Air India is expanding its frequent flyer programme beyond air travel with the launch of The Maharaja Shop, a premium lifestyle marketplace where members can earn Maharaja Points on eligible everyday purchases.
The platform allows Maharaja Club members to earn points across a curated selection of Indian and international brands, with purchases spanning electronics, luggage, travel accessories, fragrances, home essentials, wellness products, watches and jewellery.
The points earned can be redeemed towards Award Flights and Cabin Upgrades on Air India, potentially bringing members closer to their next flight through purchases beyond travel.
But how does the new shopping platform work, what can members buy, and who can access it?
What is Air India’s Maharaja Shop and who can use it?
The Maharaja Shop is a new marketplace launched by Air India’s frequent flyer programme, Maharaja Club. It extends the loyalty programme beyond flights by allowing members to accumulate Maharaja Points through eligible purchases.
The platform is available exclusively to Maharaja Club members. Those who are not members can enrol in the programme to start earning eligible points on their purchases.
The marketplace brings together products from a curated portfolio of leading Indian and international brands across multiple lifestyle categories. Air India has also announced complimentary shipping on eligible orders.
What can you buy on the Maharaja Shop?
Members can shop across several categories, including:
- Electronics
- Luggage and travel accessories
- Fragrances
- Home essentials
- Wellness products
- Watches and jewellery
Alongside these products, the platform will also feature an exclusive collection of Air India merchandise, available only on The Maharaja Shop.
What Air India merchandise is available?
The exclusive collection draws inspiration from the airline’s heritage and identity. It includes Maharaja magnets and collectibles, aircraft-inspired keychains, lapel pins, postcard sets, coaster sets and travel essentials.The collection is aimed at frequent flyers, loyal members and collectors looking for Air India-branded memorabilia and lifestyle products.
Members can also earn Maharaja Points on eligible purchases from this collection.
How can Maharaja Points earned through shopping be redeemed?
The points accumulated through eligible purchases on The Maharaja Shop can be redeemed towards Award Flights and Cabin Upgrades on Air India.
Maharaja Club members can also earn points through Air India, Air India Express and more than 100 partners across airlines, hospitality, retail, lifestyle and financial services.
The loyalty programme allows members to redeem Maharaja Points on Air India, Air India Express and 25 Star Alliance partner airlines.
Members also receive tier privileges worldwide and access to more than 1,100 lounges across the globe.
Can everyday shopping get you a free Air India flight?
Air India’s new marketplace offers members another avenue to accumulate points that can be used towards award flights and cabin upgrades.
However, the airline’s announcement does not specify the number of Maharaja Points members can earn for a particular purchase, the earning rate across different product categories or how much they would need to spend to accumulate enough points for a flight.
The value of the shopping rewards will therefore depend on the points offered on individual purchases and the redemption requirements for the flight or upgrade a member wants.
