Air India, Drukair Partner To Offer Single-Ticket Travel Across India, Bhutan And Global Networks

New Delhi, August 26, 2026: Air India has entered into an interline partnership with Bhutan's flag carrier Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines, allowing passengers to travel across the two airlines' networks on a single-ticket itinerary.

The partnership will strengthen connectivity between India and Bhutan while giving travellers access to wider domestic and international networks, Air India said on Wednesday.

The arrangement also expands the Tata group-owned airline's connectivity across the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region through its own and partner networks.

One Ticket, Wider Network

Under the interline arrangement, passengers can combine Air India and Drukair flights on a single ticket. Such agreements allow airlines to issue and accept tickets for flights operated by their partners, with the operating airlines' flight numbers used on interline tickets.

Passengers will also get coordinated baggage transfers to their final destination when travelling through Air India's hub at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Air India said travellers would benefit from competitive interline fares, greater flexibility and improved connectivity, PTI reports.

The partnership is particularly useful for passengers travelling to Bhutan. Air India passengers from across its international network can connect to Paro through Delhi and then travel onwards within Bhutan to Bumthang, Gelephu and Yonphula.

Bhutan Gets A Bigger Gateway

For Drukair passengers, the agreement opens access through Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata to Air India's domestic network, including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kochi.

It also provides connections to major international destinations, including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Colombo, Newark, Frankfurt, New York's John F Kennedy International Airport, London Heathrow, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto Pearson and Vancouver.

The tie-up is a practical expansion for both carriers. Air India gets a stronger link to Bhutan, while Drukair passengers gain easier access to India's domestic network and several major international destinations without the two airlines having to operate all the connecting sectors themselves.

"Our partnership with Drukair reinforces our commitment to strengthening connectivity across the SAARC region, which we consider our extended home market. Bhutan is a valued part of this region, and we are happy to enable easy access to Bhutan for our guests and look forward to welcoming Drukair's passengers onto Air India's extensive domestic and global network," Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said.

Connecting South Asia Better

Besides India and Bhutan, SAARC comprises Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Air India said the partnership means it now provides seamless connectivity to nearly all countries in the region through its own or partner network.

Drukair Chief Executive Officer Tandi Wangchuk described the partnership as a significant milestone for the Bhutanese airline as it seeks to strengthen its global connectivity and improve the travel experience for passengers.

Through the interline partnership, Drukair customers will get seamless journeys, wider access to key international markets and improved connectivity across India and beyond, Wangchuk said.

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For travellers, the significance of the agreement lies in making journeys involving the two carriers simpler. A single-ticket itinerary, coordinated baggage transfers and access to connecting flights could make travel between Bhutan, India and destinations further afield more convenient.

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