Senior citizen flight discounts in India 2026: which airlines still offer them and who qualifies
By Ishaani Reddy (Ishaani Reddy writes about the consumer-protection side of travel — DGCA passenger rights, OTA refund policies, hidden fees, dynamic-currency-conversion traps and the seven kinds of booking mistakes that quietly drain Indian travel budgets.) · Published · 10 min read
The Vistara-Air India merger changed the landscape for senior travellers. Vistara had one of the more reliable senior discount programmes — that has now been absorbed into Air India's fare structure. Meanwhile IndiGo's senior discounts are route- and timing-dependent in ways that aren't obvious at booking. Here's the honest 2026 state of play: who qualifies, what ID they need, and whether the discount is even real value once you factor in fare class restrictions.
TL;DR — the short answer
In 2026, Air India offers senior citizen discounts on select domestic routes for passengers aged 60 and above; IndiGo offers senior discounts on a narrower set of routes and fare classes, typically requiring age 60+ with government-issued photo ID proof. Neither airline guarantees these fares on every route or during peak demand periods. The discount is applied to the base fare only — airport taxes and fuel surcharges are charged at full rate, which reduces the actual saving. Stacking a senior fare with an early-booking window (typically 30+ days before departure) usually gives you the best total price. Always book on the airline's official site or call their reservations line to access the senior fare, as most OTAs do not surface it by default. Verify current eligibility and availability directly on the airline's website — these policies have changed frequently.
What happened to Vistara's senior discount after the Air India merger?
Vistara merged into Air India in late 2024, completing one of Indian aviation's more significant consolidations. Vistara had maintained a consistent senior citizen fare programme — typically available on domestic routes for passengers aged 60 and above, with a discount applied to the base fare. When the merger was completed, Vistara's routes, fleet, and fare programmes were folded into Air India.
The practical outcome for senior travellers: if you were a Vistara frequent flyer (Club Vistara member), your points were migrated to Air India's Flying Returns programme at a conversion rate — check your Air India account to confirm the balance. The Vistara senior fare, where it existed, has been absorbed into Air India's domestic senior fare offering.
Air India now operates the full-service domestic network that was previously split between Air India Classic and Vistara. This means more routes where a senior fare might apply than before — but Air India's pricing, fare rules, and availability are not as straightforward as Vistara's were. The route-by-route availability of the senior fare needs to be checked at the time of booking. Do not assume that a route that had a Vistara senior fare will automatically have an Air India senior fare on the same city pair — verify on airindiaexpress.com or the Air India booking portal.
Air India senior citizen fare: eligibility, routes, and what to expect
Air India offers a senior citizen concession fare on domestic routes for Indian nationals aged 60 years and above. Key points as of 2026:
- Age threshold: 60 years and above. You must carry valid age proof — a government-issued ID that shows your date of birth. Aadhaar, PAN card, passport, or a government-issued senior citizen card all work at check-in.
- Routes: Not available on every domestic route and typically not available on all fare buckets on a given flight. On very busy routes (like Delhi–Mumbai morning flights), the senior fare class may be sold out or simply not offered. You will see it — or not — when you search on Air India's website with the 'Senior Citizen' passenger type selected.
- International routes: Air India's senior discount, historically, has been for domestic routes only. On international routes, standard published fares apply. There is no Air India senior discount for flying to London or Toronto. Check the airline's current policy if this has changed.
- Discount quantum: The discount is a percentage off the base fare — typically in the range of 5–15% off economy base fares, though this varies. Because it applies to the base fare only (not taxes and surcharges, which make up a significant chunk of the total), the real saving in rupees is often smaller than it looks. On a short sector like Delhi–Lucknow, the absolute saving can be a few hundred rupees.
- Carry-on ID: The senior fare is booked on the passenger's age claim, but ID must be produced at check-in. If the age on the ID doesn't match the claim, the airline can charge the full difference. Carry the physical ID, not just a photo on your phone.
IndiGo senior citizen fare: where it exists and where it doesn't
IndiGo has historically been less consistent about senior citizen fares than Air India. The low-cost carrier model doesn't lend itself naturally to concessional fares — every discounted seat is a revenue trade-off that LCCs are reluctant to make.
As of 2026, IndiGo does offer a senior citizen fare on select domestic routes, but there are a few things to understand:
- Availability is genuinely patchy. Unlike Air India, where the senior fare type is a recognised booking class, IndiGo's senior fares may appear on some sectors and not others, or during some periods and not others. If you are searching on IndiGo's app or website and don't see a senior fare option in the passenger dropdown, it may simply not be available for that flight.
- Age threshold: Typically 60+ for IndiGo as well. Aadhaar or other government ID required at boarding — IndiGo ground staff do check.
