Air India has a student fare and a senior citizen fare. You pick either one in the Concession Type box on the booking search, and both are checked against ID.
Everything below is read from Air India’s Student Offer and Senior Citizen Offer pages and their terms, live on 1 October 2026.
The student fare
The discount. “As a student, you can now enjoy Flat 10 % off* on base fare on your next domestic flight with us”, and the same 10% on international bookings, “along with attractive payment offers, extra baggage allowance and one free date change.”
Who qualifies.
- Domestic flights: “At least 12 years old as of the date of travel” and “Enrolled in a full-time course for at least one academic year”.
- International flights, which add an upper limit: “Between 12-30 years of age as of the date of travel”.
Extra baggage on international routes. Where baggage is counted by weight, students get 10 kg more than the standard fare, up to 40 kg in Economy, 45 kg in Premium Economy and 50 kg in Business. Where the piece system applies, “students are entitled to 2 pcs x 23 kg/50 lb of baggage in Economy and Premium Economy classes, and 2 pcs x 32 kg/70 lb for Business Class.”
Extra baggage on domestic flights. The page gives two figures. The offer summary promises an “Extra Baggage Allowance of 10 kg/ 22 lb, Per Passenger”, while the terms say “Students can enjoy a free baggage allowance of 25 kg/ 55 lb on Economy and Premium Economy, and 35 kg/70 lb on Business Class for domestic bookings, regardless of the fare band.” Check the allowance shown on your booking before you pack to the higher figure.
What to carry. “Students must carry a valid Student Visa, valid ID card or acceptance letter from the school, college or university. Otherwise misuse charges will apply.”
The senior citizen fare
Who qualifies. “All nationalities are eligible, provided the passenger is at least 60 years old on the date of travel.” Domestic travel is narrower: “Offer applicable to travellers of all nationalities on international travel, exclusively applicable to only Indian nationals on domestic travel.”
Domestic. Up to 25% off the base fare in Economy, and up to 10% in Premium Economy and Business.
International. Air India’s senior citizen offer is a “Flat 10% discount on base fares” with a “Booking Period: Until 31 October 2026” and a “Travel Period: Until 31 March 2027”. It covers three regions only: the US, Canada and Australia; the United Kingdom; and Europe. Each region has blackout dates around the holidays. On flights into India from the UK, for example, the blocked dates include 12 to 25 December 2026, and from Europe 31 October to 7 November 2026.
What to carry. “A passport is required as proof of age for all passengers. Indian nationals may alternatively present any valid government-issued identity card.”
Restrictions.
- “A child or infant cannot be booked with a senior citizen”, so a grandchild travelling with a grandparent needs a separate booking.
- Multi-city and group bookings are excluded.
- “This offer cannot be combined with any other promotions. The tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable, non-reroutable.”
Rules for both
- Air India flights only. Codeshare flights sold under its code do not qualify. The student terms add that the fare is “not applicable on codeshare/interline travel.”
- Base fare only. The discount comes off the base fare, and “all applicable taxes, fees, surcharges and convenience fees shall be payable in addition to the discounted base fare.” On a short domestic flight, where taxes are a large part of the ticket, 10% of the base fare can be a modest saving. Compare the final total with the ordinary fare before you commit.
- Not with points. Neither concession applies to tickets bought with Maharaja Club points or cash and points.
- One free date change. Both include one date change without a change fee, with the fare difference payable. Other changes and cancellations follow the normal rules for the cabin booked.
The ID check
Air India’s terms: “Identity verification is MANDATORY and will be carried out at the time of ticketing at a city ticketing office or airport ticketing office and again at check-in points at the airport.” If the documents are missing, “passengers will be charged a misuse recovery amount plus applicable taxes.” The page does not say how much that amount is.
Payment discounts and promo codes
Air India’s pages invite both groups to add its UPI payment code: “use Promo Code UPIPROMO at checkout”, for up to INR 1,000 off domestic and up to INR 2,000 off international student bookings. UPI is India’s instant bank payment system, so this mainly helps travellers paying from an Indian bank account.
Our affiliate network, CJ, also lists an Air India code, CJAIR: up to USD 12 off per passenger on international bookings and up to USD 3.60 on domestic ones, valid until 30 December 2026. Air India’s own pages do not mention it. The senior offer’s terms say it cannot be combined with other promotions, so treat the code as an alternative to a concession, not an addition. Try both on the same search and keep whichever total is lower.
To book with a concession, start from Air India’s student offer page and set the Concession Type before you search.
Connecting onward? Star Alliance lounge access explains when an Air India ticket opens a lounge, and the minimum connection times at Asia’s hubs are worth checking before a tight transfer.
We have an affiliate arrangement with Air India through CJ and earn a small commission on bookings made through our link. The concessions are the same whichever way you reach the airline’s site.
Air India's student offer page, where the Concession Type is chosen (affiliate link)