Travel advisors selling India now have a much stronger product to talk about. On September 23, Air India welcomed a small group of journalists and trade representatives aboard its brand-new Boeing 787-9 at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The event took place shortly after flight AI187 arrived from Delhi.

During a guided walkthrough, members of the Air India team explained how India's flag carrier is being transformed. Guests also got a close look at the new cabin interiors that represent the "new" Air India.

A made-for-Air India aircraft

The 787-9 is the first widebody built to Air India's own specifications and fitted with its new interiors directly on Boeing's production line. The design, developed with JPA Design, uses a warm palette of creams, reds, golds and purples. Details include a jaali-pattern feature lamp inspired by Indian architecture and mood lighting inspired by traditional Indian wellness concepts. The aircraft carries 296 seats across three cabins:

• Business Class: 30 suites in a 1-2-1 layout, so every guest has direct aisle access. Each suite converts into a 79-inch fully flat bed and has a 17-inch 4K touchscreen, Bluetooth headphone pairing and wireless charging.
• Premium Economy: A dedicated 28-seat cabin in a 2-3-2 layout, with 38-inch pitch, calf and leg rests, and 13.3-inch screens.
• Economy: 3-3-3 seating with 11.6-inch 4K touchscreens and USB-A and USB-C charging at every seat.

The inflight entertainment library offers more than 3,000 hours of content.

Daily non-stop Delhi-Toronto service

Since August 1, 2026, Air India has operated the new 787-9 daily on its Delhi-Toronto route and has removed the enroute fuel stop on these flights. The schedule is:

• AI187 departs Delhi at 01:45 and arrives in Toronto at 09:30.
• AI188 departs Toronto at 12:30 and arrives in Delhi at 14:05 the next day.

Air India also operates three additional weekly Delhi-Toronto flights on a Boeing 777-300ER. These will move to the 787-9 from January 2027. From then on, every Air India flight to and from Toronto will feature new or significantly upgraded cabins.

New for winter: non-stop Mumbai-Toronto

Air India is also expanding its Canada service this winter. A seasonal three-times-weekly non-stop service between Mumbai and Toronto will run from October 25, 2026 to March 26, 2027, making Air India the only carrier flying direct between the two cities. 

Over the winter season, Air India's premium seat capacity to Toronto will rise by 71%. In total, the airline will offer 20 weekly flights between India and Canada, including seven weekly Delhi-Vancouver flights. Through its Delhi and Mumbai hubs, travellers can connect onward to cities such as Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi.

Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal called Canada "one of Air India's most important international markets," noting the strong demand for travel over the festive and holiday season.

Flights can be booked through travel agents, as well as on Air India's website and app.

Resources for advisors: Air India Canada fact sheet