Flying to India? Air India's Newest Dreamliner Just Landed in Delhi

If you're planning a long-haul trip to India this year — visiting family, going on holiday, or travelling for business — there's good news. Air India has just welcomed its second brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Delhi, and it's a meaningful upgrade on what you might remember from flying with the airline a few years ago.

The aircraft, registered VT-AWB, arrived in mid-May straight from Boeing's factory in the United States with the airline's new cabin already fitted. It joins a growing fleet of refreshed Dreamliners that Air India is using on its long-haul routes from the UK and Europe to India.

What's actually different on board?

Quite a lot, as it happens. If your last Air India flight had tired seats, dim lighting and an inflight entertainment system that struggled to load, the new cabin will feel like a different airline entirely.

• Business class: fully lie-flat seats with direct access to the aisle from every seat — no more climbing over a sleeping neighbour at 3am.
• Premium economy: a fresh new cabin with wider, more comfortable seats and more legroom — a great pick for couples who want more space without paying business class prices.
• Economy: updated seats with modern fabric, better cushioning, and a much-improved entertainment screen with the latest films and TV.
• Across the whole aircraft: USB power, larger screens, and a calmer interior look — softer lighting, contemporary finishes, and the quiet hum that Dreamliners are known for.

Why this matters for your trip

A 9-hour flight is a long time to spend in a cramped, dated cabin. The Dreamliner difference is real — passengers regularly report feeling less jet-lagged after Dreamliner flights because the cabin is pressurised to a lower altitude and has more humid air than older aircraft. You arrive feeling more like yourself, and less like you've been wrung out.

For families travelling to India to visit relatives, premium economy on the new cabin is worth a serious look. It's the sweet spot between economy and business — proper space to stretch out, a better meal, and you actually get to enjoy the flight rather than endure it.

Should you book one?

Yes — if you can. The catch is that not every Air India flight to India uses the new 787-9 yet. The airline is gradually rolling these aircraft into the schedule, so you might get the new cabin or you might get an older aircraft, depending on the date and route. The newest planes tend to be used on the most popular routes, including Delhi long-haul flights.

A quick way to check: when you're booking, look at the aircraft type. "Boeing 787-9" is the one you want, and the most recently delivered examples (registered VT-AW… and similar) are most likely to have the new cabin. If the cabin matters to you, ask your travel agent to check — at Skylord we can usually tell you exactly which version of the aircraft you'll be flying on.

Air India's long-haul story has been slowly improving for the last couple of years, and aircraft like this latest Dreamliner are why. Next time you're booking a trip to India, it's well worth taking a fresh look.