Air India’s Easy Connect: clear immigration in Ahmedabad, fly on from Delhi
Ahmedabad became India’s third hub-and-spoke airport on 1 September. Two Air India flights to Delhi now connect to 26 international destinations with immigration done before you leave Gujarat.
What has changed
On 1 September 2026 the Ministry of Civil Aviation launched hub-and-spoke international operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, making it the third airport in the model after Varanasi and Amritsar. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said the expansion would support trade, tourism and mobility, with Mumbai and Bengaluru hubs planned next.
Air India has designated two Ahmedabad–Delhi services as Easy Connect flights: AI1121, departing Ahmedabad at 8:15 pm and arriving Delhi at 10:00 pm, from 1 September; and AI1117, departing 8:25 am and arriving 10:15 am, from 2 September. From Delhi, passengers connect within a four-hour window to 26 international destinations, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Zurich, Dubai, Riyadh, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Seoul, Shanghai, Toronto and Sydney.
How it works
Passengers check in for the whole journey and clear immigration in Ahmedabad before departure. At Delhi, bags stay checked through and the transfer is made without changing terminals or reclaiming luggage. P. Balaji of Air India described the product as simplifying international travel through check-in and immigration clearance at departure and seamless transfers via Delhi.
What it means for travellers from Gujarat
For a family flying from Ahmedabad to Europe, the immigration queue and the bag re-check at Delhi were the two stressful points of the journey. Both move to the home airport. The connection window is up to four hours, so check the onward departure time when you book: the morning AI1117 suits afternoon departures from Delhi, the evening AI1121 suits the night bank of long-haul flights.
Twenty-two more airports are expected to follow, according to the minister. We will update this when Air India or the ministry names them. See our India pages for departures from other cities.
Sources
This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.
- Air India launches Easy Connect services from Ahmedabad, linking Gujarat to 26 global destinations — Voyager’s World, 04 September 2026
- Civil Aviation Minister hails hub-and-spoke international flight operations launch in Ahmedabad — The News Mill (ANI), 02 September 2026
- Air India launches Easy Connect flights from Ahmedabad (press release) — Air India Newsroom, 04 September 2026
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