Short answer: From Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu you can fly non-stop to Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Colombo, Dubai, Doha and several Chinese cities, among others. Bali, Vietnam, the Maldives, the Philippines and Kenya need one stop, usually in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore, Delhi, Colombo, Doha or Dubai. Pokhara now has a daily flydubai service; Bhairahawa had no scheduled international flights on 8 October 2026.
This page is the route map behind every trip that starts in Kathmandu. It lists which cities you can reach without changing planes, which airlines fly them, roughly how long each flight takes, and where you change for places with no direct service. It also covers the two newer international airports at Bhairahawa and Pokhara, how schedules shift through the year, and what economy tickets typically cost by season. It is written for anyone flying out of Nepal: Nepali families on a festival holiday, couples planning a honeymoon, students and workers, and diaspora Nepalis flying home and onwards. For ideas on where to go in the first place, see our guide to the best travel destinations for Nepalese travellers.
Checked: 8 Oct 2026. Routes and approximate flight times come from FlightConnections schedule data for Kathmandu (KTM), cross-checked against KAYAK route pages and airline announcements. Airlines add, drop and pause routes every season, so confirm on the airline's own website before you book.
Which cities have direct flights from Kathmandu?
On 8 October 2026, schedule data listed non-stop international flights from Kathmandu to more than 25 cities in South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Gulf and Turkey. Of the 12 countries most Gomayu travellers ask about, seven have a non-stop flight to at least one city: India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and China. Five do not: Indonesia (Bali), Vietnam, the Maldives, the Philippines and Kenya.
"Direct" and "non-stop" are used loosely by booking sites. In this guide, non-stop means one flight with no landing on the way. A one-stop trip means you land at a hub airport and either change planes or stay on board while the aircraft refuels or picks up passengers.
Kathmandu routes to the 12 most-asked destinations
| Destination | Non-stop from KTM? | Main carriers from KTM (Oct 2026) | Arrival airport or usual hub | Approx. flight time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India (Delhi) | Yes | Air India, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines | Delhi (DEL) | About 1 h 50 min |
| India (Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Varanasi) | Yes | IndiGo and Nepal Airlines (Mumbai); Air India Express and Nepal Airlines (Bengaluru); Buddha Air (Kolkata, Varanasi) | BOM, BLR, CCU, VNS | About 1 h 05 min to 3 h 15 min |
| Thailand | Yes | Thai Airways, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines (Suvarnabhumi); Thai Lion Air (Don Mueang) | Bangkok (BKK or DMK) | About 3 h 20 min |
| Sri Lanka | Yes | SriLankan Airlines | Colombo (CMB) | About 3 h 35 min |
| China | Yes | Air China, Sichuan Airlines, China Southern, China Eastern, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | Chengdu, Kunming, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou | About 3 h 05 min to 5 h 35 min |
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | flydubai, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines (Dubai); Air Arabia (Sharjah); Air Arabia Abu Dhabi | Dubai (DXB), Sharjah (SHJ), Abu Dhabi (AUH) | About 4 h 25 min to 4 h 40 min |
| Malaysia | Yes | Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | About 4 h 40 min |
| Singapore | Yes | Singapore Airlines | Singapore Changi (SIN) | About 5 h 10 min |
| Indonesia (Bali) | No | Connect on Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and others | Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Bangkok | About 7 h 45 min to 8 h of flying, plus the connection |
| Vietnam | No | Connect via Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Guangzhou or Kunming | Bangkok is the most common hub | About 5 h 15 min to 8 h of flying, plus the connection |
| Maldives | No | Connect via Colombo, an Indian city or the Gulf | Colombo is the shortest routing | About 5 h of flying, plus the connection |
| Philippines | No | Connect via Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong or Guangzhou | Bangkok is the most common hub | About 7 h to 9 h of flying, plus the connection |
| Kenya | No | Connect via Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai or Istanbul | Doha or Dubai | About 9 h 45 min to 10 h of flying, plus the connection |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections (Kathmandu, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Male, Manila, Denpasar and Nairobi airport pages) and KAYAK route pages for KTM. Flying time for one-stop routes adds the two legs and leaves out the time on the ground, which can be anything from about 2 hours to an overnight wait.
