5/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“The staff were professional, alert, and cooperative, ensuring that procedures were followed smoothly.”
Rai LB5★ on Google
Airports / Nepal / KTM
Large airport · KTM
Tribhuvan International Airport.
Kathmandu, Nepal · 4,390 ft elevation. 4 charter operators based here.
3.8/5
Google rating
16,058 ratings
4
Operators based
4,390
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Kathmandu, NepalELEV 4,390 FTLarge airportScheduled service
3.8
Google rating
16,058
Google reviews
ratings on Google
4
Based operators
charter operators on the field
4,390
Field elevation
feet above sea level
66
Nearest alternate
nm to JKR
Field standing
4 operators
Charter fleet based on the field
More resident charter operators than 83% of the 651 US fields with a based fleet on the register.
66 nm
To the nearest alternate
Janakpur Airport (JKR).
Overview
Tribhuvan International Airport (VNKT / KTM) sits in Kathmandu, Nepal, where it functions as a large commercial airport. The field lies at an elevation of 4,390 feet. The airport supports scheduled airline service as well as private jet and charter movements.
Charter departments call it home: Altitude Air, Kailash Helicopter Services Pvt. Ltd., and Mountain Helicopters Pvt. Ltd. base aircraft at KTM, 4 in all. Useful alternates include Janakpur Airport (JKR, 66 nm), Tenzing-Hillary Airport (LUA, 73 nm), and Pokhara International Airport (PHH, 77 nm). KTM offers a single 10,991-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of KTM vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. The airport is also known as gaucharan and Bagmati. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from KTM, or browse verified operators serving the area.
Run an FBO at VNKT? Become the preferred FBO
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
5/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“The staff were professional, alert, and cooperative, ensuring that procedures were followed smoothly.”
Rai LB5★ on Google
4/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Inside the terminal, the atmosphere was lively and multicultural.”
Rai LB5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Tribhuvan International Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
VNKT
IATA
KTM
FAA / Local
VNKT
Elevation
4,390 ft
Coordinates
27.6966° N · 85.3591° E
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Large
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Nepal fields
state range 236–9,380 ft
At 4,390 ft, KTM sits higher than 67% of the 9 Nepal fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 10,991 ft
- 02/2010,991 ft × 148 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 10,991 ft
KTM's 10,991 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation, and at 4,390 ft this field's density altitude can extend the runway a jet actually needs on warm days. Confirm performance with the operator.
Based charter operators4
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 66nmJKRJanakpur AirportJanakpur
- 73nmLUATenzing-Hillary AirportLukla
- 77nmPHHPokhara International AirportPokhara
- 79nmPKRPokhara Domestic AirportPokhara
- 94nmDDRShigatse Tingri AirportXigazê (Dingri)
- 95nmMZUMuzaffarpur AirportMuzaffarpur
Location
Open the full mapVNKT · Tribhuvan International Airport · Kathmandu, Nepal
From the ramp
Google Places photography of Tribhuvan International Airport, tap any frame to view full-screen, then cycle with the arrows or your keyboard.
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from KTM on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 4,835 nm | 11h 39m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 6,054 nm | 14h 29m |
| Honolulu (HNL) | 6,103 nm | 14h 36m |
| Boston (BED) | 6,401 nm | 15h 17m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 6,435 nm | 15h 22m |
| New York (TEB) | 6,535 nm | 15h 36m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 6,583 nm | 15h 43m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 6,586 nm | 15h 43m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use KTM?
- Tribhuvan International Airport's longest paved runway is 10,991 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at KTM?
- Tribhuvan International Airport has one runway; the longest measures 10,991 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Are there charter operators based at KTM?
- Yes. 4 charter operators list Tribhuvan International Airport as a home base, including Altitude Air, Kailash Helicopter Services Pvt. Ltd., Mountain Helicopters Pvt. Ltd.. You can also request quotes from operators that reposition aircraft into the field.
- What is the nearest major airport to KTM?
- The closest alternate is Janakpur Airport (JKR), about 66 nm away, followed by Tenzing-Hillary Airport (LUA) at 73 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from KTM to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 11h 39m (4,835 nm), Seattle about 14h 29m (6,054 nm), Honolulu about 14h 36m (6,103 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.