Showing 5 Thai Smile Air Flights from Kathmandu - Starting at Just ₹25,913

  About Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a peaceful and serene city in Nepal that will take your breath away. It is the most accessible city in the country and also the capital of Nepal. Kathmandu is popular for its mountains and trekking activities. You can also buy all the trekking equipment you need here, in case you missed out on something. Durbar Squares in Kathmandu is one of the fascinating places and quite old, too. The city is home to over a million people and is at an altitude of 1400 metres. One of the specialities of Kathmandu is that the climate remains favourable throughout the year. You can plan a trip to Kathmandu whenever you want.

Along with lush greenery and a scenic view of the mountains, you will also find a lot of monasteries and temples here. This is the perfect place to embrace spirituality, and the natural beauty of the city makes tourists return to the city. Kathmandu also offers a few adventurous activities for tourists to try. The best part is that Nepal is a neighbouring country to India, and it is quite easy to reach the country.

Best Time to Visit Kathmandu

Late September to December, March and April are some of the best months to plan your trip to Kathmandu. The weather remains pleasant, and you will be treated to views of the glaciers. You will also get to attend the local festivals here. September to December is a high tourist season in Kathmandu and the temperature ranges from 20 to 26 degree Celsius during the day and drops to about 4 degree Celsius at night. The place is dry, and the weather does not affect any of your plans to try out outdoor activities. This is the best time for travellers to go out trekking and explore the city. Since this is a peak season for the city, make sure you book your hotel in Kathmandu several weeks in advance since they will be packed as the peak season approaches. You will also experience wildlife at its best here during these months. You will come across birds, monkeys, elephants, rhinos and more.

March to May is also an ideal time to head to Kathmandu. It is right before monsoon, and the weather is quite pleasant. However, there are high chances that it might rain once in a while during the spring season. The temperature ranges from 9 to 29 degree Celsius. One of the main reasons for you to visit Kathmandu during this season is to see a fully blossomed rhododendron, which only blooms this time of the year. You can also sign up for the Annapurna trek, one of the most famous treks in Nepal.

Kathmandu experiences winter from December to February, and it is a low tourist season for the city. The temperature ranges from 2 to 15 degree Celsius, and it gets really cold. If you are on a budget, this might be a decent time for you to visit the city. You will get cheap flight tickets to Kathmandu, and you'll also get a great deal on hotels. You can sign up for the Annapurna trek or Everest Base Camp if you are planning your trip in winter. You can also attend the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival in December. June to August is the summer season in Kathmandu and the temperature averages around 28 degree Celsius. Since there are high chances of rainfall, too, during this season, make sure you pack an umbrella.

Places to Visit in Kathmandu

While Kathmandu is known for its trekking trails and adventure sports, the city also has a lot of temples and religious sites that you can visit. The Boudhanath Stupa is a popular tourist spot. It is believed that if you circumambulate the stupa without any ill thoughts or ulterior motives, you not only receive good karma but also get a good chance to go to heaven. The Pashupatinath temple is a Hindu temple that is located across the banks of Bagmati River and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thamel is one of the most popular spots in the city that you can head to if you want to go on a shopping spree, enjoy delicious food at some of the cosy restaurants. It is also a WiFi zone, which is another reason why Thamel sees a lot of crowds. The Swayambhunath Temple is another important shrine, and it is believed that praying here will rid you of your sins. It is dedicated to Lord Buddha, and it has a lot of Buddhists and Tibetans visiting. The Kathmandu Durbar Square is where the Kings of Nepal sat and ruled. Half of the site collapsed because of the earthquake in 2015, but it has managed to retain its glory.

Garden of Dreams, also known as Swapna Bageecha, built by Kishore Narsingh in 1920 and has magnificent pavilions, pergolas, ponds and urns that draw tourists to the garden. You can go trekking to the Langtang National Park. It was established in 1976 and is the fourth national park in the country. It is about 32 km away from Kathmandu and is also connected to the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve, Tibet. Kumari Bahal is an ancient palace where a Kumari, who is the chosen Devi, lives. Built in the mid-1700s, the palace has an idol of Goddess Saraswati and also has a magnificent chariot to take the Kumari around the city. Taudaha lake is on the outskirts of Kathmandu and is the perfect place for birdwatchers. You can also go hiking at Phulchowki, which is the highest hill in Kathmandu Valley. You can also visit Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati temple that a lot of tourists visit. If you want to gamble a little bit, you can head over to Casino Royale in hotel Yeti & Yak. You can try your luck at slot machines or other gaming tables. You can also go hiking around Kathmandu and try out different trails.