Main non-stop international routes from Kathmandu, by region
Beyond the main holiday destinations, Kathmandu has non-stop links that matter for diaspora travellers, students and workers. The list below covers the main international non-stop routes that appeared in the schedule data on the day we checked.
| Region | City (airport code) | Airlines | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Asia | Delhi (DEL) | Air India, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines | 1 h 50 min |
| South Asia | Mumbai (BOM) | IndiGo, Nepal Airlines | 2 h 45 min |
| South Asia | Bengaluru (BLR) | Air India Express, Nepal Airlines | 3 h 15 min |
| South Asia | Kolkata (CCU) | Buddha Air | 1 h 45 min |
| South Asia | Varanasi (VNS) | Buddha Air | 1 h 05 min |
| South Asia | Dhaka (DAC) | Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Himalaya Airlines | 1 h 25 min |
| South Asia | Paro (PBH), Bhutan | Druk Air, Bhutan Airlines | 1 h 05 min |
| South Asia | Colombo (CMB) | SriLankan Airlines | 3 h 35 min |
| Southeast Asia | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) | Thai Airways, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines | 3 h 20 min |
| Southeast Asia | Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) | Thai Lion Air | 3 h 20 min |
| Southeast Asia | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | 4 h 40 min |
| Southeast Asia | Singapore (SIN) | Singapore Airlines | 5 h 10 min |
| China | Chengdu (TFU) | Air China, Sichuan Airlines | 3 h 05 min |
| China | Kunming (KMG) | China Eastern | 3 h 15 min |
| China | Shenzhen (SZX) | Himalaya Airlines | 4 h 25 min |
| China | Guangzhou (CAN) | China Southern, Nepal Airlines | 4 h 35 min |
| China | Shanghai Pudong (PVG) | Himalaya Airlines | 5 h 20 min |
| China | Hangzhou (HGH) | Himalaya Airlines | 5 h 35 min |
| East Asia | Hong Kong (HKG) | Cathay Pacific, Nepal Airlines | 4 h 45 min |
| East Asia | Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air | 6 h 15 min |
| East Asia | Tokyo Narita (NRT) | Nepal Airlines | 6 h 45 min |
| Gulf | Sharjah (SHJ) | Air Arabia | 4 h 25 min |
| Gulf | Dubai (DXB) | flydubai, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | 4 h 40 min |
| Gulf | Abu Dhabi (AUH) | Air Arabia Abu Dhabi | 4 h 40 min |
| Gulf | Doha (DOH) | Qatar Airways, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | 5 h |
| Gulf | Dammam (DMM) | Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | 5 h 20 min |
| Gulf | Kuwait City (KWI) | Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways | 5 h 50 min |
| Europe | Istanbul (IST) | Turkish Airlines | 8 h |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections schedule data for Kathmandu (KTM). Some routes run only a few days a week, and a route can appear in schedule data before or after the dates it actually operates. Himalaya Airlines' Shanghai and Hangzhou services restarted or launched in late September 2026 with two flights a week (Spotlight Nepal, 29 Sep and 1 Oct 2026). Schedule data flags Dhaka, Hangzhou and Tokyo Narita as seasonal routes (October to March), so check that they run on your dates.
There is no non-stop flight from Kathmandu to Europe other than Istanbul, and none to North America, Australia or Africa. Travellers heading to the UK, the US, Canada or Australia usually connect through Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong.
Which airlines fly internationally from Tribhuvan International Airport?
About 28 airlines operated scheduled international flights from Tribhuvan International Airport in October 2026, including two Nepali carriers with large international networks, Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines. The rest are foreign airlines that fly in from their own hubs, and Buddha Air, which is mainly a domestic airline, also flies to Kolkata and Varanasi.
Tribhuvan is Nepal's main international gateway and is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). Domestic and international flights use separate terminals at the same airport, so allow time to move between them if you are flying in from another Nepali city on the same day.
| Airline | Based in | International routes from Kathmandu (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal Airlines | Nepal | Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Tokyo Narita, Dubai, Doha, Dammam |
| Himalaya Airlines | Nepal | Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka, Dubai, Doha, Dammam, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou |
| Buddha Air | Nepal | Kolkata, Varanasi |
| Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express | India | Delhi (Air India, IndiGo), Mumbai (IndiGo), Bengaluru (Air India Express) |
| Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air | Thailand | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (Thai Airways), Bangkok Don Mueang (Thai Lion Air) |
| Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air | Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur |
| Singapore Airlines | Singapore | Singapore |
| SriLankan Airlines | Sri Lanka | Colombo |
| Air China, Sichuan Airlines, China Southern, China Eastern | China | Chengdu (Air China, Sichuan), Guangzhou (China Southern), Kunming (China Eastern) |
| Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| Korean Air | South Korea | Seoul Incheon |
| flydubai, Air Arabia, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi | UAE | Dubai (flydubai), Sharjah (Air Arabia), Abu Dhabi (Air Arabia Abu Dhabi) |
| Qatar Airways | Qatar | Doha |
| Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways | Kuwait | Kuwait City |
| Biman Bangladesh Airlines | Bangladesh | Dhaka |
| Druk Air, Bhutan Airlines | Bhutan | Paro |
| Turkish Airlines | Turkey | Istanbul |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections (KTM), KAYAK route pages for KTM to Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Colombo, Dubai and Guangzhou, and airline announcements. Route lists are a snapshot, not a full network map for each airline.
Nepali carriers or foreign carriers: does it matter?
For most holiday trips the practical differences are the schedule and the onward network, not the flag on the tail.
