From sabudana khichdi and singhade ki poori to colourful cheesecakes and traditional vrat sweets, the airlines bring the spirit of Navratri to the skies and airport lounges, making festive journeys a little more special.

Festivals are often about the food we share, the traditions we follow and the memories we create with our loved ones. But what happens when the celebrations arrive while we are travelling? This Navratri, Air India and Air India Express are bringing some of the familiar flavours of the festive season to passengers, offering special meals that allow travellers to enjoy a taste of tradition even when they are away from home.

From comforting fasting-friendly dishes served onboard to elaborate festive spreads at airport lounges, the airlines are adding a little extra warmth to journeys during the nine nights of Navratri and the surrounding celebrations.

Air India's special festive menus are available from October 10 to October 20, 2026, on select flights and at its lounges in Delhi and Mumbai. Air India Express, meanwhile, is offering a specially curated Navratri meal featuring sabudana khichdi, vrat sheera and a fruit platter across its domestic and international network.

For passengers observing the Navratri fast, these offerings provide familiar food choices while travelling. For food lovers, they offer an opportunity to discover traditional festive dishes and regional flavours along the way.

Air India Brings traditional Navratri meals onboard

Air India has curated a special Navratri menu for passengers travelling on select flights departing from Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The meals draw on familiar fasting-friendly ingredients and traditional preparations, including sabudana, potatoes, paneer, water chestnut flour and barnyard millet.

Passengers travelling during breakfast can enjoy sabudana khichdi served with crispy potato salli, vratwale shahi aloo and singhade ki poori. The meal is accompanied by fresh fruit, plain dahi and water, offering a comforting start to the day.

The refreshment menu brings more festive favourites to the table. Options include sabudana wada, hot aloo chaat prepared with sendha namak and mint chutney, and vratwala paneer tikka flavoured with curd, cashew and aromatic spices. Sabudana fruit kheer and fresh fruit complete the selection.

For lunch and dinner, the airline is serving vratwala shahi paneer, vratwali kaddu ki subzi, samak jeera rice and singhade ki poori, accompanied by fruit, dahi and sabudana fruit kheer.

The menu has been prepared using shuddh ghee and sendha namak, ingredients commonly used in many Navratri fasting preparations. The dishes bring together the familiar flavours and food traditions associated with the festival, giving passengers an opportunity to enjoy a festive meal during their journey.

A festive food experience at Air India's lounges

The celebrations extend beyond the aircraft cabin. Air India is also bringing Navratri-inspired dining to its lounges in Delhi and Mumbai, adding a festive touch to the airport experience.

At the airline's flagship Maharaja Lounge in Delhi, passengers can look forward to an elaborate selection of traditional dishes. The spread includes sabudana khichdi, farali misal, farali kachori, shakarkandi ki tikki, sabudana vada and a variety of rajgira preparations. Makhana kheer will also be available on request. A specially curated Navratri food cart will add to the experience, bringing an element of festive hospitality to the lounge.

The airline's domestic lounges are marking the occasion with a colourful dessert selection inspired by the traditional hues associated with Navratri. The offerings range from orange-coloured carrot mawa rolls, orange semolina cake and pumpkin cheesecake to red velvet brownies, royal blue blueberry cheesecake, yellow mango cheesecake, green kiwi mousse and purple yam Swiss rolls. Peacock-themed sweet creations add another colourful touch to the spread.

Alongside the desserts, passengers can enjoy a nostalgic selection of traditional farsaan and festive snacks. Banana chips, rajgeera ladoo, peanut ladoo, rajgeera chikki, banana wafers and peanut chikki bring familiar tastes to the lounge menu.

Festive décor inspired by the energy and warmth of Navratri completes the experience, turning the lounges into colourful spaces where travellers can pause and enjoy a little of the festive atmosphere before their flights.

Air India Express offers special Navratri meal Across Its Network

Air India Express is also celebrating the season with a specially curated Navratri meal designed for passengers observing the festival's fasting traditions. Available on flights until October 20, 2026, the meal features three familiar favourites: sabudana khichdi, vrat sheera and a fruit platter. The offering is designed to provide a convenient festive meal for passengers who wish to maintain their dietary traditions while travelling.

The special meal is available across the airline's network, which covers 48 domestic and 16 international destinations.

Passengers can pre-book the Navratri meal through the Air India Express website, airindiaexpress.com, or its mobile application. For domestic flights, bookings must be made at least 12 hours before departure, while international passengers need to book at least 18 hours before departure.

The advance-booking facility allows passengers to plan their meals before arriving at the airport, making it easier to accommodate their dietary preferences during the journey.

Gourmair celebrates India's diverse food traditions

The Navratri offering is part of Air India Express's wider approach to celebrating India's culinary diversity through its in-flight dining programme, Gourmair.

The menu includes hot meals, light bites, desserts and a combination of global and regional favourites. Dishes such as Awadhi chicken biryani, vegetable Manchurian with fried rice, mini idlis, medu vada and upma reflect the variety of flavours available to passengers.

Gourmair also caters to different dietary preferences, with vegetarian, poultry, eggetarian, vegan, healthy and diabetic-friendly options.

Throughout the year, Air India Express introduces food offerings inspired by Indian festivals, including Diwali, Holi, Navratri and Onam. These seasonal menus give the airline an opportunity to showcase regional dishes and culinary traditions to passengers travelling between different parts of India and international destinations.

Bringing warmth of home to the journey

For many people, Navratri is a time of prayer, fasting, family gatherings and food prepared according to long-standing traditions. Travelling during the festival can make it difficult to follow familiar routines, particularly for those who observe specific dietary practices.

By introducing festive meals onboard and at airport lounges, Air India and Air India Express are seeking to bring some of that familiarity to the travel experience. Whether it is a plate of sabudana khichdi enjoyed during a flight, a serving of warm shahi paneer before departure or a colourful dessert savoured while waiting at the airport, these small touches can make a journey feel more connected to the occasion.

This Navratri, the festive spirit is not limited to homes, temples and community celebrations. It is also finding its way into aircraft cabins and airport lounges, where traditional flavours meet the experience of modern air travel.

For passengers on the move, it is a reminder that even when the journey takes them away from home, a taste of the festival can travel with them.