Air India Summer 2026: Fleet Changes, New Aircraft & What It Means for Your Seat

Air India is switching aircraft on some of its most-travelled routes this summer — and for passengers who have already booked, it means the seat you selected may no longer exist on your flight.

This is not a minor cabin refresh. On several routes, Air India is replacing the Boeing 777-300ER with the new Boeing 787-9 or retrofitted 787-8, switching from one cabin layout to an entirely different one. If you booked a window suite on the 777-300ER and the route switches to a 787, your seat number will change and the product you paid for will be different. Here is exactly what is changing, when, and what to do about it.

What Is Changing and When

1 July 2026 — Delhi–London Heathrow

Air India's daily Delhi–London Heathrow service is switching from the Boeing 777-300ER to a combination of new line-fit Boeing 787-9 and retrofitted Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Both feature the new Elevate Ascent Business Class — 1-2-1 suites with fully flat beds and privacy doors — replacing the 777's current cabin. Premium Economy is also available on both the 787-8 and 787-9, so this route gains a premium economy option that the 777-300ER did not always carry.

1 July 2026 — Mumbai–London Heathrow

The Mumbai–Heathrow route switches from the Boeing 777-300ER to the retrofitted Boeing 787-8 with new cabin interiors. Same Business Class upgrade as Delhi–Heathrow.

1 August 2026 — Bengaluru–London Heathrow

Bengaluru–Heathrow switches to the retrofitted 787-8 with new cabin interiors. With this change, all Air India flights between India and London Heathrow will operate with new or upgraded cabin interiors.

1 August 2026 — Delhi–Toronto (partial)

Seven of the ten weekly Delhi–Toronto flights switch to new line-fit Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The remaining three weekly flights continue on the legacy Boeing 777-300ER. Premium Economy is being introduced on this route for the first time on the 787-9 services.

Already Changed — Delhi–Tokyo Haneda

Effective 14 February 2026, Delhi–Tokyo Haneda switched to the Boeing 787-9 in a three-class configuration, introducing Premium Economy on the route. If you are flying this route from February onwards, you are already on the 787-9.

From 1 July 2026 — Delhi–Melbourne (First Class Introduction)

Delhi–Melbourne daily flights switch to a specific Boeing 777-300ER configuration that introduces First Class on the route for the first time — 8 First Class suites, 40 fully flat Business Class seats and 280 Economy seats.

What This Means If You Have Already Booked

If you have a booking on any of the following routes for travel on or after the dates above, your seat map has changed or will change:

• Delhi–London Heathrow from 1 July 2026
• Mumbai–London Heathrow from 1 July 2026
• Bengaluru–London Heathrow from 1 August 2026
• Delhi–Toronto (7 of 10 weekly flights) from 1 August 2026

Action to take: Log into your Air India booking around 4–6 weeks before departure and check the seat map. If the aircraft has changed, your previously selected seats will either be unassigned or assigned to a different seat number. Reselect seats as soon as the new map is visible — window suites on the new 787 Business Class are limited and popular seats fill quickly.

How to Tell Which Aircraft You Are On

When booking or managing your seat selection, check the Business Class seat count:

Is the New 787 Business Class Better Than the 777-300ER?

For LHR-India routes, yes — the new Elevate Ascent suite on the 787 is a newer and in most respects better product than the current 777-300ER Business cabin. The 787 cabin is quieter, the windows are larger, the IFE is newer (17" 4K QLED vs older screens on the 777), and wireless charging and USB-C fast charging are standard. The 777-300ER's advantage is cabin width — the 777 is a wider aircraft and Business Class seats feel broader — but the 787's suite design compensates well.

For passengers who specifically wanted the Delhi–Melbourne First Class product, the switch to the First Class-equipped 777-300ER from 1 July is an upgrade on that route.

One Caveat on Privacy Doors

Air India's new line-fit 787-9s launched in February 2026 with privacy doors fixed in the open position while awaiting FAA regulatory certification for Air India's specific seat customisation. The airline expects approval in the near future. If privacy doors are important to your choice, verify the status at the time of booking — this may be resolved before your travel date.

The Bigger Picture

Air India has committed that by end of 2026, approximately 60% of its widebody fleet will feature modernised cabin interiors. The summer 2026 schedule changes are the most visible step in that transition. For passengers flying India-UK routes specifically, this summer marks the first time every single Heathrow flight will operate with a new or upgraded cabin — a significant milestone for an airline that was until recently synonymous with outdated hard product.

If you are booking India-UK travel for the second half of 2026, booking on or after 1 July for DEL/BOM-LHR or 1 August for BLR-LHR ensures you get the new 787 product. Booking before those dates carries the risk of the older 777 cabin, though Air India may upgrade specific flights earlier as aircraft become available.

For seat selection guidance on each aircraft type: see our Air India 787 guide, Air India A350-900 guide, and Air India 777-300ER guide.