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Air India is the country’s oldest airlines company and serves many domestic as well as international destinations. The airlines has an impressive fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircrafts serving more than 60 destinations globally across 5 continents.

In 2014, the airlines became a Star Alliance member putting it in partnership with some of the largest airlines in the world. Air India’s Flying Returns, its frequent flyer program is among the region’s most rewarding program and you earn FR points whenever you fly on an Air India operated or Star Alliance member flight.

Not only earn, you can even redeem your FR points on Air India as well as partner airline flights. In this article, we will take a look at how to earn Air India Flying Return points and book Air India flight using points.

Book Air India Flights via Miles

Table of Contents

Best Credit Cards to Earn Air India Flying Returns Points

These are the best credit cards in India that you can use to earn Air India points:

Air India SBI Signature credit card

(4.3/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Rs. 4,999 + GST

Renewal Fee

Rs. 4,999 + GST

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

You will get 20,000 reward points in the form of a welcome benefit.

The Air India SBI Signature credit card is one of the two co-branded cards offered by SBI in collaboration with Air India and offers some decent reward points and add-on travel privileges to cardholders. You get complimentary membership of Air India’s Flying Returns loyalty program with the card and complimentary Priority Pass membership as well. You get 20,000 Reward points as welcome benefit with the card and 5000 reward points as a card anniversary gift. Being an Air India co-branded card, you get accelerated reward points on booking your Air India tickets besides 4 reward points on every spend of Rs. 100 on retail.

  • 20,000 reward points as welcome benefit
  • 5000 reward points as an anniversary gift
  • Up to a maximum of 1,00,000 reward points on achieving spend-based milestones
  • 30 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on Air India ticket booking via airindia.in
  • 10 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on Air India ticket booking via call centers or booking office
  • 4 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on retail spends
  • Reward points can be converted to Air India FR points at a 1:1 ratio, 1 reward point = 1 Air India point, which is a reward redemption rate of 4% on retail spends, 10% on Air India ticket booking via booking office, and 30% on Air India ticket booking via their website.
Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card

(4.1/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Rs. 1,499 + GST

Renewal Fee

Rs. 1,499 + GST

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

5,000 reward points after paying the joining fee (credited within 15 days from the date of payment)

The second co-branded credit card by SBI Bank and Air India, the Platinum variant caters to the mid-level segment and has a lower annual fee than the Signature variant. Again, the card comes with a host of travel privileges and offers accelerated reward points on Air India ticket bookings.

  • 5000 reward points as welcome benefit
  • 2000 reward points as an anniversary gift
  • Up to a maximum of 15,000 reward points on achieving spend-based milestones
  • 15 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on Air India ticket booking via airindia.in
  • 5 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on Air India ticket booking via call centers or booking office
  • 2 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on retail spends
  • Reward points can be converted to Air India FR points at a 1:1 ratio, 1 reward point = 1 Air India point, which is a reward redemption rate of 2% on retail spends, 5% on Air India ticket booking via booking office, and 15% on Air India ticket booking via their website.
Citi Prestige Credit Card

(4.7/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Rs. 20,000 + GST

Renewal Fee

Rs. 20,000 + GST

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

2,500 bonus reward points and a benefit worth Rs. 10,000 from ITC hotels or the Taj group.

A super-premium lifestyle and travel credit card by Citibank, Prestige offers a very high redemption rate on converting reward points to partner airlines’ airmiles and is perfect for frequent travellers. Other travel privileges include gift vouchers from ITC/Taj hotels, complimentary night stays at hotels around the world, Priority Pass membership, and more.

  • 2500 reward points as a welcome benefit
  • 1 reward point per Rs. 100 spent on domestic spends
  • 2x reward points on your international transactions
  • Reward points can be converted to Air India FR points at a 1:4 ratio, 1 reward point = 4 Air India points, which is a reward redemption ratio of 4% on domestic and 8% on international spends
Citibank PremierMiles Credit Card

(4.6/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Rs. 3,000 plus applicable taxes (complimentary for Citi Gold account holders)

Renewal Fee

Rs. 3,000 plus applicable taxes (complimentary for Citi Gold account holders)

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

10,000 Miles on the spends of Rs. 1,000 or more in the first 2 months of card issuance.

