Air India Transfer Bonus Expires May 31: The Business Class Routes on Lufthansa, Swiss, and Star Alliance Partners Worth Booking Before It Closes

Air India’s Maharaja Club Points Fest ends in two days, and if you have Rove Miles sitting around—or the ability to manufacture them—this is one of the more interesting, under-the-radar ways to juice a Star Alliance business class redemption before the window slams shut.

The promotion runs through May 31, 2026. Register, transfer eligible points (primarily from Indian bank programs, though Rove Miles convert 1:1), and you can score up to 50% bonus Maharaja Points on larger transfers—tiered, with the full 50% kicking in above 100,000 points transferred. Maximum bonus is capped at 200,000 per partner, but that’s still a meaningful discount on an already competitive award chart.[[1]](https://www.airindia.com/in/en/maharaja-club/partner-offers/points-fest.html)[[2]](https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/air-india-travel-shock-maharaja-club-points-fest-brings-massive-bonus-rewards-and-smarter-ways-to-fly-in-2026/)

Most U.S. points folks ignore Maharaja Club entirely. No direct transfers from Amex, Chase, Capital One, or Citi. The only meaningful bridge is Rove Miles at 1:1, which makes this bonus effectively a rare multiplier on an otherwise isolated program. That obscurity has a side benefit: partner award space on Lufthansa, Swiss, and other Star Alliance carriers is often easier to find here than in United MileagePlus or Miles & More, where everyone and their consultant is looking.[[3]](https://thepointsguy.com/loyalty-programs/air-india-flying-returns/)[[3]](https://thepointsguy.com/loyalty-programs/air-india-flying-returns/)

Why Lufthansa Allegris and Swiss Business Class?

Recent chart adjustments (April 2026) made long-haul business redemptions surprisingly reasonable. U.S. East Coast to Frankfurt or Munich on Lufthansa’s new Allegris product is in the 90,000–110,000 Maharaja Points range one-way in business, depending on exact routing and dates. West Coast runs similar. That’s competitive with the best Star Alliance options and often beats dynamic pricing on United or Aeroplan for the same metal.[[4]](https://www.happyfares.in/blog/mileage-redemption-sweet-spots-india-2026/)[[5]](https://www.instagram.com/p/DXkAp7On-iK/)

Swiss business from the U.S. to Zurich follows comparable pricing—think low-to-mid six figures round-trip when you factor in the bonus. The product is reliably strong: lie-flat seats, decent food, and far less crowding in the points cabin than you’ll see on peak United flights. Allegris, when you actually clear it, is a noticeable step up from Lufthansa’s old business—better privacy, updated hard product, the works. Not every plane has the full refresh yet, but the odds improve on award space that isn’t being vacuumed up by Miles & More hoarders.

Taxes and surcharges are the usual European mix—€100–300 one-way on most transatlantic routes. Annoying but not fatal when the base award is this efficient.

Program Reality Check

Maharaja Points don’t truly never expire. They last two years by default, but any paid Air India or Air India Express flight extends the entire balance another 24 months. That’s manageable if you’re already routing through India occasionally; less so if this is purely a one-off transfer play. Book what you’re actually going to use.[[6]](https://www.airindia.com/in/en/maharaja-club/faqs.html)

The program has improved post-Vistara merger and the 2026 refresh—lower award prices in places, better earning on partners—but it’s still an Indian airline loyalty scheme at heart. Customer service can be glacial. Availability is best searched via the Air India site or by calling; online booking works for Lufthansa, Swiss, United, and a few others on single sectors.

That said, when the math works, it works. A 50% transfer bonus effectively drops a 100,000-point business award to the cost of ~67,000 Rove Miles. That’s the kind of edge most optimizers sleep on.

Do this before Monday night: Check your Rove balance, register for the Points Fest, run a few sample searches for your target routes and dates on the Air India site, and transfer only what you’ll realistically burn in the next 18–24 months. The bonus is real. The program quirks are real. The window is closing. Load up if the space is there, smirk at the empty award charts everyone else is fighting over, and enjoy a quieter ride in Allegris or Swiss business while the rest of the points internet argues about transfer ratios on more obvious programs.