Things to do in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a popular place for travellers who love going on treks and hikes. If you are a nature lover, this is the perfect place for you. You can either book a hotel in Kathmandu overseeing the mountains or go camping. There are quite a lot of camping trips organised in the city, especially during the peak travel season. The city is popular for momos, and you will find yourself hogging momos all day long. Kathmandu is also known for its religious significance, and there are a lot of temples worth visiting here. You will get to explore and learn more about the culture and lifestyle of the locals. Head over to Thamel to shop for souvenirs, dine at some of the finest restaurants here and take a stroll just to have a nice evening.

Food and Restaurants in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is famous for momos, and you will find a lot of variety in it. You can choose between steamed and fried momos with either chicken or vegetables for stuffing. Tibetan and Indian cultures inspire a lot of cuisines. You will also find a lot of cuisines ranging from Indian, Oriental to European. You can head to Thamel to try a variety of cuisines at the restaurants here. You will find quite a few Indian restaurants here, especially in Thamel. If you want to try naans and Indian curries, Western Tandoori in Thamel is the perfect place. It is a small food joint, and the food here is extraordinary. OR2K serves the best vegetarian and vegan food. You will also find Middle Eastern cuisines on the menu here. If you are visiting any of the temples, most food joints and restaurants near them will only serve vegetarian food.

How to reach Kathmandu (Transportation)

Tribhuvan International Airport is named after the former King of Nepal, Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah. The flight connectivity to Kathmandu from India is excellent, especially since it is the neighbouring country. Vistara and Indigo have frequent flights to Kathmandu from India with a layover in Delhi. If you book your tickets well in advance, you might get cheap flight tickets to Kathmandu. If you are travelling to the city during the offseason, you might come across exciting flight deals to Kathmandu. Patna and Gorakhpur are some of the popular routes to Nepal by bus. You can also hire a taxi or a car to reach Nepal from India if you want to avoid travelling by bus. Though reaching Nepal by road is not the most popularly chosen way to travel since the permissions and formalities at the border might take a lot of time. Taking a flight to Kathmandu is not only time effective but is also quite convenient. You will get a taxi or a car rental service from the Kathmandu airport quite easily. Commuting within Kathmandu is also quite convenient. You can either opt for a cycle rickshaw or a regular rickshaw to get around the city.

  About Thai Smile Airways

Thai Smile Airways is a low-cost regional carrier that predominantly caters to services in Thailand and India. The airline is fairly new in the aviation industry as it came into existence in 2012. Operations of Thai Smile Airways commenced in 2012. It is a subsidiary of Thai Airways International and is wholly owned by the parent company. The decision to commence a business for a new carrier came in 2011 by the Thai Airways board. They announced plans to come up with a low-cost carrier that would be emulating Thai Wings. The chairman of Thai's board of directors, Ampon Kittiampon, revealed plans for Thai Smile Airways in 2011. The main idea behind creating Thai Smile Airways is to provide to the market gap that low-cost airlines and main service airlines. Out of a pool of names that were collected from about 2,229 entries, the name Thai Smile was finally chosen. It was speculated that the airline would start showing profit margin two years from its inception.

Right from its first operations, Thai Smile Airways has managed to grow into an important subsidiary for Thai Airways International. There are plans to expand Thai Smile Airways' domestic route and regional route to accommodate more destinations and attract passengers in the process.

Fleet size of Thai Smile

As of 2020, Thai Smile's fleet size has 20 aircraft, all from the Airbus family. The airline has two diverse configurations to the Airbus A320-200 aircraft, namely 320 and 32S. Currently, the 320 configuration aircraft is in service and has about six of its as part of Thai Smikle's fleet. As for the remaining 14, they are all of the 32S configurations and in service. The major difference between the two variants of Airbus A320-200 is the seating class and configuration. While the 320 can accommodate about 168 total seating class, 32S has space for 162 seating class which can be utilised. The airline has not revealed any plans to expand its fleet or acquire new aircraft to replace the current ones. As it is a fairly new fleet, the requirement to replace the existing aircraft doesn't seem necessary. However, expansion of the fleet with more aircraft does seem like a good approach if the airline is rooting for some upscaling and is eyeing to connect to more domestic route and international route destinations.

