Kathmandu to Delhi Flights 2026: Airlines, Fares, Flight Time, and Booking Tips

Overview

Kathmandu (KTM, Tribhuvan International) to Delhi (DEL, Indira Gandhi International) is one of the busiest international routes out of Nepal. It's the default first hop for Indian travelers returning home, for foreign travelers connecting onward, and for Nepali workers commuting to India. The route is competitive, meaning fares stay reasonable if you book with any warning.

Airlines

As of April 2026, three carriers run daily nonstops:

• Air India — flag carrier, operates morning and afternoon departures. Full-service (meal + baggage included). Uses A320 narrow-body.
• IndiGo — India's largest low-cost carrier. Typically the cheapest on the route. Meals and seat selection cost extra. Strong on-time record. Uses A320 and A320neo.
• Nepal Airlines (RNAC) — Nepal's flag carrier. Legacy full-service experience, slightly higher base fare, meal included. Mixed on-time record versus the Indian carriers.

Historically Vistara and SpiceJet also flew KTM–DEL; always check current schedules as Nepal–India routes change seasonally.

Flight time and distance

• Distance: approximately 790 km
• Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes nonstop
• Cruise altitude: ~37,000 ft
• Left window seat (eastbound from Delhi, westbound from Kathmandu) gets the best Himalaya views on clear days — Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Langtang visible in sequence.

Typical fares in 2026

Economy one-way:

• Early bird (30+ days out): NPR 9,500–13,000 on IndiGo, NPR 12,000–16,000 on Air India.
• Standard (2–3 weeks out): NPR 12,000–18,000.
• Peak / last-minute: NPR 20,000–30,000. October (Dashain + Indian festival overlap) is the most expensive month.
• Business class: NPR 35,000–55,000 on Air India; limited availability.

Best days and times to fly

Midweek (Tuesday–Thursday) departures are usually NPR 1,500–3,000 cheaper than weekend flights. Morning departures (6:00–9:00) are the most punctual; afternoon flights can slip if Delhi's runway queues build up.

Baggage and check-in

• Air India / Nepal Airlines: 23 kg checked + 7 kg cabin included in economy.
• IndiGo: 15 kg checked on the lowest fare class; upgrade available.
• Tribhuvan International requires check-in 2.5 hours before international departure.

Visa and documentation

Indian and Nepali citizens can enter each other's countries without a visa — a valid ID (passport, voter ID, Aadhaar for Indians; citizenship card or passport for Nepalis) is sufficient for land travel, but airlines require passport for air travel. Third-country nationals need an Indian e-visa, applied for at least 4 days in advance via the official e-visa portal. Transit visas are available if your Delhi layover is under 24 hours and you stay airside.

Booking tips

1. Compare — Yatra, airline direct, and major OTAs often differ by NPR 1,000–2,000.
2. Round-trip vs. one-way — for this route, two one-ways on IndiGo are often cheaper than a round-trip. Always run both searches.
3. Clear your cookies or use incognito — repeated searches can nudge fares upward on some sites.
4. Book Tuesday afternoon — industry legend backed by mild data: airlines often load fare sales on Monday night, competitors match by Tuesday afternoon.

Onward from Delhi

Delhi is a major South Asia hub. From DEL you can connect to almost anywhere in India (same terminal, short layover), to Southeast Asia (IndiGo and Air India have expanded networks), or to Europe/Gulf. Terminal 3 handles all international and IndiGo; Air India domestic uses T3 as well.

Book KTM–DEL with Yatra

Yatra's flight search compares Air India, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines, and partner carriers in real time, with NPR-denominated pricing and local customer support.