One of the best travel credit cards in India, the Citibank PremierMiles is a great choice for frequent travellers who can earn Airmiles as reward points with this card. You get a high reward rate on redeeming these miles for partner airlines or hotel bookings or when you use the Citibank PremierMiles portal. Other than the decent reward rate, you get access to a host of other travel privileges as well.

  • Welcome benefit of 10,000 Miles
  • Card membership renewal benefit of 3000 Miles
  • 10 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on PremierMiles portal or on airline transactions
  • 4 Miles per Rs. 100 on other spends
  • The reward Miles can be converted to Air India FR points at a 1:0.5 ratio, 1 Mile = 0.5 Air India points, which is a reward redemption ratio of 2% on normal spends and 5% on airline spends.

Credit Cards Reward Points to Air India Points Conversion Ratio

Credit Card Reward Points Earning Transfer Ratio Effective Reward Rate
Air India SBI Signature Credit Card 30 RPs per Rs. 100 spent on Air India website 10 RPs per Rs. 100 spent on Air India booking via call center 4 RPs per Rs. 100 spent on retail 1 RP = 1 Air India Point (1:1 ratio) 4% on retail spends, 10% on Air India ticket booking for self  via booking office, and 30% on Air India ticket booking via official website
Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card 15 RPs per Rs. 100 spent on Air India website 5 RPs per Rs. 100 spent on Air India booking via call center 2 RPs per Rs. 100 spent on retail 1 RP = 1 Air India Point (1:1 ratio) 2% on retail spends, 5% on Air India ticket booking for self via booking office, and 15% on Air India ticket booking via official website
Citibank Prestige Credit Card 1 RP per Rs. 100 on domestic spends 2 RPs per Rs. 100 on international spends 1 RP = 4 Air India Points (1:4 ratio) 4% on domestic and 8% on internationals spends
Citibank PremierMiles Credit Card 10 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on PremierMiles portal 4 Miles per Rs. 100 on other spends 1 Mile = 0.5 Air India Point (2:1 ratio) 2% on normal and 5% on PremierMiles spends

How to Earn Air India Flying Return Points

Here is how you can earn Air India FR Points:

By flying on Air India or Partner Airline flights

Whenever you fly on a domestic on international route on an Air India flight, you earn Flying Returns (FR) points and you receive more points based on the length of your flight route. Also, the higher your fare class, the more points you earn for your travel. As Air India is a Star Alliance member, you also earn FR points by flying on any of the Star Alliance member airlines flights.

By Converting your Credit Card Reward Points

You can convert the reward points earned on your select SBI and Citibank credit cards to Air India FR points at a fixed ratio. You can get rewarded on your everyday spends through your credit card and then convert your reward points to airmiles if you are a frequent traveller.

Flying Returns Elite Status Tiers

When you join the Flying Returns loyalty program, you automatically are given Member status and as you fly more, you get upgraded to the Premium Status Tiers. In order to get a tier upgrade, you have to earn a certain number of Status FR points within 12 months.

Status Tier Status FR Points Needed
Silver Edge 25000
Gold Edge 50000
The Maharajah 75000

When you become a member of the Premium status tiers, you get access to many features and benefits for the next year. These include bonus FR points, extra cabin and checked baggage allowance, dedicated check-in counters, upgrade vouchers, priority check-in and boarding, Air India lounge access, Priority baggage, Waived cancellation, rebooking, and refund fees.

