The Maharaja Lounge

Maharaja Lounge

  1. Overview and key specifications

  • Location: San Francisco International Airport (SFO), International Terminal A, Level 4, Near ‘A Gates’.
  • Footprint: Spans 3,300 square feet
  • Capacity: Seating accommodation for nearly 80 guests
  • Design firm: Conceptualized by the award-winning global hospitality design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA)
  • Brand hub strategy: This is Air India’s first signature lounge outside of India and the second in a series of global signature lounges envisioned by Air India, reflecting the design philosophy of the recently launched flagship Maharaja Lounge in Delhi.

 

2. Curated zones

  • The Aviator’s Bar: Features a distinctive speakeasy vibe, anchored by a well-curated cellar of wines and whiskies hand-picked for the discerning traveler. The warm, rich hues of the space, coupled with the signature ceiling design, provides a sophisticated backdrop, complemented by a menu of thoughtfully crafted signature cocktails.
  • Dining Area: Offers a curated and delightful dining experience for all guests, who can choose from a wide variety of Indian and international culinary delicacies including live cooking stations. The area includes a hot buffet island/counter, a cold counter, and a beverage station serving a host of delicacies.
  • Private Zone: Tucked into a serene corner of the lounge, this space is a sanctuary of understated luxury. Designed for heightened privacy and comfort, the Private Zone offers a more intimate setting with elevated service, allowing guests traveling First Class to relax, work, or unwind in a calm and discreet environment before their departure.
  • Social Zone: Adjacent to the Aviator’s Bar is the lounge’s primary social zone, a space meticulously designed to foster a sense of community. Configured to accommodate the natural “hustle” of a premier international hub, the seating arrangements encourage both spontaneous conversation and group interaction, while still offering pockets of privacy.
  • Tarmac View: The seating and dining sections of the Private Zone and the Business Class lounge overlook the tarmac, offering enchanting views of aircraft taking off and landing—perfect for both plane-spotters and curious travelers.

3. Design philosophy and art direction

Interior aesthetics

The lounge's spatial elegance features a color palette of champagne, ivory, and deep reds that mirror Air India's new global brand identity, which is structurally woven throughout the architecture, utilizing distinct geometric ‘Vista’ patterns integrated seamlessly into the walls and custom furniture pieces.

Indian art integration

Indian craftsmanship lies at the heart of the design philosophy, balancing traditional heritage with global modern aesthetics to create a cohesive visual language:

  • Motifs and narratives: Brand motifs are integrated throughout the interiors, including the ‘Vista’ patterns on the walls and furniture. The lounge has been designed to evoke the essence of quintessential Indian hospitality, creating an atmosphere of warmth, comfort, and understated luxury for guests. To honour the airline's historical connection to the arts, the space features works by local artists that showcase regional heritage. Select installations also incorporate upcycled aircraft components, thoughtfully reimagined into contemporary art pieces. 
  • San Francisco connection: An exclusive custom painting featuring the iconic Golden Gate Bridge celebrates the spirit of San Francisco and honors the link between the two destinations.
  • Sustainable heritage: Select installations incorporate upcycled aircraft components, thoughtfully reimagined and fabricated into contemporary luxury art pieces.

Aviator's Bar historical canvas

The walls of the Aviator's Bar serve as a narrative canvas honoring Air India's pioneering historical milestones and deep aviation legacy through a curated selection of archival items:

  • Authentic Air India plane models
  • Archived intricate technical drawings and original blueprints
  • Vintage travel postcards tracing the airline's storied global journey

4. Aviator’s Bar signature cocktails

  • The Limitless (Gin-based) 

This vibrant red cocktail captures the bold spirit of Air India. The infusion of rose and hibiscus flowers symbolizes the beauty of diversity, while a delicate saffron crown evokes the luxury and premium experience Air India delivers.

  • Maharaja Manhattan (Whiskey-based) 

The Maharaja Manhattan arrives with a taste of luxury. This is the Manhattan at its best with an elevated and reborn flavor profile with a twist of black pepper. Blending the perfect balance of bourbon and sweet vermouth, the Maharaja Manhattan is measured, deliberate, and absolutely unforgettable. It’s a sip of history and a celebration of sophistication.

  • Holy Land (Gin-based)  

Inspired by nature's most revered herb—basil—this cocktail captures the essence of purity and vitality of the mother earth. Aromatic gin, fresh lemon, and fragrant basil bled to evoke tranquility and a deep connection to nature’s spirit.

5. Lounge strategy and expansion plans

The Maharaja Lounge at Delhi International Airport is the first in a series of world-class lounges planned at key airports in India and internationally, reinforcing Air India’s commitment to building a global airline with an Indian heart. The Maharaja Lounge at Delhi airport is the flagship lounge of the airline and a tangible and proud representation of the ‘New Air India Experience’. It is a step towards setting a benchmark in aviation hospitality. The airline is gearing up to launch a new domestic lounge at Delhi’s Terminal 3 later this year.

