How to get into Bhutan by Flight
Located in Paro City, The Paro International Airport (PBH) is the only international airport in Bhutan. Due to the Valley being surrounded by high hills, landing at this airport is quite challenging, also landing in itself is a wonderful experience at Paro airport.
Limited Airlines Operate to Bhutan
Bhutan has only two airlines, the two major airlines are:
- Druk Airlines (Royal Bhutan Airlines): Druk Air operates flights to and from different cities including Kathmandu, Kolkata, Delhi, Bagdogra, Singapore, Bangkok, and Dhaka. It is the national flag carrier of Bhutan.
- Bhutan Airlines: This is a privately owned airlines that also connect their flight to different destinations like Kathmandu, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangkok.
Only these airlines are your main options to reach Bhutan, so it is essential to confirm your trip to Bhutan earlier and book flight seats.
Popular Flight Routes
Most of the travelers fly to Bhutan via one of the following places:
- India: From India, Delhi and Kolkata are the most favorite gateways to Bhutan.
- Thailand: Flights from Bangkok are another major hub for flights to Paro, Bhutan. With both Druk and Bhutan Airlines you can get a regular service from this city.
- Nepal: If you are doing a Nepal tour, or combining a tour to Bhutan from Nepal, you can directly fly to Bhutan from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
- Singapore: For travelers coming from Southeast Asia, Singapore offers the easiest connection to Bhutan.
No direct flights from the West
If travelers are coming from Europe, America, or any other part of the world, they need to reach one of the above-mentioned places to connect with a flight to reach Bhutan. Any traveler coming via Bangkok, Singapore, Kathmandu, and Delhi can easily reach Bhutan directly via these cities.
Flight Reservation to Bhutan
- Early Booking: Due to the fewer flights to Bhutan, travelers should confirm their travel to Bhutan earlier and also book and confirm the flight seats on time to prevent the risk of not getting flight seats. Especially during the Festival time the flight seats fill up quickly, so aim to book at least 5 to 6 months in advance.
- Work with Tour Operator: Only licensed tour agencies are allowed to get bookings for the Bhutan tour. The tour operators can help you to secure Bhutan’s flight ticket as part of your tour package on time.
- Flexible with dates: There might be no flight on specific dates and also no seat if you book your trip near your travel date. So, travelers should follow the flight dates and customize their travel dates to get flight tickets easily.
Alternative Routes
The first option to reach Bhutan is to fly from different flight airports from different cities of South Asian Countries, it is also possible to enter Bhutan overland from India. The popular overland route to enter Bhutan is through the Phuentsholing border. It is located in southern Bhutan, where people can have a scenic drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
Himalayas view from Drukair
