Nepal Airlines Joins Buddha Air, Air India, Spicejet, Thai Airasia & More Battle For Dominance With New Routes To Sydney, Guangzhou, Kolkata, Bhairahawa, Pokhara & Beyond!

Published on October 22, 2025

In caller years, Nepal has seen important maturation successful its aviation sector, pinch some Nepali and world airlines launching caller routes to and from nan country. This inclination is group to proceed successful 2026, pinch respective breathtaking caller flights scheduled to launch, enhancing both domestic and world connectivity. Below, we research immoderate of nan astir anticipated routes for 2026, from both Nepali carriers and world airlines, while besides noting nan effect connected tourism and business travel.

New Routes by Nepali Airlines (2025–2026)

International Routes by Nepali Carriers

• Nepal Airlines (NAC), nan nationalist emblem carrier, is readying to motorboat its long-awaited nonstop formation to Sydney, Australia. Although regulatory hurdles person delayed nan process, Nepal Airlines is hopeful of opening operations by 2026. This route, which would run doubly a week, will link Kathmandu (KTM) pinch Sydney (SYD), pinch a imaginable method extremity successful Singapore. The hose secured landing slots successful Sydney successful 2023 but has yet to person last support from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) . If successful, this formation will supply a nonstop relationship between Nepal and Australia, opening up much options for Nepali diaspora and visitors from Australia visiting Nepal.
• Another key international route is Nepal Airlines’ Kathmandu to Guangzhou service. After a agelong hiatus, this way resumed operations in September 2025, connecting Kathmandu (KTM) with Guangzhou (CAN) in China . This is simply a captious way for enhancing waste and acquisition and tourism betwixt Nepal and China, which is expected to proceed into 2026 with three flights per week.
• Buddha Air, 1 of Nepal’s starring backstage carriers, is besides expanding internationally. The hose is group to relaunch its Kathmandu to Kolkata route, which will commencement operating in October 2025 with three flights per week. This way had antecedently been operational but was suspended owed to nan pandemic. Buddha Air’s resurgence successful this assemblage will thief fortify the Nepal–India travel corridor .
• Himalaya Airlines, a associated task between Nepal and China, is making strides pinch its description of world routes. The airline’s Pokhara to Lhasa service will beryllium particularly important, offering nan first direct connectionbetween Nepal’s Pokhara and Tibet. The service, which began in March 2025, operates once a week and will beryllium captious for nan region’s tourism, as Pokhara is a celebrated destination for trekking and belief tourism . Himalaya Airlines is besides group to proceed its Kathmandu to Shanghai route, which began in December 2023 and will proceed done 2026 .

Domestic Route Expansions by Nepali Carriers

In nan home market, Nepal Airlines is making strides pinch caller routes aimed astatine connecting distant areas. The hose has launched a Kathmandu to Rumjatar service, which will begin in April 2025 and run weekly. This way is important for improving connectivity successful nan eastbound portion of Nepal . Nepal Airlines is besides introducing a caller work between Surkhet and Simikot, operating erstwhile a week, starting in April 2025. These routes will facilitate easier entree to distant regions, improving recreation options for some locals and visitors .

New International Routes to Nepal by Foreign Airlines

Routes to Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu)

• Air India Express is 1 of nan world airlines group to boost its beingness successful Nepal. The low-cost subsidiary of Air India launched regular flights between Bengaluru and Kathmandu starting June 2025. These flights connection convenient options for travelers from India’s tech hub to sojourn Nepal for tourism aliases business . The hose is besides operating Mumbai to Kathmandu flights daily, further strengthening Nepal’s connectivity to awesome Indian cities.
• SpiceJet, different cardinal subordinate successful nan Indian aviation market, has besides resumed its Delhi to Kathmandu flights. This daily service, which started in May 2025, connects nan superior cities of India and Nepal, catering to nan precocious request for recreation betwixt nan 2 countries .

Routes to Gautam Buddha International Airport (Bhairahawa)

• Thai AirAsia is 1 of nan first world airlines to connection nonstop flights to Bhairahawa, Nepal’s 2nd world airport. The hose began operating flights from Bangkok to Bhairahawa in October 2025, initially offering two flights per week . This will heighten tourism to the Lumbini region, nan birthplace of Lord Buddha, and supply easier entree for travelers from Southeast Asia.
• Jazeera Airways, a low-cost bearer from Kuwait, is readying to motorboat flights to Bhairahawa in late 2025. This caller way will thief connect Nepal to nan Middle East, pinch a peculiar attraction connected migrant workers and pilgrims walking between Kuwait and Nepal .
• Nepal Airlines also operates flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bhairahawa, which began in 2022 and proceed through 2026. This way is captious for linking Nepal with the Southeast Asian market .

Routes to Pokhara International Airport

Pokhara, Nepal’s 2nd largest city, now has an international airport, and respective airlines are eyeing this caller gateway. Sichuan Airlines from China plans to connect Pokhara to Chengdu, pinch a continuing formation to Sydney, Australia. The service, group to motorboat by September 2025, will people a historical first for the Pokhara–Australia route . This will supply a one-stop relationship from Pokhara to Sydney, perchance opening nan floodgates for much flights from China and Australia.

• Air Astra, a Bangladeshi airline, is besides looking to grow its operations to Pokhara by launching flights between Dhaka and Pokhara. If approved, nan hose will operate three flights per week, starting in 2025 aliases early 2026, improving entree to the Bangladesh-Nepal travel corridor .
• Druk Air, nan nationalist bearer of Bhutan, has begun chartered flights between Paro and Pokhara, pinch plans to grow these services successful nan future. If successful, Druk Air may present regular scheduled flights to Pokhara, boosting recreation between Bhutan and Nepal .

The Future of Nepal’s Aviation Landscape

In conclusion, 2026 promises to beryllium an breathtaking twelvemonth for Nepal’s aviation industry, pinch both Nepali airlines and world carriers launching caller routes that will connect Nepal to awesome destinations crossed Asia, Australia, and beyond. The description of international services from airports like Kathmandu and Pokhara, alongside nan improvement of Bhairahawa as an world hub, will create caller opportunities for tourism, business, and cultural exchange. With nan support of authorities incentives and expanding request for aerial travel, Nepal’s aviation assemblage is group to soar into nan adjacent shape of maturation and connectivity.