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In May 2024, Vistara Airlines announced its merger with Air India, which was finalized in November 2024 with the transfer of Club Vistara (CV) points into Flying Returns Points. This merger marked a significant shift for both airlines and their loyal customers.
However, recently, Air India replaced its Flying Returns programme and introduced the all-new Maharaja Club programme. Now, instead of earning Flying Returns Points, cardholders will earn Maharaja Club Points, which can be redeemed for flight upgrades, travel vouchers, award flights and more. These points are valid not only for Air India but also across 25 Star Alliance partner airlines. This programme aims to enhance the flying experience for Air India’s frequent flyers, offering them increased convenience and benefits.
Here’s the ultimate guide to Air India’s Maharaja Club programme to help you maximize your rewards.
Membership Tiers & Benefits
Maharaja Club programme has four tiers, starting from the entry-level Red Tier to the premium Platinum tier. The more you spend, the higher tier you can achieve with increased benefits. For instance, upon signing up, you will be automatically enrolled in the Red Tier. However, by meeting certain criteria, such as tier points or revenue flights, you can move to a higher tier. One important thing to note is that you must maintain the required criteria each year to retain your tier status.
Qualification Criteria for Each Tier
- Red: Automatically enrolled upon enrollment in Maharaja Club
- Silver: 15,000 tier points (with at least 4,500 tier points on Air India) or 30 flights (with at least 4 flights on Air India)
- Gold: 30,000 tier points (with at least 9,000 tier points on Air India) or 60 flights (with at least 8 flights on Air India)
- Platinum: 45,000 tier points (with at least 13,500 tier points on Air India) or 90 flights (with at least 12 flights on Air India)
Benefits of Each Tier
| Tier | Red | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
| Maharaja Points (per Rs. 100 spent) | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Tier Points (per Rs. 100 spent) |
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Priority Customer Services | – | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Itinerary Changes Fee Waiver – Domestic Flights | – | Rs. 1,000 Fee- 1X change per ticket | Free- 1X change per ticket* | Free- 2X change per ticket* |
| Itinerary Changes Fee Waiver – International Flights | – | – | Free- 1X change per ticket** | Free- 2X change per ticket* |
| Fee Waivers for Domestic Flight Cancellation | – | – | Rs. 1,199 Fee* | Free* |
| Complimentary Seat Selection | – | – | 100% off on standard seats | 100% off on all seats |
| Cabin Upgrade Vouchers upon Tier Renewal/ Upgrade | – | 1X with 6 months validity | 2X with 9 months validity | 3X with 12 months validity |
| Complimentary Fly Prior | – | – | Yes | Yes |
| Priority Waitlist Clearance/ Priority Check-in/ Priority Boarding/ Priority Connect | – | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Excess Baggage Allowance on Air India Flights (As per the weight system) | – | 5 Kg | 20 Kg | 20 Kg |
| Excess Baggage Allowance on Air India Flights (As per the piece system) | – | – | 1 piece, up to 23 Kg | 1 piece, up to 23 Kg |
| Excess Baggage Allowance on Star Alliance Flights | – | – | 20 Kg or 1 piece, up to 23 Kg | 20 Kg or 1 piece, up to 23 Kg |
| Complimentary Lounge Access with 1 Guest | – | – | Yes | Yes |
*Applicable up to 24 hours before departure.
**Applicable up to 72 hours before departure.
Additionally, cardholders can earn 2 bonus Maharaja Points for every Rs. 100 spent on direct bookings through Air India website or app.
To convert these reward points, log in to the internet or mobile banking portal of your respective card issuer, navigate to the miles transfer section, and convert your reward points into Maharaja Club Points by entering your Maharaja Club ID.
Free Flight Tickets through Maharaja Club Points
Cardholders can enroll in the Maharaja Club programme and convert their reward points to a maximum of 2,00,000 Maharaja Club Points, which can be redeemed for a variety of flight options.
For instance:
- Four one-way tickets from Delhi to Dubai (46,000 Maharaja Points each)
- Five one-way tickets from Mumbai to London (42,000 Maharaja Points each)
- One round-trip from Delhi to New York in Economy Class (1,24,000 Maharaja Points)
- Ten round trips from Delhi to Mumbai in Economy Class (1,50,000 Maharaja Points)
Note: The above calculation is based on data from Air India’s official website.
Redemption of Maharaja Club Points
Cardholders can redeem Maharaja Points to book award flights, cabin upgrades, and more on Air India. Additionally, Maharaja Points can also be used to book flights with any of the 25 Star Alliance partner airlines, including:
| Aegean Airlines, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Air Canada, Austrian, Avianca-Taca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, South African Airways, Swiss, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines |
For redemptions on Air India flights, cardholders can redeem Maharaja Points against two types of fares:
- Value Fare: Offers minimum points deduction if you book your award flight in advance
- Prime Fare: Allows award flight bookings even during peak seasons or for last-minute travel, but requires more points
In addition, cardholders can now redeem Vistara vouchers for Air India flights. To do so, navigate to the ‘Voucher’ section in your Air India account and redeem your existing Vistara voucher. However, cardholders should note that bookings made via vouchers cannot be modified.
