New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- Japan's famed "Golden Route"-a cultural and culinary trail encompassing Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka-came with one big hurdle for Indian travellers: having to backtrack hundreds of miles to Tokyo just to catch a flight home.

However, to address this logistical hurdle, Air India has announced it will launch the first-ever nonstop flights between New Delhi and Osaka's Kansai International Airport starting early next year.

Operating four times a week, starting 2 February 2027, the new route will make Air India the sole carrier connecting New Delhi directly to Japan's second-largest metropolitan area.

Osaka will become the airline's second Japanese destination after Tokyo (Haneda), where it currently operates daily flights...