Air India Express: complete rules for flying pregnant or with a newborn in 2026
By Saanvi Iyer (Saanvi Iyer writes offbeat destination guides for Indian travellers — places that work in monsoon, shoulder-season picks, and the cities Indian first-time international travellers underrate. Based in Bangalore, perpetually mid-itinerary.) · Published · 10 min read
Air India Express covers a lot of routes that matter to Kerala families — Kozhikode, Kannur, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram — and many of those travellers have new babies or are travelling during pregnancy. The rules around when you can fly, what documents you need, and how the airline handles strollers at smaller airports are worth knowing in detail before you reach the check-in counter.
TL;DR — pregnancy and infant flying rules at a glance
Air India Express follows broadly standard IATA-aligned policies on pregnancy travel: uncomplicated pregnancies are accepted without a medical certificate up to around 28 weeks; between approximately 28–32 weeks a doctor's fitness certificate is required; travel is generally not permitted beyond about 35 weeks (the exact cutoff can vary by pregnancy type and airline discretion). For newborns, most airlines including Air India Express require the infant to be at least 7 days old to fly, with some carriers requiring 14 days on longer international sectors. Always verify the current exact cutoff directly on the Air India Express website or via their call centre before booking — these rules can be updated and vary by sector length. What follows is the framework that has applied across recent policy versions, with sources to verify.
Pregnancy travel rules — the three-stage breakdown
This is the framework Air India Express operates under, consistent with IATA guidance that most Indian carriers follow:
Up to approximately 28 weeks (7 months): For a single, uncomplicated pregnancy, most airlines including Air India Express will accept you on board without requiring a specific medical clearance, provided you do not have any complicating conditions. You still need to carry documentation of your due date (most doctors provide this, and it is on your antenatal records). Some check-in staff will ask to see it — better to have it.
Approximately 28–32 weeks (7–8 months): A medical fitness certificate from your obstetrician is generally required. The certificate needs to confirm the gestational age, that the pregnancy is uncomplicated, and that the doctor clears you for air travel on the specific dates. The certificate must typically be dated within 7–10 days of travel — a month-old certificate will not be accepted. Get it dated close to your departure.
Beyond approximately 32–35 weeks: Air India Express, like most Indian carriers, does not carry passengers in the final weeks of pregnancy, and the threshold can be as low as 35 weeks for total refusal regardless of medical certificate. Some airlines have slightly different cutoffs for twin or multiple pregnancies (often earlier). Check the Air India Express website and confirm with their call centre if you are anywhere near the cutoff window.
These are indicative thresholds based on published airline policies; verify the exact current rules at airindiaexpress.com before booking.
What documents do you need at check-in?
Being prepared at check-in matters particularly at smaller airports where ground staff may be less experienced with unusual cases. Here is what to carry:
- Your antenatal record or maternity card showing the estimated due date. This is the baseline.
- Fitness-to-fly certificate from your obstetrician (if beyond 28 weeks). Dated within 7–10 days of travel. Get the doctor to include: gestational week at the time of travel, that the pregnancy is uncomplicated, and explicit clearance for air travel.
- Your doctor's contact number — check-in staff at some airports will call to verify unusual cases.
- Your own ID and booking confirmation — obvious, but in the stress of pregnancy travel, easy to forget one of the layers.
A note on form: Air India Express has a downloadable medical information form (MEDIF) for passengers with special medical needs. For normal uncomplicated pregnancies in the accepted window, you typically do not need to file a MEDIF in advance — but if you have any complicating conditions, call Air India Express ahead of time and ask whether you need to file one. Verify the current form requirements on the Air India Express website.
Newborn minimum age — what you need to know
Newborns are delicate passengers and airlines are cautious for good reasons. Air India Express's standard policy requires infants to be a minimum of 7 days old to travel domestically, which aligns with IATA's guidance. For international sectors, the threshold is typically 14 days old, though Air India Express operates some short international routes (Kochi–Dubai, Kozhikode–Bahrain etc.) where the exact policy should be confirmed with the airline.
You will need to show the baby's birth certificate at check-in. Some stations also request a doctor's fitness certificate for the infant. At smaller airports like Kannur (CNN) or Kozhikode (CCJ), it is worth calling the airport check-in number the day before to confirm what they require — ground staff practices can vary by station.
Infant tickets (for babies who travel in-lap without their own seat) are priced at roughly 10% of the adult base fare plus taxes on Air India Express. Only one lap-held infant is permitted per adult passenger — you cannot have two parents each with an infant on a single row of two seats without booking a third seat for one of the infants.
