Nearly six years after the pandemic and strained relations clipped its wings on the China corridor, Air India is set to resume non-stop flights linking Delhi to Shanghai from February 2026—a development eagerly awaited by tourists, business travellers, and diplomats on both sides.
The airline, now in full transformation mode under Tata, announced on November 17 its four-times-a-week Dreamliner service, reconnecting India’s capital to one of Asia’s most dynamic cities.
The newly restored route, operational from February 1 2026, will run every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, departing Delhi at 12 noon and touching down in Shanghai by evening, with return legs skirting midnight. Air India’s Boeing 787-8s on the route will feature lie-flat beds in Business, noted the carrier.
Why does this matter?
For many travellers, like business stakeholders shuttling between India’s IT and SaaS hubs and China’s manufacturing heartland, students studying abroad, pharma professionals, and traders, the Delhi–Shanghai air is a critical artery for two people-rich economies.
The restoration comes in the wake of fresh diplomatic understandings, signalling a step-change in India–China relations after years of travel embargoes and strained ties.
Air India also has plans to roll out Mumbai–Shanghai flights later in 2026, pending government and regulator nods.
The latest move is also part of Tata’s “Vihaan.AI” five-year overhaul for Air India, a revamp featuring a 570-aircraft mega-order, the integration of Air Asia India and Vistara into its fold, and investments in new training and maintenance infrastructure.