6. Air India’s refreshed food and beverage menu for an enhanced in-flight dining experience

Complementing the on-ground experience, is the elevated inflight dining experience with a refreshed global food and beverage menu. 

Air India’s new onboard dining menus blend the flavours of India with global influences, offering region-inspired Indian dishes alongside European and pan-Asian favourites. The key highlights include signature Indian selections, international classics, GenZ-inspired choices, home-style comfort dishes, and plant-based and special dietary options. Signature dishes include favourites such as Vegetarian Awadhi Thali, Japanese Teppanyaki Bowl, and Chicken Bimbimbap. The new menus have been introduced on all international routes, including flights to and from London Heathrow, New York JFK, Newark, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto and Dubai, to name a few. 

Across every cabin, Air India's beverage programme has been reimagined with intention and distinction. First Class guests indulge in an ultra-premium collection that serves Aberfeldy 21-Year-Old Single Malt, Hennessy VSOP Cognac, and the exquisite Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Business Class is no less refined, offering Charles Heidsieck Brut, the iconic Bottega Gold Prosecco, and a distinguished Château Teyssier Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. Premium Economy marks the joy of departure with a celebratory Prosecco pour post take-off, along with several other choices to suit varied tastes, while Economy guests are treated to a thoughtfully assembled world of international wines, spirits, and beers. Tying it all together, a new Regional Wine Programme brings the flavours of each destination directly to the tray table.

7. Air India’s fleet modernization program

As part of Air India’s five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI, that began late 2022, Air India has invested $400 million in overhauling its legacy narrowbody and widebody aircraft while concurrently inducting factory-fresh, custom-built aircraft to deliver a unified "New Air India Experience":

  • The factory line-fit widebody program
    • Moving beyond leased or legacy aircraft, Air India has officially entered its long-haul "made-for-Air India" era. These factory line-fit widebodies feature completely bespoke cabin layouts installed directly on the manufacturer’s assembly lines, with cabin products designed to the new Air India standards, in collaboration with JPA Design and TrendWorks.
    • Air India’s brand-new, custom-built Boeing 787-9 aircraft (two such aircraft having been delivered so far in 2026) serves as the design template for the future of the Boeing 787 fleet. They are the first aircraft designed entirely by and for the new Air India, featuring an elegant and soft color palette of soft creams, pinks, deep purples, and warm golds across the interiors.
    • These factory-fresh 787s introduce customized versions of the Elevate Ascent Business Class suites with full sliding privacy doors, wireless charging pads, and Thales' state-of-the-art 4K QLED HDR touchscreens across all classes (including Premium Economy and Economy) with global Bluetooth headphone pairing capability.
  • Boeing 787-8 legacy fleet retrofit
    • Complementing the world-class cabin products on the brand-new, line-fit aircraft arrivals, Air India is progressively retrofitting 26 of its legacy Boeing 787-8 widebodies (spearheaded by the return of the aircraft registered VT-ANT to frontline service, and a second one to follow in May 2026) to the same product standard. These aircraft are being completely reconfigured from a two-class layout into a modern, synchronized three-class cabin layout featuring Premium Economy for the first time on Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft and an all-new Business Class suites with privacy doors.
    • The Boeing 787-8 retrofit program entails the installation of new seats, new carpets, new wall laminates, overhauling of the galleys and lavatories, replacement or refurbishment of overhead bin panels, installation of a new Cabin Service System and an updated Crew Application Panel interface, and rigorous testing of the new seating and cabin components.
    • Upon full completion of the Boeing 787-8 retrofit program by 2027, Air India aims to significantly upgrade the onboard product and passenger experience on over 600 flights per week to and from destinations across the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia.
  • Boeing 777 legacy fleet retrofit
    • Air India currently has a fleet of 13 legacy Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which will be retrofitted subsequent to the completion of the Boeing 787 retrofit program; aimed for commencement in 2027.

8. Air India’s North American route network

  • Air India operates over 100 flights a week between North America and India. However, in response to continued airspace restrictions across certain regions and record-high jet fuel prices impacting international operations, the airline has adjusted capacity on select routes between June and August 2026, while maintaining a strong North American footprint with over 65 weekly flights between North America and India.
  • Air India today operates its flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft and its upgraded Boeing 777-300ER on all flights to India from New York JFK and Newark.
  • Starting August 1, 2026, the airline will deploy its brand-new, made-for-Air India Boeing 787-9 aircraft on flights to and from Toronto, featuring all-new cabin interiors in a three-class configuration and introducing Premium Economy on the route for the first time.
  • The airline expects to take deliveries of brand-new Airbus A350-1000s towards the end of 2026, which are earmarked for ultra long-haul routes including North America.

9. Global access and alliance integration

Through a growing network of more than 25 codeshare and 120 interline partnerships, including deeper integration with fellow Star Alliance member airlines, Air India now offers access to more than 1,100 destinations worldwide across its own and partner airline networks. By combining Air India-operated flights with those of its partner airlines, travelers can enjoy seamless global connectivity across continents on a single Air India ticket, with coordinated itineraries and baggage allowance as well as integrated customer support across their journey.