Inside of Air India’s New Top class Living room in San Francisco

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Megastar Alliance flyers have a brand new front room possibility when touring from San Francisco: the Air India Maharaja Living room. It is value a consult with — particularly for those who like Indian meals.

Opened in Might 2026, it’s the airline’s first top rate front room outdoor India as it really works to grow to be its symbol into that of a high-end provider. The upscale front room is situated in the living room complicated by means of the A gates within the global terminal at San Francisco World Airport. Megastar Alliance Gold participants and top rate cabin passengers touring on a Megastar Alliance member airline have get entry to.

I visited this front room on 3 separate events in Might 2026, together with a unique opening for participants of the media. Right here’s what it’s like inside of this facility.

Architecture, Building, Furniture
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

The Air India front room at SFO is situated right away for your left after clearing safety on the A gates checkpoint.

A number of different lounges are situated on this space, together with the Air France and China Airways lounges, in addition to the Golden Gate Living room.

The living room is open from the morning till past due within the night; you’ll test its working hours on SFO’s web page. It is the most effective Megastar Alliance airline front room on this phase of the airport. That issues, particularly since United Airways got rid of Polaris Living room get entry to for top rate cabin passengers on all however its closest Megastar Alliance companions.

Air India SFO front room design

For those who’ve been to the Air India front room at New York’s John F. Kennedy World Airport, which has extra dated finishes, this front room is the exact opposite.

Suppose high-end finishings, plush seating and a laugh aviation-inspired artwork. Plus, huge home windows be offering simple viewing of planes parked at their gates and starting up.

Indoors, Architecture, Building
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

The gap isn’t massive — it could possibly accommodate roughly 80 visitors throughout 3,300 sq. toes — but it surely’s smartly laid out and doesn’t really feel cramped.

There are 3 major sections to the living room: a non-public zone for global firstclass passengers and different VIP visitors, the principle seating space with the Aviator’s Bar and a eating space with the buffet.

I specifically cherished the chairs in the principle phase of the living room, which supplied comfy cushioning and had a small swiveling tabletop.

Furniture, Couch, Transportation
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

The living room’s small and comfortable non-public zone for its global firstclass passengers is improbable if you need privateness. However it could possibly additionally really feel slightly claustrophobic and keeping apart given how ethereal the remainder of the living room feels.

Architecture, Building, Furniture
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

If you’re within the non-public zone, you’ll have get entry to to top-shelf liquors and an à l. a. carte eating menu.

Wood, Bottle, Cosmetics
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

Meals and beverage choices

On the some distance finish of the living room, you’ll discover a buffet providing numerous Indian dishes. In case you are hungry and like different cuisines, chances are you’ll need to glance in other places within the terminal for eating choices.

I believed the meals high quality used to be excellent, and there have been a number of meat and vegetarian choices to make a choice from. I like rooster tikka masala, and wrapping a couple of items in heat naan used to be the very best meal sooner than I headed to my flight.

Indoors, Lamp, Furniture
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

There may be a beverage station, a dessert bar, and a considerable unfold of fruit, crackers, pita and falafel with more than a few cheeses and dips.

The Aviator’s Bar is situated within the central space of the living room, serving up a mixture of cocktails and mocktails, in addition to different alcoholic drinks.

Bar, Person, Adult
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

The Maharaja Living room’s signature cocktail is the Infinite, made to resemble the crimson in Air India’s designs. Because you’re in San Francisco, you’ll additionally do that front room’s unique concoction: the Golden Gate, a gin-based cocktail with citrus and yuzu notes.

Alcohol, Beverage, Cocktail
(Photograph by means of Benjamin Din/NerdWallet)

Is the Air India front room at SFO value it?

The Air India front room is an implausible addition to SFO’s front room choices. The gap is gorgeous, the meals is tasty and the seats are comfy.

For those who’re flying on Air India or any other airline that makes use of this front room, comparable to Singapore Airways, then it’s a great spot to calm down sooner than your flight when you have get entry to.

As a Megastar Alliance Gold member via my United elite standing, I used to be ready to get entry to the Maharaja Living room even if flying on a home financial system price ticket.

Whilst it used to be slightly of a trek sooner than my United flight — which most definitely deters many United flyers from visiting — I loved my enjoy at the living room. I used to be ready to keep away from top visitors hours, so the living room felt very non-public all through my consult with.

Distinction that with my contemporary (very crowded) studies at SFO’s United Golf equipment and the Air Canada Maple Leaf Living room, and I’d say the stroll used to be smartly value it.

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