Loyalty war: IndiGo rivals Al

With 10 million members, IndiGo is on a par with Air India’s Maharaja Club, relaunched after the Tata takeover

- Abhishek Law

Airlines are using loyalty to support diverging strategies—IndiGo focusing on value and scale, Air India on premium positioning.

(BLOOMBERG)

Fifteen months after launch of its loyalty initiative, IndiGo counts 10 million people on a BluChip programme, bringing the Gurugram-based airline on par with Air India's frequent flyer scheme, as India’s largest airlines battle it out for more customers.

InterGlobe Aviation-run IndiGo that launched a BluChip programme in September 2024, flew 107 million passengers in 2025, data from India's aviation regulator show.

Air India, which relaunched its loyalty programme in November 2024, has 10 million members in its Maharaja Club, up from two million in January 2022, when Tata Group bought the airline. Tata Sons, the holding firm of the privately-held aviation business, merged full service carriers Vistara with Air India in November 2024, giving a boost to its frequent-flyer scheme. A single loyalty programme being implemented for Air India and its budget carrier, Air India Express, is likely to be complete by end-2026, according to an executive at Air India and Air India Express.