- Foreign hub carriers such as Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, flydubai and Turkish Airlines sell through tickets beyond their hub, so a Kathmandu to Bali or Kathmandu to Manila trip can be booked as one ticket with protected connections.
- Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines are useful for point-to-point trips to cities they serve, such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai or Doha. Check whether a through ticket to a further city is possible before you book separate tickets.
- Low-cost carriers such as Air Arabia, Batik Air, IndiGo and Thai Lion Air may charge separately for checked bags and meals. Compare the full price for your baggage, not the headline fare.
If this is your first flight abroad, our first-time flight tips walk through check-in, security and boarding at Tribhuvan step by step.
How long are flights from Kathmandu to Asia and the Gulf?
Non-stop flights from Kathmandu take about 1 to 2 hours to nearby Indian cities, Dhaka and Paro, about 3 to 3.5 hours to Bangkok, Chengdu and Colombo, about 4.5 to 5 hours to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai and Doha, and 6 hours or more to Seoul, Tokyo and Istanbul. These are approximate scheduled block times (gate to gate), and the real time changes with wind, season and aircraft.
| Flight time band | Non-stop destinations from KTM | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2 hours | Varanasi, Paro, Dhaka, Kolkata, Delhi | Weekend trips, pilgrimages, elderly parents, first flights with children |
| 2 to 4 hours | Mumbai, Chengdu, Kunming, Bengaluru, Bangkok, Colombo | 4 to 5 day holidays, families with young children |
| 4 to 5.5 hours | Sharjah, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Doha, Singapore, Shanghai, Dammam, Hangzhou | Week-long holidays, shopping trips, diaspora meet-ups |
| Over 5.5 hours | Kuwait City, Seoul, Tokyo, Istanbul | Longer trips, onward connections to Europe and North America |
One-stop trips are a different story. Once you add a connection of 2 to 4 hours, a trip to Bali, Hanoi, Male or Manila usually takes 10 to 12 hours door to door at best. KAYAK's route data showed the shortest typical one-stop journeys at about 10 hours 17 minutes to Hanoi and Manila (via Guangzhou), about 11 hours 30 minutes to Male (via Colombo). Bali, with about 8 hours of flying plus the connection, usually takes 11 hours or more.
What time will it be when you land?
Nepal Standard Time is UTC+5:45, an unusual offset that catches many travellers out when they read arrival times on a ticket. Arrival times are always printed in the local time of the destination.
| Destination | Time zone | Difference from Nepal |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | UTC+3 | 2 h 45 min behind |
| UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) | UTC+4 | 1 h 45 min behind |
| Maldives | UTC+5 | 45 min behind |
| India, Sri Lanka | UTC+5:30 | 15 min behind |
| Thailand, Vietnam | UTC+7 | 1 h 15 min ahead |
| Malaysia, Singapore, China, Philippines, Bali | UTC+8 | 2 h 15 min ahead |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, timeanddate.com time zone data. None of these destinations uses daylight saving time.
Which destinations need one stop, and where?
Bali, Vietnam, the Maldives, the Philippines and Kenya all need at least one stop from Kathmandu. The useful hubs are the cities Kathmandu already flies to non-stop: Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore for Southeast Asia, Colombo and Indian cities for the Maldives, and Doha, Dubai and the other Gulf airports for Africa. The best hub is usually the one with the shortest total journey, not the cheapest first leg.
| Hub | Time from KTM | Carriers from KTM | Good onward hub for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi (DEL) | About 1 h 50 min | Air India, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines | Rest of India, the Maldives, Vietnam, Bali, Manila; long-haul to Europe and North America |
| Bangkok (BKK) | About 3 h 20 min | Thai Airways, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines | Vietnam (Hanoi about 2 h, Ho Chi Minh City about 1 h 25 min), Manila, Bali, Phuket and Chiang Mai |
| Colombo (CMB) | About 3 h 35 min | SriLankan Airlines | Male (about 1 h 30 min) |
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | About 4 h 40 min | Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | Bali (about 3 h 05 min), Vietnam, Manila, Male, Langkawi and Penang |
| Dubai (DXB) | About 4 h 40 min | flydubai, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | Nairobi (about 5 h 05 min), Male, Europe, Africa |
| Doha (DOH) | About 5 h | Qatar Airways, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | Nairobi (about 5 h 10 min), Europe, North America, Africa |
| Singapore (SIN) | About 5 h 10 min | Singapore Airlines | Bali (about 2 h 40 min), Ho Chi Minh City (about 2 h), Manila, Australia |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections airport pages for KTM, DPS, HAN, SGN, MLE, MNL and NBO. Onward times are for the non-stop flight from the hub and are approximate.
Bali (Indonesia)
There is no non-stop flight between Kathmandu and Bali (Denpasar, DPS). The common routings are via Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Singapore; on KAYAK's data, Kuala Lumpur carried the largest share of one-stop itineraries (38 percent), followed by Bangkok and Singapore. Singapore gives the shortest second leg at about 2 hours 40 minutes. See the Bali travel guide for what to plan once you land.