How to Redeem Air India FR Points to Book Flights

Once you have earned Air India FR points, the next step is to redeem your points for flights. You must be a member of the Air India Flying Returns program in order to claim your miles and redeem them for award flights. FR points needed to redeem different fare class flights are as follows –

Business Class – 2 times the points needed for Economy X class

First Class – 2.5 times the points needed for Economy X class

Flight redemption using FR points is based on City Pairs and more points are needed to book higher fare class flights. The following are the top city pairs that travellers redeem flight tickets for –

Zone 1 – City Pairs

Mumbai – New Jersey

Delhi – San Francisco

Delhi – Vancouver

Delhi – Toronto

Mumbai – San Francisco

Mumbai – Chicago

For all these routes, you can redeem a one-way Economy class ticket for 80010 FR points and a Business class ticket for 160020 FR points.

Zone 2 – City Pairs

Delhi – Melbourne

Mumbai – Melbourne

Mumbai – Sydney

Delhi – Sydney

For all these routes, you can redeem a one-way Economy class ticket for 70020 FR points and a Business class ticket for 140040 FR points.

Zone 3 – City Pairs

Mumbai – Birmingham

Delhi – Paris

Chennai – Paris

Mumbai – Frankfurt

Delhi – London

Mumbai – Milan

Delhi – Madrid

Goa – London

London – Kochi

Delhi – Moscow

For all these routes, you can redeem a one-way Economy class ticket for 45000 FR points and a Business class ticket for 90000 FR points.

There are other Zone based city pairs as well for which you can redeem flights through your FR points. Visit this page to check out all the available zones and city pairs.

You can also use your FR points to book Star Alliance member airlines award flights based on the Star Alliance Award Chart. Redemption depends on the availability of seats on your designated flight and the booking class.

Moreover, you can also redeem your FR points to upgrade your eligible tickets on international as well domestic flights and the points required to upgrade the fare class depends on the Booking class of your Economy class ticket. For Star Alliance upgrades, it depends on the booked RBD and the partner airline in that situation.

Booking Air India Flight via FR Points

  • Visit the official website of Air India and log in to your Flying Returns account.

Booking Air India Flight via FR Points

  • You will reach your Account Summar page. Go to the Points box and click on Book a Flight.

Go to the Points box and click on Book a Flight

  • In the flight search box, enter your arrival and departure location, date of travel, other details, and then search for flights.

search-for-flights

  • You will see all available flights on your chosen date along with the total miles required to book the flight.

miles required to book the flight

  • Click on the flight you want to book to check out its details and the available fare class options with the points requirement. Select the fare class you want to book and continue with the booking.

Click on the flight you want to book

How to Book Air India Flights Using Partner Airlines’ Miles

As we already know, Air India is a member of the Star Alliance and you can book Air India-operated flights using partner airlines miles as well. We’ll talk about the leading airlines that allow you to book Air India flights –

United Airlines

  • Visit the United Airlines website and Sign in to your United MileagePlus account.

Air india united

  • Enter the departure and arrival location, date of travel, and other details, then search for Flights.

Air india united

  • You will see all the available flights on your chosen dates including from partner airlines. You can even see options that includes flight itineraries from Air India, Vistara, and more.

Air india united

  • You can also check out the 30-day calendar to search for all flights during that month.

Air india united

  • The total miles required to book the flight along with other taxes and fees are given in front of the flight.
  • Click on any flight to check out its details and proceed with the booking using your United Miles.

air india united

Singapore Airlines

  • Visit the Singapore Airlines website and log in to your account.

Singapore Airlines website

  • Click on Book Trip and then check the Redeem flights box.

Air India

 

  • Next, choose the Show Flight For Star Alliance option to view flights operated by members including Air India.

choose the Show Flight For Star Alliance

  • You will see all the available flights for your chosen date and can even search for other flights during that week. The miles required to book the flight are given in front of the flight.

available flights

  • Click on any flight to check out its details and proceed to book it using your KrisFlyer Miles.

Click on any flight to check out its details

Turkish Airlines

  • Visit the Turkish Airlines website and log into your Turkish Miles and Smiles account.

Turkish Airlines website

  • Click on your Profile Name at the top of the page and then click Miles Transactions.

Air India

 

  • Next, click on Book Now under the Star Alliance award ticket box.

