Nepal to Bhutan Flight

Nepal is one of nine airports in five countries that have direct flights to Bhutan’s Paro International Airport. One of the most popular departure locations for tourists traveling to the Himalayan kingdom, Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is also one of the closest airports for flights to Bhutan. Flights to Bhutan from Nepal are offered by only two airlines. Bhutan’s DrukAir and Bhutan Airlines are the only carriers permitted to land at the Paro International Airport, and all tourists traveling to Bhutan are required to book with these two airlines.

Nepal to Bhutan Flight Schedule

Kathmandu to Paro Flight Schedule

The flight from Kathmandu to Paro is the most popular flgiht chosen by most travelers to get to Bhutan. Flights to Kathmandu from Paro depart daily from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and take around an hour and fifteen minutes to cover the 404 kilometers to the only international airport in Bhutan.

Flights from Bhutan Airlines run every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing at either 10:20 am, 2:10 pm, or 3:00 pm, depending on the day of the week.

Druk Air, the national flagship airline of Bhutan, has flights that depart at 9:45 am, 1:20 pm, or 2:30 pm daily, depending on the day of the week, seven days a week. The flights are normally around 1 hour 20 minutes long.

Paro to Kathmandu Flight Schedule

The return journey from Paro to Kathmandu is similar to the outbound, with both DrukAir and Bhutan Airlines, the first privately-owned airline in Bhutan, offering flights to Kathmandu from Paro International Airport.

Flights with Bhutan Airlines also return on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and depart at either 7:50 am, 8:30 am, or 8:45 am, depending on the day of the week. The return flight takes around 1 hour 20 minutes.

Druk Air’s flights to Kathmandu run daily from Paro, departing at either 7:40 am, 7:45 am, or 11:40 am, depending on the day of the week. The return flight to Kathmandu takes around an hour.

How to Buy Nepal to Bhutan Flight Ticket

Cost of Nepal to Bhutan flight

Flights to Bhutan are limited to only the two Bhutanese carriers, and the cost of the flights can depend on the season of travel. Flights are more expensive in spring and autumn, the peak months for Bhutanese tourism, and cheaper in the low seasons of winter and summer.

Economy class tickets to Bhutan cost from around 233 US dollars per person, one way, while business class flights can cost from as much as 278 US dollars per person. However, the cost of the flights is normally lower if you book a return flight, instead of two singles to get there and back, and Bhutan does require you to have your return flight to Kathmandu already booked and paid for before you can travel to the kingdom. Return flights can be as much as 20% cheaper than two single flights there and back. In this case, if you plan to take a Nepal Bhutan tour, you can ask your travel agency to book the return flight flight for you at a better price.

Apply for Bhutan Visa so that you can book the flight tickets

Before you can even book your flight, however, you are required to book your tour to Bhutan with a registered travel agency and get your Bhutan visa application approved. The visa is applied for by the travel agency on your behalf, once you have booked and paid for your tour of Bhutan, and is not issued on approval of the application. Instead, a Visa Approval Letter is sent to you via the travel agency, which you will need to use to book your flight. A copy of the approval is also sent to the two airlines and the immigration office in Paro Airport, and you are not able to book a flight without this letter of approval. Once you arrive in Paro, your entry visa will be stamped into your passport.

How to board Nepal to Bhutan flight at Kathmandu Airport

Get to Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport

Getting to Tribhuvan International Airport is not hard, and is a simple 20-minute taxi ride from most parts of Kathmandu. While it may only be six kilometers, the traffic in Kathmandu can be congested and cause severe delays to travel. It is best to leave very early for your flight, to make sure you can check in on time.

You can book a taxi through your hotel, which is the best option, as fares are preset for the trip through the hotel, or you can get a taxi yourself, and agree on the price before you travel. Taxis rarely use the meters, which is often open to scams, and agreeing on the price before you get in is the best option. The going rate for the trip through the hotels is around 750 rupees; while the local taxis normally only charge around 400-500 rupees. However, a lot of the local taxis are not registered, and just have the word “taxi” painted on the doors.

Public transport is the cheapest option, as long as you are not carrying too much luggage. The trip takes around 30 minutes and departs from the Ratna Park bus terminal in Kathmandu. Buses drop off at the airport gates, and it is a ten-minute walk to the terminals. However, at a cost of just 15-20 rupees, if you are not weighed down with cases, it is often the preferable option.