Kenya
There is no non-stop flight from Kathmandu to Nairobi (NBO). The practical routings are through the Gulf: Doha, Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi all have non-stop flights to Nairobi of about 5 hours, which gives total flying time of roughly 10 hours. Mumbai and Istanbul also connect to Nairobi, but with longer second legs. The Kenya travel guide covers safari seasons and parks.
Destinations with no direct flight from Kathmandu
On 8 October 2026, FlightConnections listed no non-stop service from Kathmandu to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Male or Manila, the same result as our previous check on 17 September 2026. These three countries are among the most requested holidays from Nepal, so each has its own short section below with the usual hubs, the time on each leg, and one or two arrival details worth knowing.
How do you fly from Kathmandu to Vietnam?
You fly from Kathmandu to Vietnam with one stop, most often in Bangkok, with Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Guangzhou and Kunming as alternatives. Hanoi (HAN) suits northern Vietnam and Ha Long Bay; Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) suits the south and the Mekong Delta. Vietnam is 1 hour 15 minutes ahead of Nepal.
| Hub | KTM to hub | Hub to Hanoi | Hub to Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok (BKK) | About 3 h 20 min | About 2 h | About 1 h 25 min |
| Kunming (KMG) | About 3 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min | Not listed non-stop |
| Guangzhou (CAN) | About 4 h 35 min | About 1 h 40 min | About 2 h 55 min |
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | About 4 h 40 min | About 3 h 20 min | About 2 h |
| Singapore (SIN) | About 5 h 10 min | About 3 h 30 min | About 2 h |
| Delhi (DEL) | About 1 h 50 min | About 4 h 45 min | About 5 h 20 min |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections pages for Hanoi (HAN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN); common hubs from KAYAK's KTM to Hanoi route page. No new non-stop Kathmandu to Vietnam service had been announced in the sources we checked.
Bangkok is the default because it has three non-stop carriers from Kathmandu and very frequent flights on to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Flying into one Vietnamese city and out of the other (an "open jaw" ticket) avoids backtracking the length of the country. The Vietnam travel guide and best time to visit Vietnam help you decide between north and south for your dates.
How do you fly from Kathmandu to the Maldives?
You fly from Kathmandu to the Maldives with one stop, and the shortest routing is via Colombo on SriLankan Airlines, with about 3 hours 35 minutes to Colombo and about 1 hour 30 minutes on to Male. Indian cities (Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi), the Gulf (Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Doha) and Kuala Lumpur also connect to Male's Velana International Airport (MLE). The Maldives is 45 minutes behind Nepal.
| Hub | KTM to hub | Hub to Male | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo (CMB) | About 3 h 35 min | About 1 h 30 min | Shortest total flying time; many daily Colombo to Male flights |
| Bengaluru (BLR) | About 3 h 15 min | About 1 h 55 min | Short legs, but check connection times |
| Mumbai (BOM) | About 2 h 45 min | About 2 h 50 min | Frequent flights on schedule data |
| Delhi (DEL) | About 1 h 50 min | About 4 h 05 min | Most frequent first leg |
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | About 4 h 40 min | About 4 h 40 min | Combine with a Malaysia stopover |
| Dubai (DXB) or Sharjah (SHJ) | About 4 h 25 min to 4 h 40 min | About 3 h 55 min to 4 h 20 min | Backtracks west; Sharjah was the most common one-stop hub on KAYAK's data (42 percent) |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections page for Male (MLE) and KAYAK's KTM to Male route page. Times from Male are used as a proxy for the reverse direction.
Plan your arrival time around the resort transfer. Seaplanes in the Maldives fly in daylight only, so a late afternoon or evening landing in Male usually means a night in Male or Hulhumale before a morning seaplane, unless your resort is reached by speedboat or a domestic flight plus boat. Check your resort's transfer type before you choose flights. Our guide on how to get around the Maldives explains the three transfer types, and the Maldives travel guide covers the rest of the trip.
The Maldives asks arriving travellers to complete the IMUGA traveller declaration online before arrival; check the requirement and timing on the official IMUGA portal shortly before you fly.
How do you fly from Kathmandu to the Philippines?
You fly from Kathmandu to the Philippines with one stop, most often via Bangkok, with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Guangzhou as alternatives. Most international arrivals land at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila; from Manila, domestic flights continue to Cebu, Boracay and Palawan. The Philippines is 2 hours 15 minutes ahead of Nepal.
| Hub | KTM to hub | Hub to Manila | Share of one-stop trips on KAYAK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok (BKK) | About 3 h 20 min | About 3 h 35 min | 48 percent |
| Singapore (SIN) | About 5 h 10 min | About 3 h 55 min | 15 percent |
| Delhi (DEL) | About 1 h 50 min | About 6 h 45 min | 13 percent |
| Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | About 4 h 40 min | About 4 h | 9 percent |
| Hong Kong (HKG) | About 4 h 45 min | About 2 h 35 min | Not stated |
| Guangzhou (CAN) | About 4 h 35 min | About 2 h 50 min | Shortest average total time (about 10 h 17 min) |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026, FlightConnections page for Manila (MNL) and KAYAK's KTM to Manila route page.
