Airline profile · South Asia

Air India Express

IndiaLow-cost carrierSince 2005

IXIATA code

AXBICAO code

Air India Express (IATA IX, ICAO AXB) is the low-cost airline of the Tata-owned Air India group, flying since April 2005. After absorbing AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) on 1 October 2024, it serves 45 domestic and 17 international destinations (2026) across India, the Gulf and Southeast Asia. It is not in an alliance.

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Founded: 2005
First flight: 2005-04-29
Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana, India
Country: India
Airline type: Low-cost carrier
Alliance: None
Parent: Air India Limited (Tata Group)
Ownership: Part of the Air India group, which the Tata Group has owned since taking over management and control on 27 January 2022. AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) merged into Air India Express on 1 October 2024.
Callsign: EXPRESS INDIA
Website: airindiaexpress.com

How travel agents book Air India Express

GDS distribution

No verified public statement of Air India Express's GDS distribution was found for this profile.

NDC

No public NDC programme details verified at time of writing.

Direct channels

Direct bookings are made on airindiaexpress.com and the Air India Express mobile apps.

Notes for travel agents

Flights previously booked under the former AirAsia India operation now run under the IX code; agents should quote IX flight numbers for the merged airline.

On ReservationHub

Air India Express is one of the direct airline connections listed on our integrations page, alongside GDS (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport) and NDC content. Agencies get it in the SaaS platform; developers through the Travel API.

History of Air India Express

Air India Express began operations on 29 April 2005 as a low-cost subsidiary of India's state airline, starting with three leased aircraft. It was built mainly for short international routes linking Indian cities, especially in the south, with the Gulf, where many Indian workers live.

When the Tata Group took over Air India on 27 January 2022, Air India Express came with it. Air India also bought out AirAsia's remaining 16.33% stake in AirAsia India in November 2022, gaining full control. AirAsia India was renamed AIX Connect, and from October 2023 its flights were sold under a single new Air India Express brand.

The legal and operational merger was completed on 1 October 2024, when India's DGCA handed over the updated air operator certificate. The combined airline flies under the IX code, and the AIX Connect operation no longer exists as a separate airline. At the merger it had 88 aircraft and served 171 routes, up from 74 before the combination. The airline has since been adding new Boeing 737-8s, including its first fully customised line-fit aircraft in December 2025.

Milestones

2005Began operations on 29 April as Air India's low-cost subsidiary.
2022Tata Group took over the Air India group, including Air India Express, on 27 January.
2022Air India agreed in November to buy the remaining 16.33% of AirAsia India.
2023Unified Air India Express brand unveiled in October for both low-cost airlines.
2024Merger with AIX Connect completed on 1 October, with one AOC and the IX code.
2025Received its first fully customised line-fit Boeing 737-8 in December.

Fleet

Boeing 737-8 Boeing 737-800 Airbus A320ceo Airbus A320neo Airbus A321neo

Aircraft types in service as of 2026

India's DGCA listed 107 aircraft on Air India Express's air operator certificate on 31 August 2026: 53 Boeing 737-8s, 26 Boeing 737-800s, 14 Airbus A320neos, 10 A320ceos and four A321neos. Air India said in February 2026 that the fleet was over 100 aircraft, about two-thirds of them new Boeing 737-8 and Airbus A320neo-family jets. The A320 family aircraft came mostly from the former AirAsia India.

Network and hubs

Air India Express flies across India and on short and medium international routes. In February 2026 Air India said the network covered 45 domestic and 17 international destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Gulf.

The Gulf has been central to the airline since 2005, linking Indian cities with large numbers of workers in the Middle East. Since the merger, the former AirAsia India domestic network has been added to the same schedule under the IX code. Within the group, Air India operates the long-haul routes.

Air India Express: frequently asked questions

What are Air India Express's IATA and ICAO codes?

Air India Express uses the IATA code IX and the ICAO code AXB, with the callsign EXPRESS INDIA. Its ticket prefix in the IATA register is 236. Since the October 2024 merger, flights of the former AIX Connect (AirAsia India) also operate under IX.

When did AIX Connect merge with Air India Express?

The merger was completed on 1 October 2024, when India's DGCA handed over the updated air operator certificate. AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, had already been selling flights under the Air India Express brand since October 2023. The merged airline operates as one low-cost carrier under the IX code.

Who owns Air India Express?

Air India Express belongs to the Air India group, which the Tata Group has controlled since 27 January 2022. Singapore Airlines holds 25.1% of the Air India group after the Vistara merger of November 2024. The low-cost airline's chairman is Air India's chief executive.

Is Air India Express a separate airline from Air India?

Yes. Air India Express has its own IX code, its own air operator certificate and a low-cost product, while Air India is the group's full-service airline with the AI code. Both belong to the same Tata-owned group, and Air India Express focuses on domestic routes and shorter international flights.

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Sources

Profile updated 4 November 2026 by the ReservationHub team. Airline details change: confirm schedules, fares and policies with the airline before booking. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.