flydubai opens daily Dubai–Pokhara route

flydubai launched daily non-stop flights between Dubai International (DXB) and Pokhara International Airport (PHH) on 23 September, creating the first direct air connection between Dubai and Western Nepal. The inaugural flight departed Terminal 3 and received a ceremonial water cannon salute on arrival.

Pokhara is the airline’s second destination in Nepal after Kathmandu, which flydubai has served since 2009. The new route brings its total weekly flights to Nepal to 35, adding to four daily frequencies on the Kathmandu service. The airline has carried more than 4.5 million passengers to and from Kathmandu over that period, with 65% of that traffic connecting onward through the flydubai and Emirates network via Dubai.

“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,” Sudhir Sreedharan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at flydubai said in a statement.

“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,” he added.

The Pokhara service operates under flydubai’s codeshare with Emirates, giving passengers single-ticket access to more than 140 onward destinations across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Popular onward connections from Nepal through the flydubai network include Bucharest, Dammam, Jeddah, Muscat, and Riyadh. Top feeder markets from the Emirates network into Pokhara include Larnaca, Lisbon, London, New York, and Vienna.

With the new route, flydubai says it now holds the widest network between Dubai and South Asia, covering 20 destinations across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka with over 380 weekly flights to the region.