Check your NAIA terminal. Manila's airport reassigned several international airlines between Terminals 1 and 3 from 29 March 2026 (PortCalls Asia), so confirm the terminal for both your arrival and your departure with your airline. The Philippines also asks arriving travellers to register on the official eTravel system; check what applies to you there before you fly. For island choices and routes inside the country, see the Philippines travel guide and how to get around the Philippines.
Do Bhairahawa or Pokhara airports have international flights?
Pokhara International Airport (PHH) has had a daily scheduled flydubai flight to Dubai since 23 September 2026, its first regular international service. Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa (BWA) had no scheduled international flights in the schedule data we checked on 8 October 2026; it operated domestic flights only. For every other international route, Kathmandu remains the only option.
| Airport | Location | International status (8 Oct 2026) | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tribhuvan International (KTM) | Kathmandu | Nepal's main gateway; more than 25 international non-stop cities | Almost every trip abroad starts here |
| Pokhara International (PHH) | Pokhara, Gandaki Province | flydubai daily non-stop to Dubai since 23 Sep 2026 (flight FZ 1165/1166), about 4.5 hours, codeshare with Emirates | Western Nepal travellers can fly to Dubai and connect onwards without going via Kathmandu |
| Gautam Buddha International (BWA) | Bhairahawa, near Lumbini | No scheduled international flights listed; domestic flights to Kathmandu and Pokhara only | Use Kathmandu (or Pokhara for Dubai) for international travel |
Checked: 8 Oct 2026. Pokhara: flydubai press release (25 Sep 2026) and The Kathmandu Post (23 Sep 2026). Bhairahawa: FlightConnections and FlightsFrom airport pages (8 Oct 2026); The Kathmandu Post (8 Feb 2026) reported that international services had been irregular because of low passenger numbers.
Pokhara: what to know
flydubai's press release describes the Pokhara route as daily non-stop flights between Dubai International (Terminal 3) and Pokhara International Airport, published with an early evening arrival in Pokhara and a departure back to Dubai about an hour later. Through Dubai and the flydubai and Emirates network, a single ticket can connect to many cities beyond. Before this, Pokhara had handled only charter and special international flights. Schedule data lists the route as seasonal, so check that it is operating for your dates on flydubai's website before planning around it.
Bhairahawa: what to know
Gautam Buddha International Airport opened in May 2022 and has had several international airlines come and go, including Jazeera Airways, flydubai, Qatar Airways and Thai AirAsia. Thai AirAsia resumed a twice-weekly Bangkok Don Mueang service in late October 2025 (Bizness News, 19 Oct 2025), but by February 2026 the service was reported to be struggling to fill seats, and no international flights appeared in schedule data in October 2026. In past years Thai AirAsia has flown to Bhairahawa mainly in the October to April season, and Spotlight Nepal (14 Aug 2026) reported that Nepal Airlines was preparing to base an aircraft at Bhairahawa for regular flights from the winter schedule, but no start date or route had been confirmed in the sources we checked. If you live near Lumbini or Butwal, check the airline websites directly before assuming a flight exists; for now, a short domestic flight or road trip to Kathmandu is the reliable option.
How do seasonal schedules change?
Airline schedules change twice a year with the international northern summer and winter seasons, and demand from Nepal peaks around Dashain and Tihar, the December to January holidays and April to May. The northern winter schedule for 2026 starts on Sunday 25 October 2026 and the summer schedule on Sunday 28 March 2027. Flight times, days of operation and even whole routes can change on those dates.
| Period | What usually happens on Kathmandu routes | Planning tip |
|---|---|---|
| Dashain and Tihar (October to November) | Outbound holiday demand from Nepal and inbound diaspora travel peak together; popular flights fill early | Book well ahead and avoid the days right after Tika and Bhai Tika if you can |
| Late October (schedule change) | New winter timetables start; some routes change days or times | Re-check your flight times in the week before you fly |
| December to January | Winter school holidays and year-end travel; Christmas to New Year is the busiest stretch | Fly before or after the Christmas to New Year week for better availability |
| February to March | Generally quieter after the winter holidays | Good shoulder window for Bangkok, Hanoi and Manila on fare data |
| April to May | Nepali New Year and school holidays; fare data showed April or May among the most expensive months on several routes | Book early for Delhi, Singapore, Male and Manila |
| June to September (monsoon) | Quieter for leisure travel from Nepal, but Gulf, Malaysia and Sri Lanka routes can be busy with work and summer travel | Do not assume monsoon fares are always cheapest; compare |
New routes also tend to start or restart around these dates. In 2026, for example, Himalaya Airlines launched Shenzhen in June, resumed Shanghai on 28 September and launched Hangzhou on 30 September, each initially with a published schedule for a limited period (AeroRoutes, Spotlight Nepal). Pokhara's Dubai flight began on 23 September. A route that existed last year may also be paused, which is why every route table on this page carries a check date.