Collect the ticket with the hard copy of your Bhutan Visa Letter and e-Ticket

When you get to the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will need to check-in for your flight and receive your boarding pass. If you booked your ticket through a travel agency, you will need to collect the paper copy of the e-ticket from the office of the travel agency before traveling. Online e-tickets can be used by printing the e-ticket that was sent to you when you booked.

On check-in, you will need to provide your ticket or e-ticket and your Visa Invitation Letter, or the boarding pass will not be issued. Once you have the boarding pass and have checked in your luggage, you can proceed through the gate into the departure lounge.

Check Your Luggage

Luggage check-in is standard on flights to Bhutan, the same as any other flight around the world, and the same rules apply. However, luggage restrictions are less for flights to Bhutan than for many other airlines, and both DrukAir and Bhutan Airlines allow up to 30kg of checked luggage per person for economy class tickets and up to 40kg per person for business class tickets.

Check-in counters at Tribhuvan International Airport open at least three hours before the flight’s scheduled departure time, and close 45 minutes before departure.

Important Things to Do after Getting off the plane at Paro Airport

After Landing, get your Bhutan Visa stamped on your passport

As the only international airport in Bhutan, you will be landing at Paro International Airport and will need to pass through Bhutanese customs and immigration before you can depart the airport to meet your guide and driver for the tour.

On your arrival, you will need to collect your luggage and enter the line for customs and immigration. At the immigration desk, you will be required to produce your passport and Visa Letter, which will be checked against the immigration department’s records. Only once your approval is found in the system is the visa then stamped into your passport for your entry into Bhutan.

You will also pass through customs after immigration has stamped your visa, and your luggage may be checked and searched. This is a requirement, and cannot be refused. Customs officers are merely checking for illegal and illicit goods, such as drugs and weapons, and as long as you are not carrying either, you will have no problems.

You can buy a local SIM card at Paro Airport

Whilst at the airport in Paro, you can find small stands that sell local SIM cards for the major networks in Bhutan for your cellphone. Very few international mobile networks have roaming agreements in Bhutan, and if your carrier does not, then you will not be able to use your cellphone.

There are two main cell phone operators in Bhutan: B-Mobile and TashiCell. Bhutan has a good strong phone network which offers 2G, 3G, and 4G services. However, the SIM cards, known as “chips” in Bhutan, can only be bought from authorized dealers, and require paperwork to be completed, with a passport-sized photo and your passport as proof of identity. Both prepaid and tourist “chips” are available, and usually have an amount already loaded. Loading can be done at a huge number of retailers across the country.

More Tips for Taking a Nepal to Bhutan Flight

Check-in early for a window seat for the view of Mount Everest

If you are taking the flight from Nepal to Bhutan, it is best to get there as early as possible, for the best seats. Most flights to Bhutan do not worry about seat numbers and allow first-come, first-served seating. This allows you to get a window seat for the amazing views of the Himalayas, including Mount Everest if you are seated on the left of the plane, as you fly over them to Bhutan.

For the return flight from Paro to Kathmandu, it is easy to get Visa-on-arrival at Kathmandu Airport

If you only had a single-entry visa for Nepal when you arrived to fly to Bhutan, then you will need to get a new visa for the return trip to Kathmandu from Paro. This is easily done when you arrive in Kathmandu, as you can get the visa easily on your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport. The same requirements apply as when you first arrived for the flight to Bhutan (if you did not have a connecting flight that allowed visa-free transit through the airport), which includes your valid passport, a completed application form done online or in the kiosks at the airport, a passport-sized photo, and the relevant fee.

If you are stopping in Nepal before traveling to Bhutan and then coming back to Nepal, a multiple entry visa is the best option. The visa allows you to enter Nepal as many times as you like for the given validity period and costs only US$20 more, which makes it ten dollars cheaper than getting two single-entry visas.

Conclusion of Nepal to Bhutan Flight

Traveling to Bhutan from Nepal can only be done by tourists that already have a booked and paid for Bhutan tour, and the provided invitation letter. Flights cannot even be booked without the invitation letter having been sent to the airlines from the Tourism Council of Bhutan, so it is essential to book your trip well in advance, so you get all the documents you need before your travel date. That said, with the correct documents, pre-booked tour, and visa invitation letter, getting to Bhutan is relatively easy.