Air India is suspending service to one of its newest U.S. markets. The carrier cited Pakistani airspace closures and planned 787 cabin upgrades for the route cut.
On Sept. 1, 2025, the Indian airline will no longer serve Washington Dulles, it said Monday. The carrier began flying to the U.S. capital in 2017.
Flights between Delhi and Washington operated five times per week.
“The suspension is primarily driven by the planned shortfall in Air India’s fleet, as the airline commenced retrofitting 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft last month,” Air India said in a statement. “This extensive retrofit programme, aimed at significantly enhancing customer experience, necessitates a prolonged unavailability of multiple aircraft at any given time until at least end of 2026. That, coupled with the continued closure of airspace over Pakistan, impacts the airline’s long-haul operations, leading to longer flight routings and increased operational complexity.”
The airline did not share a plan for resuming service to Washington, adding that impacted customers will be rebooked or refunded. In the U.S., Air India also serves San Francisco, New York-JFK, Chicago O’Hare, and Newark, New Jersey.