For a festival trip specifically, our guide to Dashain and Tihar holidays abroad matches the 2026 holiday dates to destinations by flight time.
How do you choose between a direct and a one-stop route?
Choose a non-stop flight when your trip is short, you travel with young children or elderly parents, or you are flying for the first time; consider a one-stop route when it saves real money, adds a stopover you want, or is the only way to reach your destination. On KAYAK's KTM to Bangkok data, for example, the average return fare with a stop in Colombo was slightly lower than the non-stop average, but it turns a flight of about 3.5 hours into a journey of many hours.
| Factor | Non-stop | One stop |
|---|---|---|
| Total travel time | Shortest | Usually 3 to 8 hours longer, sometimes overnight |
| Risk of a missed connection | None | Real, especially on separate tickets |
| Fare | Often similar or slightly higher | Sometimes lower, especially with low-cost carriers |
| Baggage | Checked through to your destination | Checked through on one ticket; you may need to collect and re-check on separate tickets |
| Transit rules | Not relevant | The hub country's transit rules apply to your passport |
| Stopover option | None | Can add one or two nights in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Dubai |
Delhi or Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Singapore?
- Delhi has the shortest first leg (about 1 hour 50 minutes) and three non-stop carriers from Kathmandu, which makes it a flexible hub. Second legs from Delhi to Southeast Asia are long, though: about 4 hours 45 minutes to Hanoi and nearly 8 hours to Bali.
- Kuala Lumpur has four non-stop carriers from Kathmandu and good onward flights to Bali, Vietnam, Manila and the Maldives. It is the most common hub for Bali on KAYAK's data.
- Bangkok is the most common hub for Vietnam and Manila and is only about 3 hours 20 minutes from Kathmandu.
- Singapore is a single-carrier route from Kathmandu (Singapore Airlines), but gives short second legs to Bali and Ho Chi Minh City. If you have a long layover, our Singapore Changi Airport guide covers what to do inside the terminal.
- Dubai and Doha make sense for Kenya, Europe and North America. A planned break in Dubai is covered in our Dubai stopover guide.
One ticket or separate tickets?
When you book Kathmandu to your final city on one ticket, the airline is responsible for rebooking you if a delay makes you miss the connection, and your bags are usually checked through. When you book two separate tickets to save money (for example a Nepal Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur and a low-cost flight to Bali), you are on your own if the first flight is late. You may also need to pass through immigration at the hub to collect and re-check your bags. If you do this, leave a long gap between flights, preferably several hours.
Transit rules depend on the passport you hold and on whether you stay airside, so check them with your airline and the official immigration website of the hub country before you book a self-transfer.
What do flights from Kathmandu typically cost by season?
As a typical range, not a quote: an economy return from Kathmandu runs from about NPR 22,000 to NPR 37,000 to Delhi, about NPR 50,000 to NPR 69,000 to Bangkok, and roughly NPR 57,000 to NPR 96,000 to Kuala Lumpur or Dubai, depending on the season. One-stop destinations such as Bali, Hanoi, Male and Manila typically fall between about NPR 75,000 and NPR 124,000 return. Fares change daily, so treat these as a planning guide only.
How we built these ranges. We took the typical fare ranges and the cheapest and most expensive month medians that KAYAK published for each Kathmandu route (in US dollars), as observed on 8 October 2026. We converted them to Nepali rupees at the Nepal Rastra Bank reference rate for 8 October 2026 (about NPR 154.55 to 155.15 per US dollar, buying and selling) and rounded to the nearest NPR 1,000. KAYAK does not publish fares by Nepali season, so splitting the year into off-peak, shoulder and peak columns is our own judgement: each column starts from KAYAK's typical range and is widened only where KAYAK named a cheapest or dearest month inside that season. Tickets bought in Nepal in rupees, fares for your exact dates, and last-minute festival bookings can all fall outside these ranges.
