From Sheer Khurma to Navratri Thalis: Air India rolls out special festive menus

Air India has introduced a series of special culinary offerings across its inflight services and airport lounges to celebrate India’s vibrant festive season, bringing together the flavours of Eid, Navratri and Gudi Padwa for passengers across its network.

As part of the Eid celebrations, the airline will serve the traditional dessert Sheer Khurma on all flights departing on March 20, 2026. The offering will be available across all cabin classes and routes, including domestic services, international flights, and return sectors catered from overseas stations. This ensures that passengers across Air India’s global network can experience the festive treat.

On flights with multiple meal services, Sheer Khurma will be included as part of the main meal service, while refreshment services will continue as per the scheduled menu. The initiative is being implemented across all of Air India’s catering partners, including TajSATS, Oberoi Flight Services, Casino Air Caterers and Flight Services (CAFS), and Ambassador’s Sky Chef (ASC), ensuring consistency in quality and presentation across locations.

Extending the festive experience beyond inflight services, Air India has also curated regionally inspired menus at its airport lounges on select dates.

At the recently inaugurated Maharaja Lounge at Delhi International Airport, a special Navratri thali is being offered, featuring a range of traditional fasting-friendly dishes such as fresh fruits, Sabudana Khichdi, Raita, Buttermilk, Paneer Sabzi and Kheer, among others. The menu has been designed in response to customer preferences during the festive period.

In Mumbai, the Adani Lounge marked Gudi Padwa on March 19 with a spread of festive sweets, including Shrikhand, Chocolate Peda, Orange Coconut Barfi, Mawa Modak and Gujiya, reflecting regional culinary traditions.

The lounge will further continue the celebrations with a dedicated Eid menu on March 21, offering a wide selection of dishes for lunch and dinner. The spread includes Dal Gosht, Malai Chicken Gilafi Kebab, Kacchi Murg Biryani, Paneer Reshmi Handi, along with desserts such as Shahi Tukda, Baklava and Phirni.

Through this initiative, Air India aims to enhance the overall travel experience by integrating India’s cultural and culinary heritage into its services, offering passengers a more immersive and memorable journey across its domestic and international operations.