Air India has been transitioning on many fronts, including the lounge situation. The airline has provisioned lounges or equivalent across all the stations from where it operates, which was not a situation the airline was in pre-privatisation. Now, the airline is investing a good amount of money in redoing its lounges at Delhi and New York JFK with the assistance of HBA Associates and is also planning a new lounge in San Francisco. The Delhi Airport Terminal 3 Air India Lounge is the only airline-operated lounge that remains now.

At Delhi Airport, the primary hub for Air India, the airline is razing down the old lounge on the airport’s international pier. When it comes back, it will be managed by Encalm Hospitality. In the interim, the airline is directing eligible customers to the Encalm Prive lounge, which is fabulous.

On the domestic pier, AI shut the lounge for a short time for a touch-up and re-opened it after transitioning the management to Encalm Hospitality. For reference, here is a round-up of the Air India Lounge right after the Tata Group’s takeover. And here is a picture.

A few days back, in July 2024, I was on a day trip out of Delhi, and I had the opportunity to visit the reopened lounge for the first time. The invite for the lounge was printed on the boarding pass itself, and I was initially confused because I did not expect the lounge to open up so quickly and half expected to be directed to the Encalm Lounge.

Delhi Airport Terminal 3 Air India Maharaja Lounge

Having completed my check-in, I passed through security and headed to the Air India Lounge on the mezzanine floor of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3.

The Air India lounge is located at the far right of the mezzanine floor. After clearing security, you head to the right bank of elevators. When I arrived at about 6 AM, the lounge was quiet. The signage was upgraded to the new branding, and Air India and Encalm representatives were present at the lounge reception. Air India representative’s job was to provide flight-related information, and everything else was in the hands of the Encalm representatives.

As I entered the lounge, I had an agent get up from his seat to welcome me. I presented him with my boarding pass, which he scanned to let me in.

The lounge is accessible to all Air India First Class, Business Class, Platinum, and Gold members of Flying Returns and Star Alliance Gold Tier customers from other airlines flying Air India.

The first thing I noticed at the lounge, compared to my earlier trips in the past months, was the change in furniture. Here is how the lounge looks now.

You will note the colours inspired by the airline’s gold and aubergine colour scheme. You will immediately note a few new round tables with leather chairs as you enter and turn left, which is good for small groups.

The restaurant area also looks much better with new French lilac-coloured chairs and new tables.

New couches have been brought in as well, and the lounge looks very neat as a consequence. Out with the turquoise and blue unkept couches of earlier, and in with new leather/faux leather couches, which can take much more wear and tear.

USB A ports and plugs are fitted in plenty across the seating area of the lounge (but not the restaurant). One should always be in reach.

A lot of the art that was earlier just hanging on some pillars in the lounge—great art, by the way—is now repositioned on the wall, and it fits in perfectly there.

Since the lounge is open-air, air conditioning was a problem earlier. New Airconditioning has also been installed.

The nap room, right behind the reception, also gets an upgrade. However, I perceive it as a quiet room now, as the recliners are all gone, and there are only single-seater sofas now.

As you enter the reception, you will see another segregated room, which has been opened up again. However, no one wanted to tell me who got access, as all the customers were directed to the main area. I presume it is either a VIP area or reserved for First Class passengers. The only image I could make of it was some recliners before I got the side eye, and I scooted from there.

Around the corner, there used to be a few workstations, which have now been removed. A cleaner counter space exists for those who might want to sit on a high chair and dine. Also gone is the network map of Air India.

Delhi Airport Terminal 3 Air India Maharaja Lounge Hospitality and Dining

The significant change at the improvised Maharaja Lounge is upgrading the dining buffet and the facilities. The whole place got a deep cleanse, and the fingerprints of the menu and recipes from Encalm started to show.

The breakfast service was on in the morning hour. Here is a selection of what was on offer. For Vegetarian Breakfast, there were Idli Sambar, Peanut Vadas, Poha, Sauteed Vegetables, Potato Wedges and Chana Kulcha.

There were also Chicken Sausages and eggs to order.

Encalm offered a large selection of sliced fruits and cereal options.

The patisserie had also been upgraded with a range of breads and pastries.

The drinks fridge had transitioned from Pepsico to Coca-Cola products and also had tetrapack fruit juices from Real stocked up.

The coffee machine was replaced with a much better one and can now spew out all sorts of coffee, including milky, frothy ones.

Overall, while Air India was doing a good job of bringing up the lounge standards, handing it over to Encalm shows a step change in the offering. Having said that, it means that whether you are at the Air India Lounge or the Encalm Lounge, the F&B will be similar from here on.

I’m sure this is not the end of the upgrade, and at some point, after the International Lounge is done up, Air India will consider sprucing up this lounge even further. As their primary network hub, they need more seating here, as Vistara customers will transition here at some point in the future.

Bottomline

The Terminal 3 Air India Maharaja Lounge (Domestic) is a good lounge owned by Air India and operated by Encalm. It can be accessed by Business/First Class passengers of Air India, Star Alliance, and Air India Gold/Platinum members. Unlike Encalm Lounge, it offers a decent meal and no crowds. Currently, it is the only airline lounge remaining at Delhi Airport.

Have you been to the Delhi Airport Terminal 3 Air India Maharaja Lounge? What has been your experience here?

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Pros

+ Airline Lounge, so limited access
+ Enough space for premium passengers
+ Good F&B
+ Spruced up in terms of look and feel

Rating