How Many Airlines Are There in India? Scheduled Operators in 2026

Updated November 2026 · HappyFares

“How many airlines are there in India?” has no single permanent answer, because airlines start, pause and stop. Here is a clear way to count them, and to check the list yourself before you book.

Which airlines run scheduled passenger flights in India?

A report published by Gulf News on 24 December 2025, citing the aviation regulator, listed the current scheduled airlines as IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Alliance Air, Star Air, Fly91 and IndiaOne Air. That is nine names. It is the most recent regulator-based list we could confirm, and we did not find a newer official roster, so treat it as a snapshot rather than a live roster and check dgca.gov.in for the current one.

• IndiGo: describes itself on its own website as India’s largest passenger airline.
• Air India and Air India Express: two separate airlines in the same group.
• Akasa Air and SpiceJet: national carriers flying between major cities.
• Alliance Air, Star Air, Fly91 and IndiaOne Air: regional airlines that connect smaller cities.

We have not labelled airlines as “full-service” or “low-cost” here, because airlines describe themselves differently and we only want to repeat what an airline itself states. The fare options on each airline’s own site tell you more about what you get.

What is the difference between scheduled, non-scheduled and regional operators?

Under India’s Aircraft Rules, 1937, a scheduled air service needs permission from the Central Government, and the regulator, DGCA, issues the Air Operator Certificate for it. In DGCA’s own paperwork, a scheduled service runs between the same places to a published timetable, or with flights frequent enough to form a recognisable series, and is open to the public.

A non-scheduled operator is anything else, and it holds a Non-Scheduled Operator’s Permit. Charter flights fall here. These operators are not meant to publish a timetable or sell individual seats to the public, so you will not find them on a normal flight search page.

“Scheduled commuter” is a separate category that DGCA lists for smaller regional airlines. We could not find the precise legal definition in a source we could read in full, so we will not paraphrase it. In practice, what matters to you is simple: if an airline sells tickets on a published schedule, it is operating as a scheduled or scheduled commuter airline.

Did you know? Regional routes are often flown by turboprops, propeller aircraft that suit short hops and smaller runways. Fly91, for instance, flies ATR 72-600 turboprops, according to the airline’s own announcements.

Which airlines have stopped, and which are new?

FlyBig, a regional airline in the Northeast, has stopped operating scheduled flights and is not in the regulator’s list above. If you see an old fare or schedule for it, do not rely on it.

In December 2025 the civil aviation ministry issued No Objection Certificates to three proposed airlines: Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. An NOC is only a first step. The airline must still complete the process to earn an Air Operator Certificate from DGCA before it can sell scheduled seats. When we checked, we could not confirm that any of the three had begun scheduled flights, so we do not count them in the nine. Launch dates for Shankh Air have shifted several times in news reports.

How can you check that an airline is genuinely operating?

• Search real dates. If an airline has flights on your route and date, with a fare you can price, it is selling seats.
• Visit the airline’s own website. It should list its route network, baggage rules and contact details.
• Look at DGCA. The regulator publishes a list of scheduled and scheduled commuter operators on dgca.gov.in.
• Be careful with a brand-new name. News of an approval is not the same as a flight you can board.

Does the number of airlines change what you pay?

More airlines on a route usually means more fares to compare, but not every airline flies every city pair. Many smaller cities are served by one or two operators at most. Prices still depend on the route, the date, how full the flight is and which fare option you choose, so comparing the same route across all available airlines is the practical approach.

Common Questions

How many airlines are there in India?

The regulator-based list we could confirm names nine scheduled passenger airlines as of late 2025. We did not find a newer official roster, and the number can change as airlines launch or stop, so verify on dgca.gov.in or the airline’s own site before you plan around it.

Is Air India Express the same as Air India?

No. They are separate airlines within the same group, with their own flight numbers and their own fare options.

Can I book a flight on Shankh Air, Al Hind Air or FlyExpress?

These airlines received approvals in December 2025, but we could not confirm that they were selling scheduled seats. Search your route and dates, and check the airline’s own site.

What is a non-scheduled operator?

It is an operator holding a Non-Scheduled Operator’s Permit, usually for charter flights. It does not publish a timetable for the public.

Where can I find the official list?

DGCA publishes a list of scheduled and scheduled commuter operators on its website, dgca.gov.in. Its page layout changes, so you may need to look under its aircraft operations section.

Do all these airlines fly the same routes?

No. National airlines focus on large cities, while regional airlines connect smaller airports. Search by your route and date to see who actually flies it.

Airline lists, rules and fees change. Verify current details with the airline, DGCA or the airport before you travel.