Air India, Drukair Sign Interline Partnership to Boost India-Bhutan Connectivity

Air India and Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines, Bhutan’s national flag carrier, have entered into an interline partnership to provide seamless travel across each other’s networks, strengthening connectivity between India, Bhutan and major international destinations. The agreement allows passengers to combine Air India and Drukair flights under a single-ticket itinerary, with coordinated passenger and baggage transfers through Air India’s hub at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The partnership will offer competitive interline fares, greater flexibility and smoother end-to-end journeys. For Air India passengers, it opens access to Paro via Delhi from the airline’s international network, followed by Drukair connections to Bumthang, Gelephu and Yonphula. Drukair’s August 2026 schedule includes daily Delhi-Paro services, along with selected Paro flights to Kolkata and Guwahati. Air India does not operate its own Bhutan service, meaning these sectors will be operated by Drukair.

The arrangement works both ways. Drukair passengers can connect through Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata to Air India’s domestic network, including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kochi, as well as international destinations such as Paris Charles de Gaulle, Colombo, Newark, Frankfurt, New York JFK, London Heathrow, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto Pearson and Vancouver.

Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said the agreement reinforces the airline’s focus on the SAARC region, which it regards as an “extended home market”. Air India said the partnership gives it connectivity to nearly all SAARC countries through its own or partner networks. Drukair CEO Tandi Wangchuk called the agreement a significant milestone in the carrier’s efforts to strengthen global connectivity and passenger access to international markets.

The agreement comes as Drukair is expanding its operations. Its 2024 annual report shows the airline operated 4,435 flights, up from 3,996 in 2023, and carried 234,845 passengers, a 16% increase. Its load factor rose to 69.45%, while income reached Nu 5.498 billion and profit after tax stood at Nu 177.84 million, compared with a loss of Nu 632.80 million in 2023. Drukair also launched twice-weekly Dubai services in October 2024.

The Bhutanese carrier is also preparing for longer-term growth, having secured three A320neo aircraft to replace its ageing A319 fleet and two A321XLR aircraft to expand routes beyond Gelephu. Drukair currently operates international services from its Paro base and domestic connections within Bhutan.

For Air India, the agreement fits a broader partnership-led network expansion strategy, with the airline adding new codeshare and interline arrangements across Europe, Asia and other markets in 2026.

The partnership therefore creates a two-way aviation corridor: Air India feeds international travellers into Bhutan through Drukair, while Drukair connects Bhutanese and regional passengers to Air India’s extensive Indian and global network. Beyond convenience, the agreement is expected to support tourism, business travel and wider India-Bhutan connectivity, while strengthening Delhi’s role as a bridge between Bhutan and global markets.