Air India has found a new way to hand out elite status: through a bank. The airline announced on Oct. 21 that Standard Chartered will offer Maharaja Club Gold or Silver status to eligible clients in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Both markets are home to large Indian communities, and both sit a short nonstop flight from Air India's hubs. The bank is aiming at affluent Indians whose work, family and money cross borders. Air India says the offer will be available in the coming weeks.
What neither company has published yet is the fine print. There are no eligibility rules in the release, and no word on how a client ends up at Gold rather than Silver.
What the status includes
Air India says both tiers come with the same family of perks, with more at Gold:
- extra baggage allowance
- priority check-in and boarding
- airport lounge access
- upgrade vouchers
- bonus Maharaja Points
The release gives no baggage amounts, voucher counts or bonus rates. A footnote adds that Gold members get free seat selection and some fee waivers on eligible Air India journeys, subject to the program's terms.
Why Gold is the real prize
Gold carries Star Alliance Gold, and that is where the lounge value sits. Air India says it opens more than 1,000 airport lounges around the world, along with priority airport services, extra baggage and recognition on the alliance's 25 other airlines.
In practice, Star Alliance Gold members can usually use partner lounges when they fly an eligible Star Alliance itinerary, even in economy. The alliance and each lounge set the rules on guests and on short or domestic trips, so check them before you count on a seat.
Silver is a different story. The release ties Star Alliance Gold to the Gold tier only. Silver members should expect lounge benefits on Air India's own terms, and the release does not say when those apply.
Who can get it
Only Standard Chartered clients in Singapore and the UAE are named. Customers in India, the UK or the US are not part of this launch. The bank says clients must meet its criteria, but it has not said what those are.
The status comes bundled with banking perks. Air India says eligible clients also get a dedicated relationship manager, market views from the bank's Chief Investment Office, invitations to events and tailored wealth products.
Rajesh Kannan, who leads Standard Chartered's wealth and retail banking in the UAE and Jersey and heads its Global Indian clients business, described the deal as a pairing of two heritage brands. Nipun Aggarwal, Air India's chief commercial officer, said it brings Maharaja Club status and benefits to key overseas markets.
How it compares
The usual way to reach Maharaja Club Gold is to earn it by flying Air India. This deal lets a small group of wealthy bank clients skip that step.
It is also a bigger offer than Standard Chartered's other airline perks in the Lounge Frog catalog. Its Cathay Mastercard for Priority Banking clients gives four Cathay Pacific business class lounge passes a year. Status with Star Alliance Gold attached opens far more doors, as long as you keep flying alliance airlines.
Where you would use it
Air India's best lounge is The Maharaja Lounge in Delhi, one of the higher-rated airline lounges on Lounge Frog. The airline also runs Maharaja Lounges in Bengaluru, New York JFK and San Francisco, all open to Star Alliance Gold members.
For clients starting their trip in the two launch markets, Lounge Frog's guides to Singapore Changi and Dubai International list each lounge and who gets in. You can also follow Air India news on its airline page.
What we still don't know
A few questions will decide how good this is:
- what a client needs to qualify, and who gets Gold
- how long the status lasts, and whether it renews
- how many upgrade vouchers and bonus points come with each tier
- whether the offer will spread to other markets
We will update this story when the full terms are out.
