The high-temperature hot corrosion (HTHC) behavior of Ti1-xAlxN-coated c-263 alloy was studied with- and without a Na2SO4/MgSO4 salt mixture at 850 °C in a SOx-rich atmosphere. In absence of the salt deposit, both, the bare c-263 alloy and cathodic arc evaporated Ti1-xAlxN specimens follow a quasi-cubic corrosion rate. However, when exposed to salt under identical conditions, the rates increase significantly, featuring a compounded parabolic-linear rate law for the c-263 alloy, and a parabolic-like rate behavior for Ti1-xAlxN-coated specimens. The rate-determining step of the HTHC mechanism was attributed to a nitride-to-oxide transformation, followed by a sequential fluxing of the formed oxides. Display omitted •Ti1-xAlxN coated specimens expressed improved corrosion resistance over bare c-263.•HTHC of the Ti1-xAlxN coatings itself produces laminate oxides scales.•Sequential fluxing of Al- and Ti-rich scales best described the HTHC mechanism.•Rutile-TiO2 predominantly develops at the scale-salt interface over Al2O3.