Nepal is open to international tourism
Nepal is open to foreign travelers, under certain conditions. Many trekking routes have been opened, and trekking and mountaineering permit issuances have been resumed.
Vaccinated visitors arriving in Nepal by air or land must present a vaccination certificate, a hotel booking, and travel insurance; quarantine is no longer required. They can acquire a visa before or upon arrival.
Unvaccinated visitors and not fully vaccinated travelers must present a negative Covid test report and will have to quarantine for 10 days in the government-approved hotel. They have to obtain visas from Nepal’s embassies in their home countries, visa on arrival is not available.
Commercial flights to and from Nepal are gradually being resumed. Transit at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is permitted.
Practical tips
- If you are flying to Nepal from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Tribhuvan International Airport
KTMlocated in the east of Kathmandu.
KTM which serves the nation's capital city of Kathmandu. Among smaller, regional airports served by domestic airlines are: Pokhara Airport PKR, Biratnagar Airport BIR, Nepalgunj Airport KEP, and Gautam Buddha Airport BWA.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations 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.
Flights to Nepal
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Nepal. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Nepal, 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.
- Nepal is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Nepal with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Nepal 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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What is the best time to book flights to Nepal?
The best time to book flights to Nepal is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Nepal flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Nepal flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in Nepal. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Nepal less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Nepal, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Nepal from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Nepal — 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 Nepal 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 Nepal 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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The cheapest time to fly to Nepal
The cheapest time to fly to Nepal 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 Nepal for the best deals.
Alternatively, you can fly to Nepal 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 Nepal 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.
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 Simrik 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 $200, and can be purchased directly from the airline help desk at the airport or online on the airline’s website.
Nepal has unusual time zone
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.
Nepal has only one time zone – it observes Nepal Time (NPT) all year, which is GMT/UTC+05:45 time zone. The odd time deviation results from setting the meridian of Nepal Standard Time at Mt Gaurishankar, a mountain in the Himalayas, east of Kathmandu. The time difference from its neighboring country, India, is only 15 minutes.
Fake your location to get a better fare
Airfares that a flight search engine or airline website quotes you often vary depending on where you book from. And the prices tend to be the lowest if you book from the country where the flight originates. So, adjusting the settings on the airline’s booking website can result in instant savings.
Try to spoof your location and currency so that it looks like you’re booking the flight from the same country it departs from. For example, if you are in the US and booking a leg of your trip from Singapore to Kathmandu: (1) set the country and language settings on the airline website to Singapore/English, (2) set the currency to Singapore dollar S$, and (3) use the VPN app to connect to the server located in Singapore. In some cases, you may need to use Google Translator but it may be worth the effort.
This trick doesn’t work every time (not all websites set prices the same way), but it can sometimes save you significant money.
Airlines of Nepal
The national airline of Nepal is Nepal Airlines, operating from its base at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Two other major carriers are Buddha Air and Himalaya Airlines. Together, they handle most of the domestic air traffic in Nepal, including routes to and from popular destinations, inlcuding Pokhara, Biratnagar, Lukla, Phaplu, Bhojpur, Lamidanda, Tumlingtar, Dolpo, and Jumla. They are also serving nearby countries such as Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and UAE.
Smaller Nepalese airlines such as Shree Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Saurya Airlines, Tara Air, Summit Air, Sita Air, Simrik Air, Guna Airlines, and Yasodhara Air are mostly focusing on short-haul domestic routes. These budget carriers (AKA no-frills airlines) offer flights at lower prices in comparison to major full-service airlines. However, because they manage affordable tickets by cutting down on their operation costs, they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight refreshments, meals, or onboard entertainment. In most cases, their tickets are fixed and non-refundable in case of no show-up or cancellation.
Flights to Nepal
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, Nepal included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Nepal. 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 Nepal of 16 to 20 hours. - Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to Nepal could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.
Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: SydneySYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, DarwinDRW, and in New Zealand: AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, and QueenstownZQN. - If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to Nepal with a regional budget airline such as Air Arabia, Batik Air, Flydubai, Go First, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, and Salamair.
For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.
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Flights to Nepal
from major hubs in Asia
- 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 Nepal 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 Nepal 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 AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. 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.
Flights to Nepal dataset
