New planes, new cabins: How Air India fleet is poised to look dramatically different in 2026

2026 is likely to mark a turning point for Air India passengers.

Air India is preparing for a major leap in its fleet experience in 2026, as the airline accelerates cabin retrofits and begins inducting new aircraft from its record order. The company says travelers will notice the most significant improvement next year, especially on long-haul routes.

New additions in 2026
- 6 new wide-body aircraft to join the fleet, first new Boeing 787-9 is expected by late 2025 (A350-1000 and Boeing 787-9)
- At least 20 new narrow-body aircraft to be delivered by the end of 2026

Wide-body retrofitting

- First two retrofitted Boeing 787-8 aircraft will return in Q1 2026
- Retrofit of all 26 legacy Boeing 787-8s to be completed by mid-2027
- Fleet of wide-bodies with retrofitted modern interiors will double to 36 by end-2026, which is over half of the current wide-body fleet

Narrow-body retrofitting nearing completion

- 82% or 104 of Air India’s narrow-body fleet is now upgraded with modern interiors
- Across the Air India Group, there are 150+ retrofitted aircraft
- Retrofit of 50 Air India Express Boeing 737-8s to be completed by mid-2026

Massive order pipeline

Air India reaffirmed its commitment to its 570-aircraft order. Of these, 524 aircraft are yet to be delivered, with bulk arrivals expected during 2027–2028.Read about our editorial guidelines and ethics policy