flydubai becomes first airline to launch scheduled international flights to Pokhara

flydubai has expanded its Nepal network with the launch of daily direct flights between Dubai and Pokhara, marking the first-ever non-stop service linking Dubai with western Nepal. The new route makes Pokhara flydubai’s second destination in Nepal and strengthens access to one of the country's most popular tourism regions, known as the gateway to the Annapurna mountain range. The service raises the airline’s total operations to Nepal to 35 weekly flights, complementing its four daily flights to Kathmandu.

The carrier has transported more than 4.5 million passengers on its Kathmandu route since 2009, with the majority connecting through Dubai to destinations across the flydubai and Emirates network. The addition of Pokhara reflects flydubai’s continued focus on enhancing connectivity in underserved markets while supporting Dubai’s status as a major international aviation hub. The launch further cements flydubai’s leading presence in South Asia, where it now serves 20 destinations across seven countries with more than 380 flights each week.

Sudhir Sreedharan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at flydubai, commented: “Nepal has long been an integral part of flydubai’s network. Since launching operations to Kathmandu 17 years ago, our objective has been to offer a direct and accessible link between the UAE and Nepal. With the launch of our daily flights to Pokhara, we are further strengthening that commitment by offering travellers a seamless, non-stop connection to the country’s tourism capital, and an entry point to one of South Asia’s most popular leisure and adventure destinations. Our expansion into Pokhara will cater to the growing demand for direct and convenient access to Western Nepal. By offering a direct connection without multiple transfers or extended road journeys, we are making the journey simpler, more comfortable and more accessible for our customers. We extend our appreciation to the local authorities for the warm welcome we received, and look forward to welcoming passengers on board our flights to experience flydubai’s modern cabins, signature hospitality and wide range of dining and entertainment options.”

flydubai’s inaugural Dubai-Pokhara service departed from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport on 23 September and was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute on arrival at Pokhara International Airport.

Operated in partnership with Emirates under a codeshare agreement, the new service enhances connectivity between Nepal and more than 140 destinations through Dubai. Passengers can travel on a single ticket and enjoy through-checked baggage across the combined flydubai and Emirates networks.

Among the most popular onward destinations for travellers from Nepal on the flydubai network are Bucharest, Dammam, Jeddah, Muscat and Riyadh, while Larnaca, Lisbon, London, New York and Vienna continue to generate strong inbound demand through Emirates’ global network.