Pokhara Airport (PKR)

Pokhara, NP 🇳🇵 Medium Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

VNPK

IATA

PKR

Elevation

2712 ft

Region

NP-P4

Local Time

Airport Information

GPS Code: VNPK

Local Code: Not available

Location: 28.200621° N, 83.981203° E

Continent: AS

Type: Medium Airport

Arrivals

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Departures

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External Links

Wikipedia Live Flights

Nearby Points of Interest

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What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Pokhara International Airport (VNPK/PKR), inaugurated in January 2023, receives mixed reviews from travelers. While praised for its modern infrastructure, cleanliness, and efficiency for domestic travel, the airport faces significant challenges, primarily its struggle to attract regular international flights. This leads to an overall sentiment of appreciation for its domestic functionality, but disappointment regarding its underutilized international potential.

What Travelers Love

Modern and Spacious Terminal: Travelers consistently commend the airport's cleanliness, spaciousness, and modern design, providing a comfortable experience.
Efficient Domestic Operations: Check-in and security processes are generally described as smooth and efficient for domestic flights. The airport is capable of operating during late-night hours, a flexibility not possible at the old airport.
Friendly Staff: Many travelers note the presence of friendly staff, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere.
Beautiful Views: The airport's location offers breathtaking views of the Annapurna mountain range and lakes, making arrivals and departures scenic.
Security/Immigration Efficiency: Security and immigration efficiency are particularly valued by passengers. Current estimates for security wait times are around 26-28 minutes, and immigration around 8 minutes.

Common Complaints

Lack of International Flights: Despite being an international airport, PKR primarily handles domestic operations and has struggled significantly to attract regular international flights, leading to commercial unviability and underutilization. Only a very limited number of international flights have occurred, with low passenger volumes.
Limited Amenities and Food Options: Travelers often report limited food outlets (typically a single café) and souvenir shops, with a lack of dedicated rest areas, libraries, or diverse retail choices for waiting passengers.
High Taxi Charges: Some travelers have noted that taxi charges from the airport to the city can be high.
Frequent Flight Delays: Domestic flights frequently experience delays, which can be frustrating given the limited facilities for waiting.
Corruption and Construction Irregularities: Recent reports highlight serious concerns about corruption and financial irregularities during the airport's construction, including issues with runway elevation and questionable payments for soil transport.
Bird Strike Risks and Payload Restrictions: The airport faces potential bird strike risks due to a nearby river and former dumping site. Additionally, payload restrictions affect larger aircraft, limiting their capacity.

Overall, Pokhara International Airport is a modern and visually appealing gateway for domestic travelers, offering efficient services and stunning natural beauty. However, its intended role as a major international hub remains largely unfulfilled, hampered by a lack of international flights, limited passenger amenities, and ongoing concerns about its construction and economic viability.

Generated False weeks ago

This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

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Airport Routes

Top Routes (by observations)

Newly Discovered

Popular Flight Routes

Building Route Index: We are building our route index for commercial airports. Currently 5 routes are indexed for Pokhara Airport. For real-time updates, admin access is required.

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Destination	IATA	City	Aircraft Type	Airline	Details	Route Map
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Top Airlines

Operating at Pokhara Airport

Airlines by Flight Activity

Based on observed flight operations and route network

Airline	Routes	Flights	Destinations	Last Activity
Buddha Air `BHA` / `U4`	4	49	4	Nov 5, 2025
Shree Airlines `SHA` / `N9`	1	5	1	Aug 13, 2025

Showing top 2 airlines by flight activity. Data includes observed departures and route networks from this airport.

For Pilots

Designation	Length	Width	Surface	Status
`04/22`	4720 ft	100 ft	ASP	Active Lighted

Type	Description	Frequency
TWR	TWR	`123.8 MHz`

Ident	Name	Type	Frequency
`PHR`	Pokhara	NDB-DME	`336 kHz`

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025

Taxis

Taxis are the most convenient and readily available option. You can find a pre-paid taxi counter inside the terminal which offers fixed, regulated fares to popular areas like Lakeside. Alternatively, you can negotiate a price directly with drivers waiting outside the arrival hall. The ride to the main tourist hub of Lakeside is short, typically 15-20 minutes.

Rental Cars

Self-drive car rentals are not common in Pokhara and are generally not available directly from the airport. The standard practice is to hire a car with a driver. These services should be pre-booked through a local travel agency or your hotel, who can arrange for a vehicle to meet you upon arrival. There are no international car rental company desks at the airport.

Public Transportation

Public buses and microbuses are the most budget-friendly option, but also the least convenient for travelers with luggage. They do not stop directly at the terminal building; you need to walk a short distance to the main road to catch one. These buses can be crowded and routes may be confusing for visitors. This option is primarily used by locals.

Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.