- American Airlines plans to double its India tech team to 800.
- Southwest Airlines also expanding Hyderabad center to 1,000.
- India’s GCCs now focus on AI, engineering, and R&D.
India’s role in the global aviation industry is no longer limited to passengers and airport expansion. Increasingly, the country is becoming the technology backbone for some of America’s largest airlines.
As global carriers accelerate digital transformation, artificial intelligence adoption and cybersecurity upgrades, they are also significantly expanding their presence in India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs), particularly in Hyderabad.
According to Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter, American Airlines is now planning to nearly double the workforce at its Hyderabad technology centre to around 800 employees by early 2027.
American Airlines Expands India Tech Presence
American Airlines only opened its Hyderabad facility in 2024, making it one of the newer US carriers to establish a dedicated technology base in India.
The centre currently employs around 400 people, with teams focused on software engineering, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The Hyderabad operation works alongside the airline’s larger technology hubs in Fort Worth near Dallas and Phoenix, Arizona. Together, these teams support one of the world’s biggest airline networks, operating thousands of flights daily across more than 350 destinations.
In a statement to Reuters, the airline said: “Teams in Fort Worth, Phoenix and Hyderabad work closely with the business to digitise processes, deploy new tools that improve speed to market and business outcomes, and build a more resilient airline and better experience for team members and customers.”
The airline has steadily increased its technology investments since 2021 as it attempts to modernise systems and improve operational resilience.
India is becoming central to that strategy as companies search for highly skilled engineering talent while also trying to manage rising labour costs in the US.
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Southwest Airlines Joins the Race
American Airlines is not the only carrier betting big on India.
Last week, Southwest Airlines also announced plans to expand its Hyderabad GCC to nearly 1,000 employees over the next few years, reported The Financial Express.
The airline opened the facility in May 2026 at Sattva Knowledge City in Hyderabad. It is Southwest’s first Global Capability Centre outside the United States.
The first phase currently spans roughly 20,000 square feet and can accommodate nearly 200 professionals.
Teams at the centre are already working across areas including data analytics, airline operations, innovation and technology development.
India’s GCC Story Is No Longer About Back Offices
India’s GCC ecosystem has evolved far beyond traditional outsourcing and customer support functions.
According to the 2026 Nasscom-Zinnov GCC Landscape Report, India now hosts more than 2,100 GCCs employing approximately 2.36 million people. Together, these centres generate close to $100 billion in revenue.
Over time, GCCs in cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune and Chennai have moved into significantly more advanced workstreams including AI and machine learning, engineering, finance, cybersecurity, research and development, and operations.
Some of the world’s largest companies already operate major GCCs in India, including JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, McDonald’s, Nvidia and Eli Lilly.
Why Global Companies Are Choosing India
One of India’s biggest advantages remains its large technology and engineering talent pool.
The Nasscom-Zinnov report noted that the country already has more than 250,000 professionals working in AI and machine learning.
At the same time, operating costs continue to remain lower compared to many Western markets, while infrastructure across major Indian cities has improved significantly over the past decade.
For multinational companies, that combination of talent availability, scale and cost efficiency is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
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Why Airlines Need Tech Teams More Than Ever
Modern airlines today rely heavily on technology for nearly every aspect of their operations.
Ticket pricing, customer service, scheduling, aircraft maintenance, loyalty programmes and cybersecurity systems are now powered by increasingly complex digital infrastructure.
The industry is also under growing pressure to deliver faster, more personalised experiences for travellers while maintaining operational efficiency.
At the same time, many US carriers continue to face labour shortages and elevated operating costs in the post-pandemic environment.
Building large technology teams in India allows airlines to keep systems running round-the-clock while accelerating digital projects at lower costs.