Air India

 

  • Enter your departure and arrival location, date of travel, and other details to search for available flights. You can choose between Economy Class and Business Class for the results.

Air India

 

  • You will see all available flights for your chosen date by Air India and other Star Alliance members along with the Miles required to book the flight. Click on Select this flight to proceed to the next step.

Select this flight to proceed

  • You will see the flight details along with the taxes to be paid in cash for booking the flight. Click on Continue to finalize the booking using your Turkish Miles.

using your Turkish Miles

Avianca Airlines

LifeMiles website

  • Click on Travel > Book > Flight and make sure to choose the Star Alliance option.

Air India

 

  • Enter your departure and arrival destination and then choose your date of travel from the calendar.

Enter your departure and arrival destination

  • You will see the available flights by Air India and other Star Alliance members for the date along with the miles required to book the flight and the taxes to be paid in cash.

available flights by Air India

  • Click on the flight you want to book and proceed with the booking using your Avianca LifeMiles.

    Air Canada

  • Visit the Air Canada website and log in to your Aeroplan account.

air canada

  • Check the Book with Aeroplan Points box in the flight search engine. Then, enter the departure and arrival location, date of travel, and click on Search Flights.

Check the Book with Aeroplan Points box

  • You will see all the available flights on the chosen date operated by Air India and other Star Alliance members along with the miles required and taxes to be paid in cash to book the flight.

cash to book the flight

  • Click on any flight you want to book to check out its details and then select on your preferred fare class to proceed with the booking using your Aeroplan points.

Aeroplan points.

Note: Currently, from India, we can only search for India to North America routes. If you want to book a flight for any other route, you will need to call Aeroplan customer support.

Conclusion

Air India is one of India’s largest airlines and being part of the Star Alliance, it operates flights to a number of locations across the globe. Its frequent flyer program Flying Returns is highly rewarding and you can earn FR points on your travels on both Air India and Star Alliance member airlines flights. Additionally, you can even transfer your credit card reward points to Air India FR points at a fixed conversion rate if you are a frequent travellers and want to maximize the benefits of your reward points.

The FR points earned by you can be redeemed for Air India as well partner airlines award flights. Also, you can upgrade your award flight class using your FR points if you want. You can book award flights through the Air India official website for domestic as well as international flights.

Not only this, as Air India is a Star Alliance member, you can book Air India award flights via United Airlines, Avianca Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and other partner airlines using their loyalty program reward points or airmiles as well. Make the most of your airmiles and redeem as many flights as you can.

FAQs:

The following are the best credit cards to earn Air India points in India -
  • Air India SBI Signature Credit Card
  • Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card
  • Citibank Prestige Credit Card
  • Citibank PremierMiles Credit Card
You can earn Air India Flying Returns points in the following ways -
  • By flying on Air India or its partner airline flights
  • By converting your credit card reward points
When you join the Flying Returns loyalty program, you automatically are given Member status and as you fly more, you get upgraded to the Premium Status Tiers. In order to get a tier upgrade, you have to earn a certain number of Status FR points within 12 months.
  • Silver Edge - 25000 Status FR Points
  • Gold Edge - 50000 Status FR Points
  • The Maharajah - 75000 Status FR Points
Yes, you can redeem your FR points to redeem a Delhi to Toronto Air India flight. You need 80010 FR points for an Economy class ticket and 160020 FR points for a Business class ticket.
Follow these steps to book an Air India flight using FR points -
  • Visit the official website of Air India and log in to your Flying Returns account.
  • You will reach your Account Summar page. Go to the Points box and click on Book a Flight.
  • In the flight search box, enter your arrival and departure location, date of travel, other details, and then search for flights.
  • You will see all available flights on your chosen date along with the total miles required to book the flight.
  • Click on the flight you want to book to check out its details and the available fare class options with the points requirement. Select the fare class you want to book and continue with the booking.
Air India is a Star Alliance member and you can book its flights using partner airlines miles. The following airlines miles can be used to book flights -
  • United Airlines
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Avianca Airlines
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Air Canada

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