Direct Pokhara–Dubai flights to begin from September 23

POKHARA, June 11: Direct flights on the Pokhara–Dubai route will begin from September 23 in a move to connect Pokhara directly with the Middle East. FlyDubai has obtained permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to operate this route initially for one month. The first flight will be held on September 23, and the operation will conclude on October 24 after one month.

In the initial phase, flights on this route will operate daily, Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul said. According to him, FlyDubai’s Boeing 737 aircraft will operate on this route. The 166-seat aircraft has been granted permission for scheduled flights for one month, spokesperson Bhul said. The aircraft departing from Pokhara will land directly at Dubai International Airport.

“In the initial phase, permission has been taken for one month of operation. It will operate daily on the Pokhara–Dubai route,” Bhul said, “This flight, directly connecting Pokhara to Middle Eastern skies, will have special significance for the tourism sector.”

According to him, the aircraft will land at Pokhara International Airport at 6:15 pm every day and will depart from Pokhara to Dubai at 7:15 pm. The travel time for the Pokhara–Dubai flight will be around five hours.

FlyDubai is currently operating three weekly flights on the Kathmandu–Dubai route. Although it had approval for four weekly flights, only three are currently being operated. In Pokhara, a daily flight schedule has been approved for one month as a test operation, he said.

“This is a promotional flight as a trial. It will operate seven days a week. After the one-month operation report, further flight schedules will be decided,” he said. “So far, FlyDubai aircraft has not landed in Pokhara. Therefore, after studying flight conditions, passenger demand, and other factors, further processes will be moved forward.”

He said that only after one month of regular operation will an actual study be conducted on passenger demand and load capacity. “After the trial operation, a report will be prepared. That report will determine whether further flights will be operated or not,” he said. According to Bhul, the government had signed an air service agreement with the UAE while operating Pokhara and Bhairahawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport, and flights are now being operated based on that agreement.

“Our goal is to develop Pokhara further as a tourist destination. Dubai is also a tourism hub. Large numbers of Nepali tourists travel to Dubai not only for employment but also for tourism purposes,” Bhul said, “If two tourism destinations can be connected, it will significantly boost Nepal’s tourism sector.”

The aircraft coming to Pokhara will enter Nepal via Simara. Flights to Pokhara will take about 35 minutes longer compared to Kathmandu. Fly Dubai’s team had previously visited and studied Pokhara International Airport several times before planning operations. Currently, only domestic flights are operating regularly from Pokhara International Airport.

Himalaya Airlines had been operating regular scheduled flights from Pokhara to Lhasa, China. It was the first airline to operate regular international flights from Pokhara International Airport, 27 months after its operation began. However, Himalaya’s Pokhara–Lhasa regular flights, which began in March 2025, were stopped from March 23, 2026.

Apart from that, Sichuan Airlines had also operated charter flights on the Chengdu–Pokhara route.

“Currently there are no regular international flights. After Himalaya’s flights were stopped, Pokhara Regional International Airport’s international network has been halted for the time being,” said Pokhara International Airport chief Jagannath Niroula. “Now with Pokhara–Dubai, Pokhara’s access will reach the Middle Eastern skies. If Pokhara is connected with the Middle East, it will greatly boost the tourism sector.”

Efforts had also been made to connect Pokhara with destinations in India and Bhutan, but those have not yet gained momentum. “There are currently no immediate efforts for flights to other destinations. If the latest effort succeeds, it will send a positive message,” he said. “If Pokhara can be connected with the Middle East, it will significantly benefit Pokhara’s tourism sector.” He added that Pokhara–Dubai flights will be highly effective in uplifting Pokhara’s tourism industry.

Former President of the Pokhara Tourism Council (PTC), Pomanarayan Shrestha, said FlyDubai’s flight could directly connect Pokhara with passengers of at least 250 new destinations. According to him, passengers from the Middle East, America, and many European destinations can be brought directly to Pokhara via Dubai. He said this will help promote tourism in the Pokhara region.

“We have worked very hard to make this flight happen. If it succeeds, Nepal’s tourism will make a leap. Nepal’s air connectivity will reach far,” he said, “Being able to directly connect Pokhara with the Middle East will be a matter of pride for Pokhara.”

He said all businesses and the government must work together to make this flight successful. “We need tourists. If we can bring passengers directly to Pokhara instead via Kathmandu, we can gain significant benefits,” he said.

Director of Nepal Tourism Board’s Pokhara office, Maniraj Lamichhane, also said that since Dubai has become a global hub, connecting Pokhara with it will expand Pokhara’s reach significantly. “Dubai is a global hub. Being connected with Pokhara through air means Pokhara’s international access will increase further,” he said, “Globally, Pokhara’s reach will expand.”

If Pokhara and Dubai are connected through an air network, he said tourists from America and European countries can also be brought directly to Pokhara. “Dubai is a global network. Nepalis also travel to Dubai in large numbers. Expanding air connectivity with Dubai means Pokhara directly reaches major tourism source markets,” he said.