India has no single number worth quoting, because the count depends on what you include. Passengers mainly fly IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet, with smaller operators such as Alliance Air, Star Air and Fly91 on regional routes. Scheduled airlines publish timetables and sell tickets. Non-scheduled operators, which run charters and private flying, do not.
Updated November 2026 · HappyFares
Search for “how many airlines in India” and you will find different answers, because sources count different things. Here is how the categories work and which names you will actually meet when you book.
Which airlines carry passengers in India today?
The largest by far is IndiGo. Press reports on DGCA’s September 2026 domestic traffic data put IndiGo at about 65 per cent of domestic passengers, the Air India Group (which includes Air India and Air India Express) at about 27 per cent, and Akasa Air at about 6 per cent. The same reports show SpiceJet, Star Air and Fly91 each carrying under 1 per cent.
Alliance Air, the regional airline that has long appeared in the government’s list of scheduled operators, is also part of the picture, although it was not in the traffic reports I checked. Shares move month to month, so treat these as a snapshot rather than a fixed ranking.
What does scheduled mean?
A scheduled operator runs flights on published timetables and sells seats to the public. IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air are scheduled airlines. In India these operators hold a scheduled operator permit from DGCA, the civil aviation regulator.
The important consumer point: you can buy a ticket on a flight that is listed on a route and date, with a published schedule. That is what scheduled means in practice.
What is a non-scheduled operator?
A non-scheduled operator provides air transport that is not scheduled. That includes charter flights and on-demand flying. According to DGCA’s rules for these permits, such an operator is not allowed to publish a timetable or sell tickets to individual passengers. They hold a separate permit, the Air Operator Permit for non-scheduled operations, issued under the Aircraft Rules, 1937.
So a business jet charter company may be a licensed air operator, yet it is not an airline you can book a seat on through a normal flight search.
What is a regional or commuter airline?
The government also recognises scheduled commuter operators. These run scheduled services with smaller aircraft, often on shorter regional routes. Star Air and IndiaOne Air have appeared in official lists of scheduled commuter operators. The exact classification rules have been revised over the years, so I have not tried to give a precise aircraft size limit here. DGCA’s current regulations carry the definition.
Why do the counts differ?
Several things change the total:
- Whether you count only airlines flying passengers today, or every holder of an operating permit.
- Whether Air India and Air India Express count as one airline group or two airlines.
- Whether non-scheduled charter operators and commuter operators are included.
- Whether new airlines that have announced plans, but are not yet flying, are counted. Some have announced launches and not yet started, so they are not named here as operating.
A reliable answer comes only from DGCA’s current list of scheduled and scheduled commuter operators, which is updated as permits are granted or lapse.
Why does the airline you pick matter?
Each airline sets its own fare families, baggage terms and airport timings, so the name on your ticket decides which rules apply. On the main domestic carriers the fare families are: IndiGo with Saver, Flexi Plus, UpFront and Stretch and Akasa Air with Saver and Flexi. Air India and Air India Express use their own fare names, shown on their booking pages.
Airport timings differ too. For domestic flights, IndiGo and Akasa Air state that boarding gates close 25 minutes before departure, while Air India states 20 minutes. If you are comparing airlines on one route, it is worth looking at these details and not only the headline fare.
Common Questions
Which is the biggest airline in India?
IndiGo carries the largest share of domestic passengers, at roughly two thirds in the September 2026 data reported in the press.
Are Air India and Air India Express the same airline?
They are separate airlines in the same group, with separate fare families and booking pages. Both appear in the Air India Group figures.
Can I book a seat on a charter flight?
Generally no. Non-scheduled operators are not permitted to publish timetables or issue tickets to passengers, so you would arrange a charter directly with the operator.
What is a scheduled commuter airline?
It is a scheduled operator that typically flies smaller aircraft on regional routes. Star Air is one example that has appeared in official lists.
Does an airline with a permit always fly?
No. Holding a permit does not mean an airline is operating today. Check that a route is actually on sale for your dates.
Where can I check the official list?
DGCA publishes its list of scheduled and scheduled commuter operators on dgca.gov.in.
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Rules and fees change; verify current specifics with the airline, DGCA, or the airport before you travel.