Typical economy return fares from Kathmandu (NPR)
| Route from KTM | Off-peak (monsoon, June to September) | Shoulder (February to March, late November to mid December) | Peak (Dashain and Tihar, December to January holidays, April to May) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi (non-stop) | NPR 24,000 to 33,000 | NPR 24,000 to 33,000 | NPR 22,000 to 37,000 (January cheapest, April and May dearest) |
| Bangkok (non-stop) | NPR 53,000 to 68,000 | NPR 50,000 to 68,000 (March cheapest) | NPR 53,000 to 69,000 (October and May dearest) |
| Kuala Lumpur (non-stop) | NPR 57,000 to 88,000 (June dearest) | NPR 57,000 to 79,000 | NPR 57,000 to 79,000 (April cheapest) |
| Dubai (non-stop) | NPR 68,000 to 96,000 (June dearest) | NPR 68,000 to 89,000 | NPR 68,000 to 89,000 (December cheapest) |
| Colombo (non-stop) | NPR 71,000 to 94,000 (July and August dearest) | NPR 71,000 to 87,000 | NPR 68,000 to 87,000 (May cheapest) |
| Singapore (non-stop) | NPR 79,000 to 104,000 | NPR 79,000 to 104,000 | NPR 79,000 to 118,000 (January cheapest, May and October dearest) |
| Hanoi (one stop) | NPR 82,000 to 111,000 | NPR 75,000 to 119,000 (March cheapest, November dearest) | NPR 82,000 to 119,000 (November and May dearest) |
| Bali (one stop) | NPR 83,000 to 111,000 (June and August dearest) | NPR 83,000 to 111,000 | NPR 83,000 to 111,000 (December cheapest) |
| Manila (one stop) | NPR 85,000 to 107,000 | NPR 84,000 to 107,000 (March cheapest) | NPR 85,000 to 115,000 (May dearest) |
| Male (one stop) | NPR 90,000 to 117,000 (September cheapest, July dearest) | NPR 98,000 to 107,000 | NPR 98,000 to 124,000 (May dearest) |
Typical range, not a quote. Checked: 8 Oct 2026, KAYAK route pages for KTM (typical return ranges and cheapest and most expensive month medians observed that day), converted at the Nepal Rastra Bank reference rate of 8 Oct 2026 and rounded. Season split is Gomayu's judgement, not KAYAK's. Guangzhou and Kenya are left out because the data available on the day was not consistent or comparable enough to give a fair range. Re-check every season.
Typical economy one-way fares from Kathmandu (NPR)
KAYAK publishes a typical one-way range for some routes but no month-by-month one-way figures, so instead of inventing a season split we show the typical one-way range and the months when return fares on the same route were highest. Expect one-way fares near the top of the range, or above it, in those months.
| Route from KTM | Typical one-way range | Dearest months on this route (return data) |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi (non-stop) | NPR 15,000 to 24,000 | April and May |
| Bangkok (non-stop) | NPR 33,000 to 45,000 | October and May |
| Hanoi (one stop) | NPR 43,000 to 59,000 | November and May |
| Bali (one stop) | NPR 49,000 to 65,000 | June and August |
| Male (one stop) | NPR 50,000 to 63,000 | May and July |
| Manila (one stop) | NPR 51,000 to 69,000 | May and June |
Typical range, not a quote. Checked: 8 Oct 2026, KAYAK route pages for KTM (typical one-way ranges observed that day), converted at the Nepal Rastra Bank reference rate of 8 Oct 2026 and rounded. Routes where KAYAK showed only a single average one-way fare (Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Singapore, Guangzhou) are left out rather than shown as a single figure.
When the seasons do not behave as expected
The season columns follow the Nepali holiday calendar, but the fare data shows that each route has its own pattern. Over the past 12 months on KAYAK:
- Dubai and Kuala Lumpur were most expensive in June, during the monsoon, when work and Gulf summer travel are heavy. Dubai's cheapest month was December.
- Colombo was most expensive in July and August and cheapest in May.
- Bali was most expensive in August, Bali's busiest tourist season, and cheapest in December.
- Delhi was cheapest in January and dearest in April and May; Singapore was cheapest in January and dearest in May and October.
- Kuala Lumpur was cheapest in April, and Bangkok was cheapest in March and dearest in October and May.
- Hanoi was cheapest in March and dearest in November and May; Male was cheapest in September and dearest in May and July; Manila was cheapest in March and dearest in May and June.
The practical lesson is to check prices for your actual route and dates rather than assume the monsoon is always cheap. For a full trip budget beyond the flight, see our cost guides such as what a Thailand trip costs, and run through the pre-trip checklist before you pay for anything.
How should you use this route guide when planning?
Start with the route table to see whether your destination is non-stop, then match the flight time to your leave days, pick a hub if you need one, and check the fare season before you book. A few practical habits help on every Kathmandu departure:
- Confirm the route on the airline's website. Schedule data sites are useful for discovery, but only the airline can confirm that a flight runs on your date.
- Check your passport. Many countries and airlines expect at least six months' validity beyond your travel dates. Our e-passport guide for Nepal explains renewal and the newer passport format.
- Reach Tribhuvan early. International check-in at Kathmandu can be slow at festival time; airlines generally recommend arriving about three hours before an international departure.
- Read the arrival time in local time. Use the time zone table above so you do not misjudge hotel check-in or a connecting flight.
- Keep the check date in mind. Every table here shows when we last checked it. If you are reading this months later, re-check routes and fares.
