Since May 2024, the integration project of Air India and Vistara has gained last-mile status, and much information has been made available to the public. In April 2024, Air India launched the enhanced Flying Returns Programme. In May 2024, Club Vistara informed us about the parity between Air India Flying Returns and Club Vistara. Later on, we were also advised to link our Air India and Club Vistara loyalty accounts for a seamless transfer.

Why you need to book your tickets now on Club Vistara now

Over the weekend, Vistara informed its employees and customers that effective September 3, 2024, it will end ticket bookings for the airline beyond November 11, 2024. November 11, 2024, is the last date for Vistara to exist as a separate airline; overnight, it will become Air India on November 12, 2024.

However, you are a Vistara customer already booked for your travel beyond November 12, 2024. In that case, your tickets will be transferred to the Air India reservation system, and you can travel using those same bookings.

In the case of Club Vistara v/s Flying Returns, there are many instances where Club Vistara comes out ahead regarding the number of points required (fewer points required). So, if you are a Club Vistara member, and you think you have plans between now and July 2025, which is the date till which the schedules are open for now, you might be up for a good number of miles saved if you can book your tickets by 2359 hours on September 2, 2024.

It is currently unclear what time on September 3, 2024, the airline will cut off ticketing beyond November 11, 2024.

Here are some of the sectors where Club Vistara comes out ahead:

• Domestic:
  • Delhi – Mumbai: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 18,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 23,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Premium Economy Redemption costs 8,500 CV Points v/s Air India PE Redemption at 13,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Delhi – Chandigarh: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 6,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 18,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Redemption costs 2,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Redemptions at 5,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Delhi – Bengaluru: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 28,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 31,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Delhi – Hyderabad: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 18,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 25,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Mumbai – Bengaluru: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 15,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 21,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Delhi – Kolkata: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 18,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 27,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Delhi – Goa: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 23,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 29,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 6,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 9,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Mumbai – Ahmedbad: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 12,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 15,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 4,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 5,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Mumbai – Udaipur: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 12,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 19,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 4,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 6,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Mumbai – Jaipur: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 15,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 18,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 4,500 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 6,000 Flying Returns Points.
  • Mumbai – Varanasi: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 18,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 25,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 5,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 8,000 Flying Returns Points.
• International:
  • Delhi – Paris: Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 30,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 34,000 to 44,000 Flying Returns Points
  • Delhi – Frankfurt: Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 30,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 34,000 to 48,000 Flying Returns Points
  • Mumbai – Doha: Vistara Business Class Redemption costs 33,000 CV Points v/s Air India Business Class at 49,000 Flying Returns Points. Vistara Economy Class Redemption costs 10,000 CV Points v/s Air India Economy Class at 23,000 Flying Returns Points.

I am sure there are many other examples of Vistara getting better pricing than Air India in terms of award availability. The reason this post is so delayed is that Vistaraon award availability had been kept a lid on but recently opened availability after much resistance from members. So, there are seats available.

Bottomline

Very soon, Club Vistara will stop offering redemptions for dates post-November 11, 2024. The ability to redeem will come back, I expect, only after the merger of Flying Returns and Club Vistara at a yet-unknown date in the next 70 days or so. Pockets exist where Club Vistara tickets are cheaper than Air India on redemptions.

Are you redeeming your CV Points for Vistara redemptions today? What routes do you book on?

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