Pokhara International Airport Is Finally Getting International Flights

Flydubai has been granted permission for a direct Pokhara–Dubai route launching in September 2026 — the airport's first real step toward the international service it was built for.

Pokhara International Airport, open for three years but until now handling only domestic traffic, is finally moving toward genuine international operation. Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority granted Flydubai permission on 29 May 2026 for a direct Pokhara–Dubai route, scheduled to launch 23 September 2026 — and Air Arabia has separately shown interest in starting its own Pokhara service.

The Nepali government has also announced investment plans, through public-private partnerships, to upgrade both Pokhara International and Gautam Buddha International Airport (near Lumbini), aiming to grow direct connections to India, China, the US and the UK.

For travelers, the practical upside is straightforward once these routes are actually running: reaching the Annapurna region and Pokhara's lakeside base for trekking won't require routing everyone through Kathmandu first.