Direct Bhutan Flights Take Off from Pokhara, Opening New Regional Travel Opportunities
Regular air connectivity between Pokhara and Bhutan has officially begun, marking a new milestone for Nepal’s tourism and aviation sectors. The maiden direct flight from Pokhara International Airport to Paro International Airport departed on Tuesday, launching what stakeholders hope will become a long term and stable air link between the two Himalayan destinations.
This development comes after several months of delays. Earlier in the year, Universal Tours and Travel had announced that charter services would begin on September 28 with four initial flights. However, those plans were postponed due to operational challenges and shifting circumstances. The project finally moved forward this week with Bhutan Air operating the first commercial service on the route, signaling the formal start of air travel between Pokhara and Bhutan.
Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya traveled to Bhutan on the inaugural flight as an official guest of Bhutan Air and Universal Tours and Travel. He confirmed that the maiden flight arrived in Nepal without passengers and returned to Bhutan carrying nine people including crew members. According to the mayor, some members of the originally scheduled delegation could not travel due to technical complications, though he expressed optimism that the new air service would soon transform into regular operations.
The flight launch had initially been planned for October, but the timeline was moved back due to episodes of political turbulence in Nepal that affected logistical preparations. Mayor Acharya shared that Bhutan Airlines has informed Nepali officials that its regular scheduled flights are expected to resume from April 2026, once political and administrative conditions stabilize.
The service is operated with a 126 seat aircraft, and Universal Tours and Travel has already introduced a four night and five day travel package in coordination with the new charter flights. Tourism entrepreneurs believe that the route will create fresh opportunities for both economies. Tarunath Pahari, President of the Pokhara Tourism Council, stated that the direct air link has significant potential to increase tourist flows in both directions and strengthen ties between Nepal and Bhutan.
To encourage more international operators to use Pokhara and Gautam Buddha International Airports, the Government of Nepal has introduced several financial incentives. Airlines flying internationally from these two airports receive full exemptions on parking, landing, and navigation fees. Ground handling charges offered by Nepal Airlines come with a 75 percent discount, and the passenger service fee of three thousand rupees per international ticket has been waived. Officials believe that these measures will help establish new air routes and enhance competitiveness with Tribhuvan International Airport.
Bhutan Airlines already runs four weekly services to Kathmandu, meaning the Pokhara route adds a second point of entry for visitors from Bhutan. Pokhara International Airport has witnessed some international operations prior to this, including charter services by Sichuan Airlines and flights linking Kathmandu, Lhasa, and Pokhara operated by Himalaya Airlines.
Opened on January 1, 2023, Pokhara International Airport was built at a cost of approximately 22 billion rupees. With a 2,500 meter runway and the ability to handle up to eight hundred thousand passengers every year, aviation officials hope the airport will steadily become busier as more airlines begin connecting Pokhara with regional and international destinations in the months and years ahead.
