Akasa and Air India Express sales in 2026 — are they actually worth booking?
By Kabir Malhotra (Kabir Malhotra writes about how Indian travel buyers actually pay — UPI vs credit card vs forex card surcharges, reward-point math on the top travel credit cards, RBI tokenisation, EMI-on-flights and the small fees that compound across a year of bookings.) · Published · 10 min read
Akasa Air and Air India Express have both grown significantly and now run genuine sale events. Whether those sales are worth booking depends on which routes you're flying, how their all-in pricing compares to IndiGo on the same sectors, and what the baggage situation looks like. Here's the honest comparison.
TL;DR — short answer first
Both Akasa Air and Air India Express run real sales with genuinely cheap fares. Akasa tends to be more aggressive on newer routes where it's trying to build market share. Air India Express (AIX) has historically been strong on Gulf routes (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Dammam) and South India domestics. Whether either beats IndiGo on a specific date and route is something you need to check in real time — the answer changes week to week. Use FlightGPT or any aggregator to compare all three before committing to one carrier's sale.
Who are Akasa and Air India Express — a quick context
Akasa Air launched in August 2022 and expanded quickly. By 2026 it operates a meaningful domestic network with a fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. It positions itself as a low-cost carrier but with slightly more consistent on-time performance than some rivals. Its sales tend to cluster around its anniversary (August) and festive/national holiday windows, though it's also been quick to respond with flash offers when IndiGo or Air India drop prices.
Air India Express is the low-cost arm of the Air India group — the same group that now includes erstwhile Vistara and the old Air India mainline after the Tata acquisition. AIX operates mostly narrowbody routes — heavily weighted to Gulf destinations from South Indian cities (Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore) and to Southeast Asia. The merger integration with AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia India) has expanded its domestic footprint considerably.
Neither is quite IndiGo in terms of domestic route depth — IndiGo still has more frequency on most metro sectors. But on the specific routes each airline focuses on, their prices are genuinely competitive.
When do Akasa and Air India Express typically run sales?
Neither airline publishes a sale calendar in advance, but patterns have emerged:
Akasa Air:
- August anniversary sale: Akasa's strongest annual promotion, usually around mid-August aligning with Independence Day. Travel dates sold tend to be September–December — the post-monsoon shoulder season, which is actually excellent for domestic travel.
- Reactive flash sales: Akasa has been quick to price-match or undercut IndiGo on competitive routes. If IndiGo runs a big sale, watch Akasa's website and app within 24 hours — they sometimes match the fare without formally announcing a 'sale'.
- Festive advance sales: Occasional pre-Dussehra or pre-Diwali deals to fill seats that won't move at peak prices.
Air India Express:
- AIX Connect anniversary (October): The legacy Air Asia India anniversary sale has carried through to the AIX brand — mid-to-late October typically.
- Gulf route flash deals: AIX runs irregular sale fares on its South India–Gulf corridor throughout the year. These are often driven by competitive pressure from IndiGo and Indigo's Gulf routes.
- Summer international sales: May–June sales for travel in August–October have appeared in recent years as AIX tries to fill shoulder capacity on international sectors.
The fastest way to catch either airline's sales is their official app notifications and their social media channels — AIX in particular has been active on Instagram and X with sale announcements.
Akasa vs IndiGo vs Air India Express — how do the all-in prices actually compare?
Headline fares are almost meaningless without including baggage, fees and taxes. Here's what I look at when comparing across these three carriers on the same route:
| Factor | Akasa Air | Air India Express | IndiGo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checked baggage included? | No (add-on) | 15 kg included on many int'l routes | No (add-on) |
| Domestic route coverage | Growing; tier-2 cities strong | Good in South India; AIX Connect adds more | Largest domestic network |
| Gulf routes (from South India) | Limited | Strongest in this category | Good; often pricier than AIX |
| Cabin experience | 737 MAX; newer, quieter cabin | Mixed fleet; varies by route | A320 family; consistent |
| Flexibility / change fees | Similar to IndiGo | Similar; check fare rules | Industry standard in India |
The baggage difference is the biggest practical variable. AIX including 15 kg check-in on Gulf routes can make its slightly higher base fare the better deal if you're checking a bag. Akasa and IndiGo both require you to pay for baggage, which currently runs around ₹600–900 for 15 kg on domestic sectors booked at checkout (more if you add it after booking).