For destination ideas by flight time, the country guides are the best next step: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Dubai, China and India.
Sources and how we checked
Every route, carrier and flight time on this page was checked on 8 October 2026. We use schedule data for discovery and airline and government sources for confirmation, and we re-check the tables every season.
| What we checked | Source |
|---|---|
| Non-stop routes, carriers and approximate flight times from Kathmandu | FlightConnections airport page for Kathmandu (KTM) |
| Connections to Bali, Vietnam, the Maldives, the Philippines and Kenya | FlightConnections airport pages for DPS, HAN, SGN, MLE, MNL and NBO |
| Non-stop carriers, common hubs and typical fares | KAYAK route pages from KTM |
| Pokhara international service | flydubai press release (25 Sep 2026); The Kathmandu Post (23 Sep 2026) |
| Bhairahawa international status | FlightConnections and FlightsFrom (BWA); The Kathmandu Post (8 Feb 2026); Bizness News (19 Oct 2025) |
| New Himalaya Airlines routes | Spotlight Nepal (29 Sep and 1 Oct 2026); AeroRoutes |
| Manila terminal changes | PortCalls Asia (March 2026) |
| Rupee conversion for fare ranges | Nepal Rastra Bank exchange rate for 8 October 2026 |
| Airport authority | Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal |
Frequently asked questions
How much do international flights from Kathmandu cost?
As a typical range, not a quote, economy return fares from Kathmandu on 8 October 2026 ran from about NPR 22,000 to 37,000 to Delhi, about NPR 50,000 to 69,000 to Bangkok and about NPR 68,000 to 96,000 to Dubai, depending on season (KAYAK data converted at the Nepal Rastra Bank rate). One-stop trips to Bali, Hanoi, Male or Manila typically cost more. Check live fares for your dates.
Which countries have direct flights from Kathmandu?
Kathmandu has non-stop flights to India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey (as of 8 October 2026). Indonesia, Vietnam, the Maldives, the Philippines and Kenya need one stop. Routes change by season, so confirm with the airline.
Is there a direct flight from Kathmandu to Bali?
No. There is no non-stop flight from Kathmandu to Bali (Denpasar) as of 8 October 2026. Most travellers connect in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Singapore; Singapore gives the shortest second leg at about 2 hours 40 minutes. With about 8 hours of flying plus the connection, the journey usually takes 11 hours or more.
How long is the flight from Kathmandu to Bangkok?
The non-stop flight from Kathmandu to Bangkok takes about 3 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes. Thai Airways, Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines fly to Suvarnabhumi (BKK), and Thai Lion Air flies to Don Mueang (DMK), as of October 2026. Thailand is 1 hour 15 minutes ahead of Nepal.
Does Nepal Airlines fly to Dubai?
Yes. Nepal Airlines operates non-stop flights from Kathmandu to Dubai (DXB), as do flydubai and Himalaya Airlines, according to schedule data checked on 8 October 2026. The flight takes about 4 hours 40 minutes. Air Arabia also flies to nearby Sharjah, and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi.
Can I fly abroad from Bhairahawa airport?
Not on a scheduled flight as of 8 October 2026. Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa showed only domestic flights to Kathmandu and Pokhara in schedule data. Thai AirAsia flew to Bangkok from late 2025, but the service was irregular. Check airline websites for any restart before you plan.
Does Pokhara airport have international flights?
Yes. Pokhara International Airport has had a daily non-stop flydubai flight to Dubai since 23 September 2026, its first scheduled international service. The flight takes about four and a half hours and connects onwards through the flydubai and Emirates network. Confirm it operates on your dates on flydubai's website.
Is it better to fly via Delhi or Kuala Lumpur?
From Kathmandu, Delhi has the shortest first leg (about 1 hour 50 minutes) and suits onward trips to India, the Maldives or long-haul destinations. Kuala Lumpur (about 4 hours 40 minutes) is usually better for Bali, Vietnam and the Philippines because the second leg is much shorter. Compare total journey time, not just the fare.
Where do I check transit rules for my passport?
Transit rules depend on your passport, the hub country and whether you stay airside or collect bags. Check with your airline, which uses the IATA Timatic database, and with the official immigration website of the transit country before booking a connection from Kathmandu, especially on separate tickets.
Which is the shortest international flight from Kathmandu?
The shortest international flights from Kathmandu are to Varanasi in India (Buddha Air) and Paro in Bhutan (Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines), each about 1 hour 5 minutes. Dhaka takes about 1 hour 25 minutes and Kolkata about 1 hour 45 minutes, based on schedule data checked on 8 October 2026.
Kathmandu bata direct flight kaha kaha jancha?
Kathmandu bata Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Varanasi, Dhaka, Paro, Colombo, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Chengdu, Kunming, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait ra Istanbul ma non-stop flight cha (8 October 2026 ma check gareko). Bali, Vietnam, Maldives, Philippines ra Kenya jana ek stop chahincha.
