Air India Reroutes U.S. & Canada Flights via Mongolia to Cut Costs

Air India (AI) has made adjustments to its flight routes for certain North America-bound services, now rerouting through Mongolian airspace due to the escalating operational costs caused by the extended closure of Pakistan’s airspace (ISB). This change primarily impacts flights departing from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to the United States and Canada. Adjusted Routes for North America Flights Air India has modified its flight paths to major North American cities, including San Francisco (SFO) and Vancouver (YVR), with some services now incorporating a technical stop in Kolkata (CCU). These adjustments are part of the airline’s strategy to manage rising fuel costs and operational expenses, while complying with regulatory requirements that have been impacted by the geopolitical developments in the region. Air India operates 71 weekly flights to North America, 54 of which depart from New Delhi (DEL). Following Pakistan’s closure of its airspace to Indian carriers on April 24, 2025, Air India was forced to revise its long-haul flight routes. Affected routes include those to cities such as Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), Washington (IAD), San Francisco (SFO), Newark (EWR), Toronto (YYZ), and Vancouver (YVR). Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 reveals that flights such as AI174 (San Francisco to Delhi) and AI186 (Vancouver to Delhi) have been rerouted through Mongolian airspace.