Everything you need to know about flying into Paro International Airport — which airlines fly there, direct routes, how to connect from the US, UK, Europe or Australia, and how to book with confidence.
Bhutan has exactly one international airport — Paro International Airport (PBH) — and just two airlines are authorized to fly there: Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines) and Bhutan Airlines. There are no direct flights from the US, UK, Europe, or Australia, so every international visitor connects through a regional hub such as Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, or Singapore.
Because only a small number of specially certified pilots are cleared to fly the approach into Paro’s narrow mountain valley, seat capacity is limited and fares don’t fluctuate the way they do on more competitive routes. Booking early — especially around festival season — makes a real difference.
National Carrier · Est. 1981
Bhutan's national airline and by far the larger operator, flying the widest international network plus all domestic routes within Bhutan. Most visitors fly Drukair for at least one leg of their journey.
Key Routes
Private Carrier
A privately-owned airline (Tashi Air) operating a smaller international network that overlaps with several of Drukair's core routes, giving travelers a second option and slightly more schedule flexibility.
Key Routes
| Direct From | Frequency | Airline | Flight Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok, Thailand | Daily | Drukair & Bhutan Airlines | ~4 hrs |
| Kathmandu, Nepal | Daily | Drukair & Bhutan Airlines | ~1 hr 10 min |
| Kolkata, India | Daily | Drukair | ~1 hr 20 min |
| New Delhi, India | Daily | Drukair | ~2 hrs 30 min |
| Singapore | 2x weekly (direct) | Drukair | ~7 hrs |
| Dubai, UAE | 2x weekly | Drukair | ~6 hrs 30 min |
| Dhaka, Bangladesh | 2x weekly | Drukair | ~1 hr 40 min |
| Guwahati, India | 2x weekly | Drukair | ~50 min |
| Bagdogra, India | 2x weekly | Drukair | ~1 hr |
| Gaya, India | Seasonal | Drukair | ~1 hr 30 min |
💡 Tip: swipe left/right on the table if you're on a phone. Frequencies are seasonal and subject to change — always confirm current schedules before booking, as Drukair typically releases timetables only 3–6 months in advance.
Since there are no direct long-haul flights into Bhutan, your journey will always involve connecting through one of Drukair or Bhutan Airlines’ hub cities. The two most common routings are:
Booking tip: avoid tight same-day connections through Delhi or Bangkok. Paro Airport can close at short notice due to fog, low cloud, or wind, so build in buffer time — ideally an overnight stop — rather than a same-day connection on your return journey.
Paro International Airport sits at 2,235 meters elevation in a narrow Himalayan valley, surrounded by peaks reaching over 5,000 meters. The approach requires a sharp visual descent between mountainsides, and only a small number of specially certified pilots worldwide are qualified to fly it — each requiring extensive simulator training and in-person assessment before certification.
Despite the dramatic terrain, Paro has an excellent safety record. The strict pilot certification process is precisely what keeps it safe. The one thing to plan around is weather: fog or low cloud can delay or cancel flights even when conditions look fine elsewhere, so it’s worth avoiding overly tight connections on both ends of your trip.
Drukair releases its schedule only 3–6 months in advance, and seats on popular routes sell out fast, especially around festivals.
Flights fill up quickly around the Paro Tshechu (March/April) and Thimphu Tshechu (September) — book as early as your dates allow.
Licensed operators often get access to seat allocations and can bundle your flight with your visa and SDF payment in one booking.
Weather-related delays happen. Avoid booking a tight same-day international connection on your departure day.
We’ll help you time your flights around your itinerary and festival dates, and bundle them with your visa and SDF payment into one simple booking.
