At a time when Air India continues its wide-ranging transformation, several recent global awards serve as an encouraging reminder that meaningful change is taking shape across the travel experience. These recognitions are modest milestones in a larger journey that highlight the airline’s efforts to elevate comfort, familiarity, and engagement for customers onboard.
Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) rates Air India’s onboard beverage and entertainment best in the industry
The prestigious global association recognises airlines for excellence in passenger service, flight entertainment, in-flight food and beverage, cabin comfort and overall flight experience.
- Among the recognitions, the APEX Best Onboard Beverage (Hot) award for Cutting Chai stands out for what it represents beyond the signature glass it is served in. It is a reminder that warmth at 35,000 feet is often best expressed through a familiar and relatable taste. Available across First and Business Class cabins on international routes, ‘Cutting Chai’ has quickly become a favourite of Air India’s frequent fliers onboard.
- Complementing this, the APEX Best Entertainment – Central/Southern Asia award underlines entertainment as a core pillar of the onboard experience. As customer expectations evolve, the airline remains focused on building an engaging, intuitive ecosystem that enhances the inflight entertainment journey across all cabins. At present, the full collection of the in-flight entertainment system features over 3,000+ hours of content across formats and genres, including 1,500 + hours of video, and 1,500 + hours of audio. The video category proudly features a healthy mix of Bollywood and Hollywood movies titles and series.
The PAX International and Tech Readership Awards applaud Air India for raising the bar on comfort and entertainment
- Acknowledging Air India's cabin refresh efforts in the premium category is the PAX International Readership Award for Best First-Class Bedding & Soft Products (South Asia). It reflects tangible improvements by the airline in fabric quality, cushioning, and design coherence in the First-Class sleep experience.
- Adding another feather to the hat, is the PAX Tech Readership Award for Best IFE & Connectivity (South Asia) for Vista Stream, Air India’s wireless inflight entertainment. Allowing guests to stream content on their personal devices, it provides seamless onboard entertainment with reliability, ease of access, and a wide content variety to choose from. Vista Stream offers diverse content spanning music, podcasts, Bollywood and Hollywood as well as regional movie titles.
Recognition at TravelPlus Awards 2026 for extending premium experience and comfort beyond front cabins
- Another noteworthy accolade is the TravelPlus 2026 Gold Award for Premium Economy Bedding & Comfort Products. It is a recognition that the airline's commitment to comfort is not limited to its front cabin. Thoughtful upgrades in Premium Economy, a high-volume segment, signal an intent to make quality more accessible.
Cellars in the Sky Awards 2026 recognised Air India's upgraded beverage portfolio for serving the premium Champagne in Business Class
- Considered as one of aviation industry’s most prestigious wine awards, the winners of the award are determined through independent blind tastings judged by leading wine experts and Masters of Wine. Air India won a Silver in Business Class Sparkling Wine category for its premium offering of Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Champagne. The Champagne, recognised for its balance, complexity, and consistency was rated 95 on a scale of 100, showcasing Air India’s commitment towards elevating the onboard beverage experience. The award highlights the strength of Air India's curated Beverage programme simultaneously positioning the airline alongside leading global carriers recognised for excellence in inflight hospitality.
These recognitions reflect the dedication of the teams who shape every detail of the travel experience - from menu and product design to technology deployment and cabin service. While Air India remains on a long transformation journey, the awards serve as a reminder that the collective effort of many is beginning to be felt by customers onboard.
