How many points do I need for Maharaja Club status?

From a standing start: Silver 15,000 points, Gold 30,000 points, Platinum 45,000 points. The number alone is not always enough. Silver: At least 4,500 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express. Gold: At least 9,000 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express. Platinum: At least 13,500 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express.

Which Maharaja Club tier gives lounge access?

Gold, at 30,000 points, is the lowest tier that confers Star Alliance Gold, with lounge access across the alliance. Conditions beyond the threshold: Minimum Air India / Air India Express component: 9,000 of the 30,000 Tier Points; Rolling 365-day qualification window.

How many flights does it take to reach Maharaja Club status?

On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. On that basis, the economy returns needed from zero are: Silver 5 (plus conditions), Gold 9 (plus conditions), Platinum 14 (plus conditions). Tiers marked with conditions also need more than the points; see the tier ladder. Other cabins, classes and routes earn differently; the calculator on this page prices your own trip.

Maharaja Club Status Tiers & points Thresholds

Maharaja Club at a glance

Maharaja Club has 3 elite tiers, from Silver at 15,000 points to Platinum at 45,000 points.
Rolling 12-month window — only points earned in the past year count.
Gold (30,000 points) is the lowest tier with Star Alliance Gold lounge access.
On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. That is 5 returns to Silver from zero by points alone; Silver also has conditions beyond the threshold, listed under the tier ladder.

Elite tiers

Maharaja Club tier ladder
Tier	points required from zero	To retain
Silver	15,000	Same as to reach
Gold Star Alliance Gold	30,000	Same as to reach
Platinum	45,000	Same as to reach

Gold confers Star Alliance Gold — the lowest tier in this programme with alliance-wide lounge access. Alliance mapping last verified 4 August 2026. Conditions beyond the threshold: Minimum Air India / Air India Express component: 9,000 of the 30,000 Tier Points; Rolling 365-day qualification window. Compare lounge access across programmes →

Keeping a tier is a different bar from reaching it. The last column is what Maharaja Club publishes for a member who already holds the tier, over the same qualification window as the reaching figure. “Same as to reach” means Maharaja Club says the same figure that reaches the tier keeps it. A dash means no retention figure comparable with the reaching one is shown for that rung, not that renewal is automatic; where the programme publishes one over a different window, its note gives it.

Requirements beyond the threshold

Silver — At least 4,500 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express.
Gold — At least 9,000 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express.
Platinum — At least 13,500 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express.

These apply in addition to the points figure, so reaching the number alone does not confer the tier.

Qualification runs on a rolling 365-day window, and the qualification and retention thresholds are identical. Each tier requires a 30% Air India or Air India Express component (Silver 4,500, Gold 9,000, Platinum 13,500 Tier Points). The flight alternative is 20 / 45 / 60 flights, with a minimum of 4 / 8 / 12 on Air India. Own-metal Tier Points are spend-based at a flat 6 per INR 100 at every tier, excluding taxes and fees (base fare plus fuel surcharge on Air India; on Air India Express, Air India's FAQ says base fare only, which is what we apply, although the terms' general definition would include the fuel surcharge). Partner Tier Points are 1 for every 2 Maharaja Points earned on Star Alliance partners, unlisted booking classes earn nothing, and Air China, Shenzhen and ITA show an unknown rate because Air India's published tables for them are misprinted.

How we checked this

Checked against airindia.com, August 2026.

Publisher pages read: airindia.com.

Programmes change their rules without notice — confirm a figure with Maharaja Club before you rely on it.

Part-way up this ladder? See how to reach your next tier in Maharaja Club to see how far you are from your next tier and ways to close the gap.

What a return earns

On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight.
LHR–CDG: no figure — no rule captured. No published rate captured for this carrier pair in any of the cabin's booking classes — not a statement that it earns nothing.

Economy returns on LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR) to reach each tier from zero
Tier	points	Economy returns
Silver	15,000	5 by points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder
Gold	30,000	9 by points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder
Platinum	45,000	14 by points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder

Computed by the same engine as the calculator, on the reference routes behind the lowest status thresholds. Your own fare, class and route will differ: the calculator below prices them.

Maharaja Club: questions and answers

How many points do I need for Maharaja Club status?: From a standing start: Silver 15,000 points, Gold 30,000 points, Platinum 45,000 points. The number alone is not always enough. Silver: At least 4,500 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express. Gold: At least 9,000 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express. Platinum: At least 13,500 Tier Points on Air India or Air India Express.
Which Maharaja Club tier gives lounge access?: Gold, at 30,000 points, is the lowest tier that confers Star Alliance Gold, with lounge access across the alliance. Conditions beyond the threshold: Minimum Air India / Air India Express component: 9,000 of the 30,000 Tier Points; Rolling 365-day qualification window.
How many flights does it take to reach Maharaja Club status?: On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 3,456 points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. On that basis, the economy returns needed from zero are: Silver 5 (plus conditions), Gold 9 (plus conditions), Platinum 14 (plus conditions). Tiers marked with conditions also need more than the points; see the tier ladder. Other cabins, classes and routes earn differently; the calculator on this page prices your own trip.

Calculate your points

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Earning reference

Booking classes

Every points rate, by booking class

The full reference table for Maharaja Club: each operating carrier crossed with each booking class, the rate we hold, and the earning model behind it. Only classes with a rate we have captured from the programme are listed — nothing is filled in with a guess.

Open the booking-class table →

Maharaja Club status matches out

Into Kenya Airways — Asante Rewards

Gold → Gold Elite Plus (Status match)
Platinum → Platinum Elite Plus (Status match)
Silver → Silver Elite (Status match)

Into Malaysia Airlines — Enrich

Gold → Gold (Status match)
Platinum → Platinum (Status match)
Silver → Silver (Status match)

Into Air France / KLM — Flying Blue

Gold → Gold (Status match)
Platinum → Platinum (Status match)
Silver → Silver (Status match)

Into Virgin Atlantic — Flying Club

Gold or Platinum → Gold (Status match)
Silver → Silver (Status match)

Into KM Malta Airlines — KM Rewards

Gold or Platinum → Pioneer (Status match)
Silver → Explorer (Status match)

→ See all status matches