Air India is placing the passenger experience at the center of its transformation strategy, and nowhere is that more visible than in its newly unveiled Maharaja Lounge at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The flagship facility at Terminal 3’s international pier is positioned as a showcase for the “new Air India,” combining upgraded comforts, refined design and hospitality touches that draw on the airline’s long heritage. With the lounge set to open to travelers from mid February 2026, it marks a significant step in how the carrier serves premium passengers transiting through one of Asia’s busiest hubs.
A Flagship Lounge for a Reimagined Air India
The Maharaja Lounge is the first in a planned network of next generation lounges that Air India intends to roll out across India and key international gateways. At roughly 16,000 square feet, it is considerably larger than the carrier’s previous facility at Delhi Terminal 3, which closed for a complete revamp in 2024. The new space can accommodate around 300 guests at a time, addressing both the growth in Air India’s long haul network and the airport’s expanding international capacity.
Located along the international pier of Terminal 3, the lounge is designed to function as a calm, self contained environment that passengers can retreat to between security and boarding. Access will be gradually extended to First and Business Class customers on Air India, Gold and Platinum members of the airline’s Maharaja Club frequent flyer program, and eligible Star Alliance Gold travelers. For the airline, the flagship lounge is both a competitive response to global full service rivals and a tangible signal that the brand is moving beyond its reputation for dated ground facilities.
The decision to invest in a high profile lounge at Delhi also reflects the changing shape of the airport itself. Over the last two years, Delhi’s airport operator has been reconfiguring terminals and shifting domestic operations in order to free up more space at Terminal 3 for international travel. As T3 becomes increasingly focused on long haul and connecting passengers, a well appointed, high capacity lounge becomes central to Air India’s ambition to use Delhi as its primary global hub.
Design Language: Heritage Meets Modern Comfort
The interior of the Maharaja Lounge has been conceptualized by global hospitality design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates, with a brief to blend contemporary international style with subtle Indian cues. Passengers entering the space encounter a palette of warm woods, soft lighting and understated metallic highlights, punctuated by artworks that reference Indian craft traditions, aviation history and the airline’s own Maharaja mascot. The intent is to avoid the anonymity of many modern lounges and instead create a sense of place that still feels current.
Seating is arranged in a series of zones rather than a single open hall, using screens, bookshelves and low partitions to visually separate areas without making the lounge feel closed off. Upholstered armchairs, deep lounge seats and more upright dining chairs offer options for both relaxation and work. Charging points and power outlets are positioned at most seats, addressing a common frustration in older facilities where travelers needed to compete for a handful of sockets.
Lighting plays a significant role in shaping the mood. In the main business lounge, ambient lighting is kept warm but bright enough for reading and working, while in the relaxation and “Serenity” sections the tone is dimmer and more diffused. The First Class area takes the design one step further with more exclusive finishes, a slightly darker, club style palette and floor to ceiling views across the tarmac that emphasize the connection to the airfield outside.
Zoned Spaces for Different Types of Travellers
One of the defining features of the Maharaja Lounge is its clear segmentation by activity. Air India has opted to name key zones to reflect the kind of passenger it is targeting, using that branding to communicate what each space is intended for. The Globetrotter’s Study, for instance, serves as the lounge’s primary work oriented area, with desks, task lighting and quieter acoustics to encourage focus. Here, travelers can respond to emails, review documents or simply read away from the busier central sections.
For those looking to rest, the Serenity Area provides an enclosed pocket of calm, equipped with recliners and subdued lighting to encourage napping and quiet reflection. Noise is deliberately kept to a minimum, and the seating is more spaced out than in the main lounge, aiming to replicate some of the privacy of a dedicated sleep room without fully enclosing each seat. For First Class passengers, that concept is extended into separate sleep suites, private rooms that allow for more complete rest during longer layovers or connections.
The lounge also incorporates more social, hospitality driven spaces at its heart. The Aviator’s Bar, inspired by J. R. D. Tata’s pioneering 1932 mail flight, uses a propeller themed ceiling feature and aviation memorabilia to create a focal point for guests to gather. Adjacent dining zones range from casual bistro style seating near the live cooking counters to more formal tables for passengers who prefer a restaurant like experience before a long flight. This zoning helps keep the lounge from feeling either too quiet or too chaotic, giving passengers a degree of choice in how they spend their time.
Food, Beverage and the Theatre of Service
Air India has identified the food and beverage offer as a critical differentiator for the Maharaja Lounge, especially as international competition intensifies. The kitchen has been set up to serve a rotating mix of Indian and international dishes, with hot and cold buffets complemented by live cooking stations. These counters are expected to prepare items such as fresh breads, regional snacks and customized eggs or pasta, adding an element of theatre that goes beyond pre prepared buffet trays.
Beverages are being used as an opportunity to add both convenience and a bit of spectacle. The lounge introduces a Beverage on Wheels service, effectively a mobile bar trolley that circulates through the seating areas so that guests can be served cocktails and other drinks without needing to visit a fixed bar counter. For passengers who prefer a more traditional bar atmosphere, the Aviator’s Bar offers a curated list of wines and whiskies, with an emphasis on labels likely to appeal to frequent international travelers.
The tea program is another point of emphasis. Recognizing both India’s tea heritage and the global interest in specialty beverages, Air India plans to showcase regional tea varieties through a dedicated service trolley. Passengers can sample different blends, paired with small snacks or traditional accompaniments. Soft drinks, juices and coffee are also widely available, and, in line with typical premium lounge practice, food and most non alcoholic beverages are expected to be complimentary for eligible guests.
