Air India Express Just Added Six Domestic Airports, and Aurangabad's New Flights Make Ajanta and Ellora Easier to Reach

Air India Express started service to six new domestic airports on 1 September 2026: Aurangabad, Coimbatore, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Madurai and Tirupati, taking the carrier's network to 64 destinations in total, 48 domestic and 16 international. Aurangabad, Coimbatore and Jamnagar each get two daily flights, to Delhi and Mumbai, Mumbai, and Mumbai respectively; Jodhpur picks up daily flights to both Delhi and Mumbai; Madurai gets a daily service to Chennai; and Tirupati a daily flight to Hyderabad. Bookings are open now through the airline's website and app.

Why Aurangabad is the one worth watching

Of the six, Aurangabad, officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, matters most for leisure travellers, since it is the usual gateway to the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites less than a couple of hours away by road. Ajanta's Buddhist rock-cut caves, painted and carved between roughly the 2nd century BCE and 6th century CE, and Ellora's more famous Kailasa temple, carved from a single rock face, have long drawn travellers who found flight options into the city limited. Direct connections to both Delhi and Mumbai remove one of the more awkward legs on that itinerary.

View on Google Maps →

The other five additions

Coimbatore and Madurai strengthen Tamil Nadu connectivity, the latter useful for travellers heading to the Meenakshi Amman Temple; Jamnagar opens up easier access to the Gujarat coast and the Marine National Park nearby; Jodhpur adds a second carrier's daily options into Rajasthan's Blue City, alongside existing services from other airlines; and Tirupati's new Hyderabad link gives pilgrims travelling to the Tirumala temple another routing choice.

What to check before booking

As with any newly launched route, initial frequencies and schedules can shift within the first few months of operation. Travellers should confirm the current schedule, fares and any seasonal changes directly on Air India Express's official website before finalising connecting flights or hotel bookings around these dates.

Traveller tips

• These routes are effective from 1 September 2026; always verify the live schedule on airindiaexpress.com before booking connecting travel.
• Aurangabad's airport is roughly 45 minutes from the Ellora Caves and around two hours from Ajanta by road; both are best visited as separate day trips given their distance apart.
• Ajanta Caves are typically closed on Mondays; check current opening days before planning a visit around a short layover.
• New routes sometimes launch with promotional fares that do not reflect ongoing pricing, so compare against other carriers before assuming it is the cheapest option.