Air India Express named official airline partner for Hornbill Festival 2026

Dimapur, Nagaland – The state government announced that Air India Express will serve as the official airline partner for the Hornbill Festival 2026, a move intended to make travel easier for visitors and to promote the region’s cultural attractions.

Partnership confirmed by the chief minister

Northeast Now reported that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio welcomed the airline on Friday. Rio said he was delighted to welcome Air India Express once again as the official airline partner of the Hornbill Festival. He stated, "This continued association reflects our shared commitment to showcasing Nagaland’s rich cultural heritage and creating greater opportunities for tourism and cultural exchange." He added that the airline’s investments in celebrating India’s diverse cultures were particularly welcome, noting, "It is encouraging to see an airline go beyond connecting places to connecting people and cultures, giving our traditions a wider platform and bringing Nagaland closer to the rest of the country and the world." Rio also said he looked forward to further strengthening this meaningful partnership.

Special flight schedule for festival visitors

Air India Express will operate special flights on the Guwahati-Dimapur route from November 28. The airline described the service as a convenient one-stop connectivity option from key Indian cities, specifically Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. These flights are intended to provide direct access for travellers attending the Hornbill Festival, reducing the need for multiple connections. The special services join an existing network that already links the Northeast with destinations across India and West Asia.

Discount offer and booking channels

Travellers can obtain a discount of up to 15% on bookings made through the airline’s website or mobile app by using the promo code HORNBILL. Bookings for the special flights are now open on the airline’s website (airindiaexpress.com), its mobile application and other major booking channels. The discount is positioned as an incentive to encourage early reservations and to make the festival more accessible to a broader audience.

Wider regional connectivity

According to the airline, it continues to expand connectivity across the Northeast with over 350 weekly flights linking the region to destinations across India and West Asia. Air India Express operates services from Agartala, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Guwahati and Imphal, enabling convenient travel within the region and beyond. The addition of the Hornbill Festival partnership underscores the airline’s strategy to support tourism and cultural exchange by providing reliable air links to key urban centres and by promoting Nagaland as a destination for both domestic and international visitors.