- Fare class restriction: The senior fare is usually tied to a specific (often higher) fare bucket, meaning it comes with the included meal, refundability, or seat selection that the equivalent standard fare wouldn't have at the same price. But sometimes the standard 'Super Saver' fare is actually cheaper than the senior fare — do the comparison. The senior label doesn't guarantee it's the cheapest option on that flight.
- Book direct. Like Air India, IndiGo's senior fare is most reliably accessed through the IndiGo website or the 6E app, or by calling IndiGo's customer care. Most OTAs — MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Yatra — either don't list the senior fare type or list it inconsistently. Don't pay a platform fee to an OTA for something you could book directly for free.
Stacking senior fares with early booking for the best price
Here is where it gets practical. The senior citizen fare is a discount applied to a base fare — and the base fare itself changes with demand. A senior citizen fare booked 90 days out might actually be cheaper in total than the same senior fare booked 2 days before departure (when the base fare has jumped). The discount percentage stays the same, but the base it's applied to is higher.
The optimal strategy: check fares 30–60 days before departure. At that window, the base fare is usually reasonable but not yet at the rock-bottom levels you might see 90+ days out (which are rare and fill fast). At 30–60 days, the senior fare class is also more likely to still have availability. Combine this with flexible date searching — if you can fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday rather than Friday or Sunday, fares are typically lower and the senior discount class is more likely to have seats.
Use FlightGPT to scan flexible date ranges and identify the cheapest windows. Once you have the target date and route, go directly to the airline's website to book the senior fare. Don't double-pay platform fees to an OTA for a fare the airline offers directly without a booking fee.
Also worth knowing: if your parent is a Flying Returns member with Air India miles, accumulated miles from the old Vistara programme (post-conversion) can further reduce the cost of an Air India booking on top of the senior fare. The two benefits can be stacked.
ID proof required at the airport: don't rely on a phone photo
This is the one that catches families out when they book a senior fare for a parent who is not tech-savvy. The discount is booked on a self-declaration, but the airline ground staff will ask for ID at check-in or at the boarding gate — and they want the physical document, not a photo on a phone screen.
Acceptable ID for senior fares (at both Air India and IndiGo, as of 2026):
- Aadhaar card (original or certified copy)
- Passport
- PAN card (shows date of birth)
- Government-issued senior citizen card
- Voter ID card
The date of birth on the ID needs to confirm the passenger is 60+. If the ground staff can't verify age at check-in, they can technically charge the difference to the full fare — or in extreme cases, ask the passenger to buy a new ticket at the counter at walk-up prices. This almost never happens in practice, but it is the rule. Don't let an elderly parent travel with only a digital copy of their Aadhaar on a phone that might be out of battery.
Bottom line
Senior citizen fares on Indian airlines in 2026 are real but patchy. Air India offers them more consistently across its domestic network; IndiGo's offering is there but less predictable. Neither offers them internationally. The saving is on the base fare only, so do the maths before assuming it's the cheapest option — sometimes a standard sale fare beats the senior discount. Book direct on the airline's website or app, carry physical age-proof ID, and stack the fare with an early-booking window for the best result. For families planning a trip with elderly parents, also read our guide on documents for a family's first international flight — a lot of the same ID logic applies. And search your route options first on FlightGPT to know what the market base fare looks like before you look up the senior fare.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do you qualify for senior citizen flight discounts in India?
Both Air India and IndiGo define 'senior citizen' as 60 years of age and above for their concessional fare programmes. You need a government-issued ID (Aadhaar, passport, PAN card, voter ID) showing your date of birth, which will be checked at the airport.
Did Vistara's senior citizen fare survive the Air India merger?
Vistara fully merged into Air India by late 2024. Vistara's senior citizen fare programme has been folded into Air India's domestic concessional fare offering. Check airindiaexpress.in or Air India's booking portal for the current senior fare availability on your specific route — it is not guaranteed on all sectors.
Can I book an IndiGo senior citizen fare on MakeMyTrip or EaseMyTrip?
IndiGo's senior citizen fare is best accessed directly on IndiGo's website (www.IndiGo6e.com) or the 6E app, or by calling IndiGo customer care. Most OTAs do not consistently surface the senior fare type. You'd be paying a platform convenience fee for something available for free on the airline's own site.
Is the senior citizen discount applied to the total ticket price?
No — the discount is applied to the base fare only, not to airport taxes, fuel surcharge, or other statutory charges, which are charged at the standard rate for all passengers. The actual rupee saving can be smaller than the percentage suggests, especially on short domestic sectors where taxes form a large share of the total fare.
Can a senior citizen's flight discount be stacked with frequent flyer miles?
On Air India, you can typically earn Flying Returns miles on a senior citizen fare booking and, separately, use accumulated miles (including converted Vistara Club Vistara points) for a redemption or upgrade. Whether a miles discount stacks additively with a senior fare depends on the fare class rules — check with Air India's reservations team for your specific booking.