Updated on May 06, 2026
Author: MybankingTips Team
Air India’s loyalty program, the Air India Maharaja Club, has officially ended its partnership with Zomato from May 1, 2026. The collaboration, which allowed users to earn Maharaja Club points on Zomato food orders, is now being discontinued just months after it was introduced.
The update comes around the same time Air India announced a major revamp of its Maharaja Club loyalty program. While many users expected more lifestyle partnerships and earning opportunities, this move has disappointed points enthusiasts who regularly used Zomato to accumulate airline rewards.
Air India Maharaja Club and Zomato Partnership Ends
Under this partnership, users were able to earn Maharaja Club points on eligible Zomato transactions. However, the benefit was available only till April 30, 2026. Starting May 1, 2026, customers will no longer receive Maharaja Club points on food delivery orders placed via Zomato.
The partnership was seen as a good addition for users who wanted to collect airline loyalty points through everyday spending. Since food delivery is one of the most common spending categories, many users found the feature useful for earning additional travel rewards.
Why This Update Matters
The ending of this partnership also highlights the growing competition between food delivery platforms in India. While Zomato appears to be slowing down its partnership strategy, Swiggy has been aggressively expanding its ecosystem.
Swiggy has recently added several travel and lifestyle partnerships, including collaborations with Marriott Bonvoy and IndiGo. Apart from this, Swiggy has also strengthened its presence in the credit card segment through co-branded cards with HDFC Bank.
On the other hand, Zomato currently does not offer any co-branded credit cards or major rewards-focused partnerships. This has made Swiggy a more attractive option for users looking to maximize rewards and loyalty benefits.
Impact on Credit Card Users
Many rewards-focused users combine food delivery spending with premium credit card rewards to maximize savings and points earnings. The end of the Maharaja Club partnership removes one additional earning opportunity for frequent Zomato users.
This comes at a time when several popular cashback and rewards cards are already seeing devaluations. Recently, the Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card also saw changes in cashback benefits, leaving many users disappointed.
Users who actively collect airline miles and travel rewards may now shift towards platforms and partnerships that continue to offer better value through loyalty integrations and co-branded cards.
Bottom Line
The partnership between Air India Maharaja Club and Zomato has officially ended from May 1, 2026. Users can earn Maharaja Club points on Zomato orders only till April 30, 2026.
While the partnership was short-lived, it showed the growing importance of lifestyle and travel loyalty integrations in India. At the same time, competitors like Swiggy continue to strengthen their ecosystem through new partnerships and co-branded offerings, making the rewards space even more competitive for users.