Practical tips

  • If you are flying to Kathmandu from abroad, you will most likely land at one of its biggest international airportsits main international airportTribhuvan International Airport KTM — the primary international gateway to Nepal. The airport is located in the town of Gauchar, approximately 6 km east of the Kathmandu city center. It sits at an elevation of 1,400 meters above sea level, surrounded by the Himalayan mountain range. Ground transportation options such as taxis, buses and rental cars are readily available outside the airport terminal.

    These are also the best (and cheapest) airports to fly into Kathmandu. As they are used by many airlines serving the same routes, the competition for passengers is fierce, and airfare decreases as a result.
Best airports to fly into Kathmandu: Tribhuvan International Airport  (KTM)
Kathmandu has one international airport – Tribhuvan International Airport KTM, located in the town of Gauchar, approximately 6 km east of the Kathmandu city center. The airport is surrounded by the Himalayan mountain range and is situated at an elevation of 1,400 meters above sea level.
  • Once in Kathmandu, take advantage of frequent intercity flights operated by domestic airlines such as Nepal Airlines, Buddha Air, Shree Airlines, and Himalaya Airlines (plus smaller airlines — Yeti Airlines, Saurya Airlines, Tara Air, Summit Air, Sita Air, and Yasodhara Air). Those in-country carriers typically offer lower fares, operate from smaller airports located closer to city centers (you save on ground transportation) and provide flexible schedules – with a wide range of departure times.
  • Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations near Kathmandu can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air Arabia, Batik Air, Flydubai, Go First, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, and Salamair. If you have a layover in Kathmandu and plan to fly only a short distance to one of its neighboring countries, these budget airlines are an excellent way to save money.

Flights to Kathmandu
from United States and Canada

  • There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Kathmandu. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Kathmandu, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. From the East Coast, it is quicker to fly via Dubai or Doha with a carrier such as Emirates or Qatar Airways.
  • Kathmandu is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Kathmandu with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta ATL, Dallas DFW, Denver DEN, Chicago ORD, Los Angeles LAX, Las Vegas DFW, Miami MIA, Seattle SEA, Houston IAH, New York JFK, and San Francisco SFO in the United States and Toronto YYZ, Vancouver YVR, Calgary LAS, and Montreal YUL in Canada.
  • The best airlines to fly to Kathmandu from the US and Canada are: Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.

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Flights to Kathmandu from Europe

  • There are no direct flights from Europe to Kathmandu — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. The most convenient option for European travelers is Istanbul (with Turkish Airlines), followed by Dubai, Doha, Mumbai, and New Delhi, which all have daily non-stop flights to Nepal
  • Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Kathmandu include Air India, Emirates, Flydubai, IndiGo, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Vistara, and Turkish Airlines.
  • Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Kathmandu from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.

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Things to know before flying to Kathmandu
Airlines flying to KathmanduAir Arabia, Air China, Air India, Batik Air, Bhutan Airlines, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Buddha Air, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Drukair, Emirates, Flydubai, Go First, Himalaya Airlines, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Nepal Airlines, NovAir, Qatar Airways, Salamair, Shree Airlines, Simrik Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air, ThaiSmile, Turkish Airlines, Vistara, Yeti Airlines
Airlines of NepalNepal Airlines, Buddha Air, Himalaya Airlines, Shree Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Saurya Airlines, Tara Air, Summit Air, Sita Air, Simrik Air, Guna Airlines, Yasodhara Air
Airports in KathmanduTribhuvan International Airport (KTM)
Regular price (roundtrip)✈ €500 – €800 (from Europe)
✈ $900 – $1200 (from USA)

Low-cost flights from Kathmandu

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The cheapest time to fly to Kathmandu

The cheapest time to fly to Kathmandu is during the low tourist season, which runs from June to August. During these months the monsoon season is in full swing and the weather can be quite wet. However, as fewer tourists visit Nepal, it’s much easier to find reasonably priced airfares. Airlines tend to offer discounts and promotions during the off-peak season to fill empty seats on planes, so it’s worth checking several airlines that operate flights to Kathmandu for the best deals.

Alternatively, you can fly to Kathmandu during the shoulder seasons: from September to November and from March to May. During these months, flights to Nepal are still relatively cheap compared to peak season (which runs from December to February).