Stroller handling at smaller Kerala airports
Kozhikode (Calicut International, CCJ) and Kannur (CNN) are both operational airports but with more limited ground-handling infrastructure than Kochi or Mumbai. Here is what I've found families encounter:
Strollers to the gate: Air India Express, like most Indian LCCs, checks strollers at the check-in counter rather than at the gate by default. Unlike Singapore Airlines or full-service carriers, gate-checking a stroller on Air India Express requires explicitly requesting it at check-in and is not guaranteed. If you are travelling with a young infant and need the stroller right up to the aircraft door, call Air India Express reservations ahead of time and note the request on the booking — the on-ground team should ideally be briefed.
At Kannur and Kozhikode: Both airports have aerobridge capability for Air India Express jets on some stands, but trolley availability in the arrivals hall can be limited during peak Gulf flight arrival rushes. If you are coming in from Dubai or Bahrain with a newborn, pack light enough that you can manage with the stroller alone — don't count on an airport trolley being immediately available.
Car seats: Air India Express does not typically allow car seats to be installed on board in economy class. If you want an approved car seat on the aircraft, you need to book a seat for the infant and confirm with the airline beforehand — the car seat must meet IATA safety standards. For most families on Air India Express routes, the in-lap infant option is the practical choice.
Comparing Air India Express rules with Air India and IndiGo
The three airlines operate broadly similar policies but with nuances:
Air India: Being full-service, Air India tends to be more accommodating of special requests with advance notice. They have a more robust MEDIF process for complex medical cases. Full-service economy fares include checked baggage, which matters when you're travelling with infant gear.
IndiGo: Follows IATA guidance closely — 28-week certificate rule, 7-day minimum infant age for domestic. IndiGo's call centre can be hit-or-miss on confirming nuanced policies; the IndiGo website usually has the most up-to-date policy page for pregnant travellers.
Air India Express: Sits between the two — operates as an LCC (bags are chargeable, meals not included) but serves routes where Air India doesn't always have a presence. For Gulf-Kerala routes in particular, Air India Express is often the only reasonable option. Their policies are generally aligned with IndiGo's but the ground handling at smaller stations means preparing documentation more carefully.
Compare fares and find Air India Express routes on FlightGPT — also useful: family flight fare timing tips and child fare comparisons if you have other young children travelling with the baby.
Bottom line — key steps before you book
If you're pregnant or travelling with a newborn on Air India Express: (1) Confirm the exact gestational week cutoffs and documentation requirements on the Air India Express website or via their call centre before booking, not after. (2) Get your fitness-to-fly certificate dated close to departure — not weeks in advance. (3) Carry the birth certificate for newborns. (4) If you're travelling through Kozhikode or Kannur, call the airport check-in number a day ahead to confirm stroller handling. (5) Book as early as possible — seat selection and stroller requests are easier to sort out when the flight is not full.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks pregnant can you fly on Air India Express?
Air India Express generally accepts passengers up to around 35 weeks gestation, with a medical certificate required from approximately 28 weeks onwards. The exact cutoff can vary for multiple pregnancies. Always verify the current policy directly on the Air India Express website or call centre before booking — cutoffs are set by the airline and can be updated.
Can a newborn fly on Air India Express?
Air India Express generally requires infants to be at least 7 days old for domestic sectors and around 14 days for international sectors. You will need the birth certificate at check-in. Some airports may also request a doctor's fitness certificate for the infant — confirm with the specific departure airport for smaller stations like Kozhikode or Kannur.
What documents do I need to fly pregnant on Air India Express?
Up to about 28 weeks, your antenatal record showing the due date is usually sufficient. From approximately 28–32 weeks, you need a fitness-to-fly certificate from your obstetrician dated within 7–10 days of travel, confirming gestational age and that the pregnancy is uncomplicated. Verify the exact requirements with Air India Express before booking.
Can I take a stroller to the gate on Air India Express?
Air India Express's default process is to check strollers at the check-in counter, not at the gate. Gate-checking may be possible on request but is not guaranteed. If you need the stroller to the aircraft door — especially important with a newborn — call Air India Express ahead of time and note the request on your booking.
Is Air India Express different from Air India for pregnancy rules?
Both follow broadly similar IATA-aligned policies, but Air India (full-service) has more robust processes for special medical cases and a MEDIF system for advance clearance. Air India Express operates as an LCC and its ground-handling at smaller stations can be less experienced with unusual cases — preparing documentation more carefully is advisable when flying from airports like Kannur or Kozhikode.
Can I fly with a newborn internationally on Air India Express to Dubai or Bahrain?
Air India Express operates Gulf-Kerala routes (Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur to Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain etc.). For international sectors, the minimum infant age is typically around 14 days, and you'll need the birth certificate and possibly a fitness certificate for the infant. Confirm the exact requirements with Air India Express at the time of booking, as international sector rules differ from domestic.