Indian full-service carrier Vistara will now be merging with Air India. We break down what’s happening to the Vistara loyalty program.

Vistara will officially stop operations on November 12, 2024, following its merger with Tata Group’s Air India. The announcement in August revealed that passengers will be redirected to Air India’s website for bookings, and Vistara flights will continue under the ‘Vistara’ brand until November 11.

A senior official stated on Monday that Air India has a significant competitive edge due to its creation of a digital infrastructure devoid of data silos. The source also emphasized that Air India will be an artificial intelligence-powered airline.

The merger of the two budget carriers is seen as part of the larger consolidation of airlines in the Tata stable as part of Air India’s transformation plan.

Air India Group has completed the operational integration and legal merger of Air India Express Ltd and AIX Connect Pvt Ltd (erstwhile AirAsia India) into a larger Low-Cost Carrier.

As part of the merger norms, Vistara's Club Vistara frequent flyer program will be phased out and merged into Air India's Flying Returns program. Club Vistara will continue operating as usual until the integration process is completed.

Vistara and Air India merger process underway with focus on data-driven decision making and system integration.

This episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast weighs in whether the Air India-Vistara merger is a strategic win or a potential misstep.