Quick Hits: Air India 3X, Miles & More 50%, flyadeal, BA A380
Updated as of 8 Oct 2026. Four quick ones: a second Air India 3X offer for selected members without Air India or Air India Express points-earning flight activity in 2026, a Miles & More sale we’d skip, a new Mumbai–Riyadh low-cost flight, and British Airways’ new A380 cabins. Rupee values use our FX sheet (8 Oct 2026).
1. Air India 3X points, version two (lapsed members)
We covered the first 3X offer on 30 Sep. Air India has now emailed a second, easier version to a different group: members who joined on or before 31 Dec 2025 and haven’t earned on an Air India or Air India Express flight since 1 Jan 2026.
| Version 1 (active members) | Version 2 (lapsed members) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Joined in 2026, or had points-earning Air India / Air India Express flight activity in 2026; invitation required | Joined by 31 Dec 2025, no points-earning Air India / Air India Express flight activity in 2026; invitation required |
| Flights needed | 3 or more | 2 or more |
| Book and fly | 24 Sep–31 Oct 2026 | 24 Sep–30 Nov 2026 |
| Earn | 3X your normal rate, e.g. 6 points per ₹100 becomes 18. Paid tickets only (cash, or cash + points) | |
| Bonus arrives | By 31 Dec 2026 | By 31 Jan 2027 |
Our take: if you haven’t flown Air India this year, search your inbox and spam for “Maharaja Club” and “3X”. Two eligible flights can be enough if both are booked and flown within the offer period. Register before completing qualifying flights and add your Maharaja Club ID when booking; retro claims do not count. Eligible revenue flights must be marketed and operated by Air India or Air India Express, including their mutual codeshares. Award tickets, other-airline codeshares and no-shows do not count. Bonus points initially expire 12 months after credit, subject to eligible flight activity extending validity. At DealUni’s illustrative valuation of about ₹1.10 a point, 3X on a ₹10,000 fare (base fare, at 6 per ₹100) is roughly 1,200 extra points, worth ₹1,300 or so.
2. Lufthansa Miles & More: 50% bonus on Bundle&Go (skip it)
Miles & More doesn’t sell miles on their own; it sells them in “Bundle&Go” packs. A 50% bonus through 31 Oct 2026 is reported for selected accounts. The US-dollar examples below are indicative; confirm your personal bonus, currency, total price and eligibility on the official Bundle&Go checkout. Public Miles & More help confirms the product but does not display these sale prices:
| Pack | Miles (with bonus) | Price | ≈ ₹ per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 7,500 | US$150 | ₹1.93 |
| Medium | 75,000 | US$1,250 | ₹1.61 |
| Large | 150,000 | US$2,200 | ₹1.41 |
| X-Large | 225,000 | US$3,160 | ₹1.35 |
Our take: even the biggest pack costs ₹1.35 a mile, above our illustrative valuation, and Lufthansa awards carry big surcharges (see our surcharge post). Buy only to top up a specific Star Alliance award you’ve already found, and only after comparing it with transferring from Axis.
3. flyadeal now flies Mumbai to Riyadh
Saudi low-cost airline flyadeal (part of the Saudia group) started Mumbai–Riyadh on 3 Oct 2026, its second Indian route after Hyderabad. It flies five times a week (not Tuesdays or Fridays) on an A320neo.
| Mumbai → Riyadh | Departs 08:40, arrives 10:15 (local times) |
| Riyadh → Mumbai | Departs 00:55, arrives 07:40 |
| Onward | Connections in Riyadh to Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam, useful for Umrah |
Our take: more competition on India–Saudi is good for fares. It’s a no-frills airline, so price in bags and seats, and compare the final fare with Saudia. flyadeal supports AlFursan earning and redemption: eligible fly+ and flyMax bundles earn miles, while the basic fly bundle does not. Add your membership number and check the fare’s current earning terms.
4. British Airways shows its refitted A380
BA has unveiled new cabins for its A380s: a new First suite (with a mini bar and a centre divider that opens for couples), 106 Club Suites filling the whole upper deck, and bigger screens and better bedding in Premium Economy and Economy. The first refitted plane enters service “in the coming months”; routes haven’t been announced.
Our take: BA doesn’t fly the A380 to India, so this matters only if you connect in London to places like the US. Every Club Suite has a door and aisle access, a big step up from BA’s old A380 seats. An A380 booking does not guarantee the new cabin until that aircraft is refitted; equipment can change. When you book with Avios, check which aircraft and cabin are scheduled, and watch for BA’s high surcharges.
Khabar chhoti, kaam ki badi. (Small news, big use.)
Sources: Air India Maharaja Club offer terms (linked above), Miles & More, flyadeal, British Airways. FX: US$1 = ₹96.34 (DealUni sheet, 8 Oct 2026). Point values checked 8 Oct 2026.
