Club

Card transfer snapshot

Official programme site