Abstract In the present investigation, the Ni-Cr-Ti and Ni-5Al coatings have been successfully deposited on T22 and T91 steels and achieved coating thickness of 250–300 µm using wire arc spray process. The coated samples were exposed to high temperature air oxidation environment under cyclic condition for 50 cycles at 900 °C, where the uncoated and coated samples were heated for one hour followed by 20 min cooling in air. The oxidation kinetics of bare and coated boiler steels have been established with the aid of weight change measurements. The surface and cross sectional analysis of coated samples before and after oxidation has been carried out using SEM/EDS and XRD analysis. It has been found from the results that the coated samples have shown high oxidation resistance in comparison to bare steels. Ni-Cr-Ti and Ni-5Al coated T91 steel offered highest oxidation resistance than the coated T22 steels, based upon weight change data. This may due to combined effect of highest hardness and presence of strong chromium oxide layer to combat oxidation.