Air India Express is owned by the Tata Group. It is part of the Air India Group, which Tata took over in 2022. It is a different airline from Air India, with its own IX flight code, even though both share a parent. AIX Connect, the former AirAsia India, was merged into Air India Express effective 1 October 2024.
Updated November 2026 · HappyFares
The names Air India and Air India Express sound like one airline, so it is common to wonder whether they are the same company. Here is how they relate and what it means when you book.
Who owns Air India Express?
Air India Express is part of the Tata-owned Air India Group. The Tata Group took over Air India in 2022, and Air India Express came with it as the group’s low-cost airline. Air India Express is a subsidiary of Air India Limited. Singapore Airlines is also a minority shareholder in Air India Limited, a stake that came with the merger of Vistara into Air India.
Those ownership details come from company statements and news reports, and they can change with later share deals. For anything involving shareholding percentages, check the latest statements from Tata Sons or Air India rather than a travel blog.
What was the AIX Connect merger?
AIX Connect was the airline formerly known as AirAsia India. It was a joint venture of Tata Sons and AirAsia, and it was renamed AIX Connect. The Air India Group said it had completed the operational integration and legal merger of AIX Connect into Air India Express, and the DGCA confirmed that AIX Connect’s aircraft had moved onto the Air India Express operator certificate. News reports and the Air India press release place the completion on 1 October 2024.
After that, there was one low-cost airline under the Air India Express name, using the IX airline code. If you remember seeing “AIX Connect” or “AirAsia India” on a ticket, those flights now sit under Air India Express.
Are Air India and Air India Express the same airline?
No. They are two separate airlines in the same group. Air India is the full-service carrier, and its flight numbers use the AI code. Air India Express is the low-cost carrier, with the IX code. The Vistara airline, which was also a Tata venture, was folded into Air India on 12 November 2024, per the Air India press release.
Did you know? The two-letter code in a flight number tells you which airline operates it. An AI flight and an IX flight can both appear on the same route, but they are different carriers.
In practice this means the two airlines are booked, priced and managed as separate products. Baggage rules, meals on board, seat options and fare conditions are each set by the airline you are flying. Check the airline name and flight code on your itinerary, not just the “Air India” in the group name.
What are the fare names on each airline?
Fare names help you see what is included before you pay. At the time of writing:
- Air India Express: Value, Classic and Flex. A Light fare exists only on Air India Express’s own channels and on a few international flights, and is not sold on domestic flights through other sites.
- Air India (mainline economy): Value, Classic and Flex.
The two airlines use similar fare names, but the inclusions and rules differ by airline and by route. Read the baggage, change and cancellation terms for the specific fare before you book.
Does it matter which one I book?
It can. A low-cost carrier and a full-service carrier price extras differently, and you may need to compare the total cost with bags, seat and changes, not only the headline fare. If you have a connection, a booking on one airline does not automatically cover a flight on the other unless both flights are on a single ticket, so check how your trip is ticketed.
When you compare results, look at the airline name next to each flight, the fare name, and the baggage allowance shown for that fare. Two flights at similar prices can include very different things. If you are travelling with family or planning to check in a bag, add up the full cost for everyone before deciding. If your plans might change, compare the change and cancellation terms of each fare name too, since a cheaper fare often has stricter terms than a Classic or Flex fare.
It also helps to keep the airline’s own app or booking reference handy after you book. Web check-in, seat selection, and any changes are handled by the airline you are flying, so you will use Air India’s tools for an AI flight and Air India Express’s tools for an IX flight.
Common Questions
Is Air India Express owned by Tata?
Yes. It is part of the Tata-owned Air India Group, as a subsidiary of Air India Limited.
Is Air India Express the same as Air India?
No. They are separate airlines in the same group, with different flight codes: AI for Air India and IX for Air India Express.
What happened to AirAsia India?
It was renamed AIX Connect, and then merged into Air India Express, with the merger completed effective 1 October 2024.
What are Air India Express’s fare names?
Value, Classic and Flex on domestic flights sold through other sites. A Light fare exists on its own channels and a few international flights.
Is Vistara still flying?
Vistara was merged into Air India on 12 November 2024, per the Air India press release, so its flights now operate under Air India.
Do I need a separate booking for each airline?
Yes, unless the flights are sold together on one ticket. Each airline sets its own fare rules.
Comparing Air India and Air India Express? Search flights on HappyFares to see both side by side, set a price alert, or ask Meera, our AI assistant. Domestic bookings carry zero convenience fee.
Rules, fares and ownership details change. Verify current specifics with the airline, DGCA or the airport before you travel.