Flying to Kathmandu with transit in New Delhi

Flights to Kathmandu with transit in New Delhi in India tend to be the least expensive. Check flight prices from your departure airport to New Delhi, then book a separate onward ticket from New Delhi to Kathmandu. The flight takes less than 2 hours and you will be rewarded with Himalayan views. The Indian low-cost airline IndiGo operates this route with rates below $100.

Transiting between international flights through Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is relatively simple if your flights are on one ticket, with your bags checked through to your destination. This is important because to enter India a visa is required (even if you only need to go through immigration to collect your bags). Most likely, you will be eligible for a visa on arrival – apply for it online, but do this in advance as it takes some time to process it.

Next tips

Nepal has unusual time zone

When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.

Nepal has only one time zone – it observes Nepal Time (NPT) all year, which is GMT/UTC+05:45 time zone. The odd time deviation results from setting the meridian of Nepal Standard Time at Mt Gaurishankar, a mountain in the Himalayas, east of Kathmandu. The time difference from its neighboring country, India, is only 15 minutes.

Everest Express: fly over the Himalayas

A trip to Nepal wouldn’t be complete without getting to see the Himalayas. For those who don’t have much time or don’t feel up to the long walk, a scenic mountain flight is a great option. The plane flies alongside the Himalayas to give you eye-level views of the beautiful mountain ranges, glaciers, and the world’s highest mountain — Mount Everest.

The Everest Express flights are operated by three Nepalese airlines: Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, and Simrk Air. They use short-body aircraft with dual seat configurations and a capacity of 6 to 20 passengers. There are around 20 daily flights (subject to weather conditions) with a journey time of around 60 minutes. They all take off in the morning from the domestic terminal at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The ticket costs around $200, and can be purchased directly from the airline help desk at the airport or online on the airline’s website.

Next tips

Domestic flights from Kathmandu

Most domestic routes in Nepal are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Pokhara, Bharatpur, Lalitpur, Birgunj, and Biratnagar from Kathmandu Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: Nepal Airlines, Buddha Air, Shree Airlines, and Himalaya Airlines (plus smaller airlines — Yeti Airlines, Saurya Airlines, Tara Air, Summit Air, Sita Air, and Yasodhara Air).

This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Nepalese destinations.

Flights to Kathmandu
from Australia and New Zealand

  • Australia and New Zealand are well-connected with popular Asian destinations, including Kathmandu. In addition to domestic airlines – Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand – routes from Australasia to Asia are operated by large international carriers such as ANA, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.

    Currently, there are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Kathmandu. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia.
    Non-stop flights frequently depart to Kathmandu from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Expect the total flight time from Australia to Kathmandu of 16 to 20 hours.
  • Airfare costs can vary widely depending on the route and the airline’s pricing strategy. To find the cheapest flight to Kathmandu, compare ticket prices from various international airports in Australia – Sydney SYD, Brisbane BNE, Melbourne MEL, Perth PER, Adelaide ADL, Cairns CNS, Gold Coast OOL, Canberra CBR, and in New Zealand – Auckland AKL, Wellington WLG, Christchurch CHC, Queenstown ZQN, and Dunedin DUD.
  • For optimal savings, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a key Asian hub, then connect to Kathmandu via a regional low-cost carrier. Among budget airlines that fly to Kathmandu are Air Arabia, Batik Air, Flydubai, Go First, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, and Salamair.

    For the first leg, use the budget carriers that fly out of Australian airports, leveraging sales and promotions they run frequently: AirAsia (connects with Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), Cebu Pacific (Manila), Jetstar (Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo), Scoot (Singapore), VietJet Air (Ho Chi Minh City), Bamboo Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing), and Batik Air (Jakarta, Singapore).

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Flights to Kathmandu
from major hubs in Asia

  • Kathmandu is well-connected with other large hubs in the Asia Pacific. There are direct flights to Tribhuvan International Airport KTM airport from Abu Dhabi AUH, Bangkok BKK, Bengaluru BLR, Colombo CMB, Dhaka DAC, Dubai DXB, Hong Kong HKG, Kolkata CCU, Kuala Lumpur KUL, Mumbai BOM, Seoul ICN, Singapore SIN, and Tokyo NRT.
  • Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Kathmandu look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
  • Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Kathmandu will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
  • Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Nepal and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsiaCebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.

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Flights to Kathmandu dataset