First Class Exclusivity and Elevated Privacy
While the main Business Class section of the Maharaja Lounge already raises the bar on what Air India has previously offered in Delhi, the First Class area is designed to add another layer of exclusivity. Accessible through a more discreet entrance within the overall lounge, this section provides significantly fewer seats, creating a quieter, more intimate environment. Larger armchairs, higher backed seats and greater spacing between tables are used to emphasize privacy.
One of the signature features here is the Crystal Bar, a contemporary styled bar that incorporates subtle Indian design motifs in its materials and lighting. The space aims to echo the feel of an upscale hotel bar, with a greater range of premium spirits and a more personalized style of service. Bartenders are expected to prepare classic cocktails alongside a handful of signature drinks that tie back to the Maharaja branding.
For those in need of real rest, the First Class area offers access to dedicated sleep suites. These enclosed rooms provide beds or lie flat loungers, allowing travelers in long haul premium cabins to meaningfully recharge between flights. The First Class seating and dining areas are aligned to overlook the tarmac, giving guests direct views of aircraft movement, ground operations and the runway beyond. That sense of proximity to the airfield reinforces the idea of being at the center of Air India’s global network while still being shielded from the bustle of the terminal.
Access, Eligibility and How the Lounge Fits into the Journey
From February 16, 2026, access to the Maharaja Lounge will be rolled out to a defined set of eligible passengers. In practical terms, that means travelers ticketed in First or Business Class on Air India international flights from Delhi Terminal 3 will be invited to use the lounge, along with Gold and Platinum members of the airline’s Maharaja Club frequent flyer program, subject to the usual rules around departing flights and same day connections. Eligible Star Alliance Gold members flying on Air India or other Star Alliance carriers from Terminal 3 are also expected to be able to enter, aligning the lounge with alliance wide standards.
Unlike some independent lounges at Delhi that can be accessed via paid entries or bank cards, the Maharaja Lounge is positioned first as a branded airline facility. That makes it an important part of Air India’s end to end service promise for higher yielding passengers. For many travelers, especially those connecting from regional Indian cities onto long haul services to North America, Europe or East Asia, the lounge will act as the central touchpoint between flights, potentially shaping their lasting impression of the airline.
Operationally, the lounge is integrated into a terminal that is in the midst of a broader reshaping. Over the past year, a portion of domestic operations has been moved out of Terminal 3 to other terminals at Delhi in order to free up capacity for international departures. As more gates and piers at T3 are converted to handle international services, the role of the Maharaja Lounge grows, serving an expanded pool of long haul passengers while reinforcing Delhi’s status as Air India’s primary global hub.
From Interim Arrangements to a New Standard
The opening of the Maharaja Lounge also closes a chapter that began in 2024, when Air India’s previous lounge on the international side of Terminal 3 was shut for a complete overhaul. During that period, eligible passengers were directed to use a partner operated facility at the airport while the airline worked with its hospitality partner to design and build the new space. That interim arrangement underlined both the limitations of the old lounge and the scale of upgrade that Air India was aiming for as part of its wider transformation plan under new ownership.
In practical terms, the contrast between the former facility and the new flagship is striking. The earlier lounge, while functional, was widely seen as lacking in both space and amenity compared with what other global network carriers were offering at their hubs. By committing to a much larger footprint, a global design partnership and a more layered service offer, Air India is signalling that it intends to compete more directly in the premium travel segment. For passengers used to transiting through Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian hubs, the Maharaja Lounge is intended to narrow the gap in perceived quality.
At a symbolic level, the reintroduction of the Maharaja moniker on a flagship lounge underscores the airline’s attempt to reframe its legacy. The Maharaja character has long been associated with warm, slightly whimsical Indian hospitality. By anchoring that identity in a modern, design led space that speaks to contemporary expectations around privacy, connectivity and dining, Air India is trying to bridge nostalgia with a forward looking product. The branded postcards available in the lounge, which travelers can keep as souvenirs, are a small but intentional nod to that blend of old and new.
What the Maharaja Lounge Signals for Future Passenger Experience
The Delhi flagship is widely seen as a template for additional lounges that Air India plans to roll out in other key cities in India and overseas. While the scale and exact configuration will likely vary by airport, the core principles visible in the Maharaja Lounge provide a guide to where the airline’s passenger experience strategy is heading. Those principles include clearly zoned spaces for work, rest and socializing; stronger integration of local cultural references into design; and a more curated approach to food and beverage, supported by small service innovations such as moving trolleys.
For passengers, the impact of these changes will extend beyond the lounge itself. A better ground experience supports the premium cabins on board, making long haul itineraries that route through Delhi more attractive and encouraging higher value travelers to consider Air India as an alternative to foreign competitors. As the airline takes delivery of new aircraft and refreshes its inflight product, the quality of its flagship lounge becomes part of a larger narrative of renewal.
In an era when airlines increasingly compete on the entire journey rather than on the flight alone, the Maharaja Lounge at Delhi Airport is a strategic statement. It elevates the waiting time before departure into a more deliberate part of the travel experience, where design, hospitality and a sense of place all contribute to how passengers feel about their trip. For Air India, the true test will be how consistently the lounge delivers on its promise once fully operational, and how effectively the concept can be replicated in other markets. But as a starting point, the new flagship in Delhi marks a clear and visible move toward a more elevated passenger experience.