© Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Air India to fly Delhi–Osaka nonstop from 2 February 2027, in time for cherry-blossom season
Air India will fly nonstop between Delhi and Osaka Kansai four times a week from 2 February 2027, opening up Osaka-in, Tokyo-out itineraries for the spring cherry-blossom season.
What has been announced
Air India announced on 15 October 2026 that it will start nonstop flights between Delhi and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport on 2 February 2027, with four flights a week on a Boeing 787-8. The aircraft has 18 flat-bed business-class seats and 241 economy seats. Air India says it will be the only airline flying the Delhi–Osaka route nonstop.
The schedule from 2 February 2027 (local times):
AI360, Delhi to Osaka: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Departs 22:50, arrives 09:50 the next day.
AI359, Osaka to Delhi: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Departs 11:50, arrives 18:20 the same day.
Osaka becomes Air India’s second Japanese destination after Tokyo Haneda, which it serves daily from Delhi and four times a week from Mumbai.
Why it matters
Most trips from India to Kyoto, Osaka or Nara today involve either landing in Tokyo and taking the bullet train west, about 2 hours 15 minutes to Kyoto, or connecting through a hub such as Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong. A Delhi–Osaka nonstop lets you:
Start in Kansai and finish in Tokyo, or the reverse, without backtracking. Air India says open-jaw tickets, into Osaka and out of Tokyo, can be booked. This is the shape most first-time Japan itineraries already follow.
Arrive in the morning after an overnight flight, with most of the first day free in Osaka or Kyoto.
Reach Kyoto for cherry-blossom season, usually late March to early April, without a domestic connection.
Air India, citing the Japan National Tourism Organization, says more than 315,000 Indians visited Japan in 2025, 35% more than in 2024.
Who it suits, and limits
It suits travellers from north India best. From Mumbai, Bengaluru or Chennai it still means a connection in Delhi.
There are four flights a week, not daily, so plan your dates around the operating days.
It is an announced route. Air India says bookings are being opened progressively, and schedules for new routes can change before launch, so check your booking a few weeks before you travel.
Fares were not published in the announcement, and we do not quote any.
What to do next
If you are considering Japan in February–April 2027, compare an open-jaw ticket (into Osaka, out of Tokyo) with a Tokyo return. Indian passport holders need a visa for Japan: see our Japan visa guide.
Sources
This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.
- Air India opens a new gateway to Japan with non-stop Delhi-Osaka flights starting February 2027 — Air India, 15 October 2026
- Air India announces four weekly non-stop flights between Delhi and Osaka — BW Travel, 16 October 2026
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