Are Akasa sales good for tier-2 city routes?
This is where Akasa can genuinely shine. IndiGo dominates the metro corridors, but on routes like Bengaluru–Varanasi, Hyderabad–Patna, or Delhi–Hubli, Akasa has been building frequency. When it runs sale fares on these routes, the discount is sometimes more meaningful because base fares on less-competitive sectors are higher to begin with.
If you're based in or travelling to a city that IndiGo serves but with lower frequency — say, Guwahati, Jorhat, Kishangarh, or Jharsuguda — Akasa's entry on those routes has brought fares down. A sale fare from Akasa on a thin route can save more in absolute terms than a sale on a Delhi–Mumbai slot where competition has already driven fares to near-floor levels.
Check FlightGPT route pages for specific corridor pricing trends — some tier-2 routes have genuine fare variation worth knowing about before you search.
Air India Express for the Kerala–Gulf corridor — is it the right call?
If you're flying from Kochi (COK), Kozhikode (CCJ), Thiruvananthapuram (TRV), or Coimbatore (CJB) to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Dammam or Riyadh — AIX should be your first search, not an afterthought. This corridor is where AIX has the densest network and historically the most competitive fares for Indian workers and families doing what is locally called 'Gulf travel'.
AIX fares on this corridor during sale windows can be around ₹12,000–18,000 return, including 15 kg check-in, which is competitive even against IndiGo on the same routes. The aircraft may not always be the newest, but if you're familiar with the route and care more about price and frequency than cabin newness, AIX is a solid choice.
One thing to watch: AIX has been integrating the AIX Connect operations (previously Air Asia India aircraft and crew) into its network. In-flight service and ground experience can vary depending on whether you're on a legacy AIX flight or an absorbed AIX Connect slot. This matters less for short Gulf hops but worth knowing for longer sectors.
Fares and features change — check live prices on FlightGPT or AIX's own site before booking.
Bottom line — when to choose Akasa or AIX over IndiGo
Book Akasa when: it's a route where Akasa specifically has strong frequency, you're flexible on the airline but not the price, or its August anniversary sale fares come in below IndiGo on your dates. The newer fleet is a nice bonus.
Book Air India Express when: you're on a South India–Gulf route, the all-in price with included baggage beats the IndiGo base + bag cost, or you're specifically chasing the AIX anniversary or Gulf flash sale windows.
In both cases, compare on FlightGPT before deciding — the cheapest carrier switches depending on route and week. And read the Indian airline sale calendar to know when to watch for these deals, or how to grab IndiGo 6E sale seats if IndiGo ends up cheaper on your route anyway.
Frequently asked questions
When does Akasa Air run its annual sale?
Akasa's most consistent sale is in August, around its founding anniversary and Independence Day. It also runs reactive flash sales in response to competitor promotions. Enable Akasa app notifications and watch its social media for the first alert.
Is Air India Express cheaper than IndiGo for Gulf routes from South India?
Often yes, especially when AIX includes 15 kg check-in baggage in its fares while IndiGo charges extra. Compare the all-in total (base + bag + taxes) on both before deciding. On routes like Kochi–Dubai or Kozhikode–Abu Dhabi, AIX frequently matches or beats IndiGo.
Does Akasa Air have a loyalty programme?
As of 2026, Akasa has its own frequent-flyer programme called Akasa Elevation. Points earned on Akasa flights can be redeemed for seat upgrades, add-ons and future bookings. Check the Akasa app for current terms — benefits and redemption rates are subject to change.
Is Air India Express part of the Air India group?
Yes. Air India Express is the low-cost subsidiary of the Air India group, which is owned by the Tata Group since 2022. AIX now also operates what was previously Air Asia India (rebranded as AIX Connect before being fully absorbed into AIX).
How do I know if Akasa or Air India Express has a sale on my route right now?
Check the airline's app notification or website, or search your specific route on FlightGPT to compare live fares across carriers. Sale fares don't always appear clearly on third-party aggregators immediately — checking the airline's own site confirms inventory.