Baggage Allowance

Thai Smile's baggage allowance is quite similar to the policy as set by Thai Airways International. Ahead of the journey, the airline expects passengers to understand more about their baggage allowance policy and ensure to follow the same. Thai Smile doesn't have a business class cabin on their flights as it is a regional carrier. However, it does offer a premium class and economy class cabin where the facilities are diverse. For international routes, Thai Smile allows the premium class passengers to carry about 40 kg for checked baggage. As for passengers travelling by economy class, the airline allows a maximum of 30 kg weight for checked baggage. It is necessary for travellers to adhere to this limit as the airline will not accept baggage weighing more than what's mentioned in their policy. Similarly, for domestic route transit, the airline allows 30 kg weight for premium class travellers and 20 kg for economy class passengers. The dimension of the baggage should also not exceed 158 cm and should be inclusive of the wheels, pockets and handles. This helps the airline accommodate the checked baggage in their aircraft. The rules are slightly tweaked for passengers travelling with Star Alliance or Royal Orchid mileage programme.

In-flight services

Thai Smile's in-flight services are in the lines of how one can enjoy immaculate hospitality on Thai Airways International flights. As its regional subsidiary, the in-flight services are just as good, even though they do not have many facilities to provide. The regional airline is a cost-effective venture that offers affordable tickets to basic travellers. Hence, in-flight services are also quite basic. The seating is decent, and there is enough legroom to wriggle in. The flight attendants are quite helpful and accommodating. Passengers who have premium memberships in the airline's mileage program and or are part of the Star Alliance's frequent flyer programme can receive several in-flight benefits ranging from complimentary in-flight meals to seat selection. For members of Royal Orchid Plus, the airline allows the passenger to select the seat, ahead of the transit. The passenger would not be charged extra fees for the seat selection. Other such in-flight services include the airlines offering complimentary meals and beverages that can be availed on domestic as well as international flights. In fact, travellers can pick from the menu that the airline has provided, which has several types of meal combos, including vegetarian and vegan meals. Additional carry-on baggage allowance can also be enjoyed by passengers.

Popular routes and top cities for Thai Smile

Thai Smile has managed to acquire several domestic routes and international route connectivity since its inception. With Bangkok as its hub and Chiang Mai as the focus city, the airline boasts exceptional route connectivity with Southeast Asian destinations. Some of the top cities include Chittagong, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Changsha, Chongqing, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Macao, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Yangon, Mandalay, Kaohsiung, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Phuket, Surat Thani, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani. Simultaneously, Thai Smile caters to a slew of Indian cities. As a regional airline which has good international route connectivity with cities in India, it is not surprising to see the list of names that are part of its services. The Indian cities that Thai Smile operates services to include Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Gaya, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and Varanasi. Out of these, Gaya is a seasonal destination wherein travellers majorly visit during Buddha Purnima. As Bodh Gaya is the place where Gautam Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, the Indian city witnesses a huge number of tourists during Buddha Purnima from Buddhists around the world. Thailand, in general, is one of the cheapest and affordable tourist destinations for Indians. Hence, the country sees a huge number of tourists from India. To cater to the demand, Thai Smile has enabled several services that connect Thailand and India.

Why travel by Thai Smile?

Thai Smile Airways, as a subsidiary to Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, has the best domestic route connectivity. The airline's vision to become the Regional Favourite Airline in Thailand drives it to constantly work on enhancing the quality and efficiency of its services. From the start, the airline has been offering high-quality in-flight services and convenient facilities to meet the needs of passengers. Not to mention the affordability of such experiences that come at a pocket-friendly budget. As part of the Thai Airways International, the airline certainly has some exquisite benefits for passengers. The airline's mileage programme called Royal Orchid Plus has a slew of discounts and deals for passengers and loyal members. In fact, Thai Smile's affiliation with Star Alliance further adds to the perks that passengers can avail in terms of booking Thai Smile flight tickets, raking in better baggage allowance and getting access to airport lounges, to name a few.

Members of the Star Alliance network will receive tremendous benefits from travelling with Thai Smile. The alliance network came into existence in 1997 as a global airline alliance network. The idea behind bringing forth such a network is to combine seamless services while offering excellent connectivity and a worldwide reach for an international traveller. A frequent flyer of Star Alliance' mileage club will be making quite a few heads turn at the airport with the benefits and facilities that will be at their service. As part of Thai Airways International, Thai Smile is also eligible to provide the benefits of Star Alliance to its customers and passengers. Right from the priority at the check-in counters to airport lounge access, a Star Alliance frequent flyer member can make the most of their membership. Flying from Thai Smile will also add to the miles earned, which can be utilised for a more expensive trip.

While some of the obvious perks associated with the airline's privileged programmes are available, its in-flight services and ticketing facilities are also quite good. Thai Smile's in-flight services are top-notch and in lines with Thai Airways International's standards set. You can book a Thai Smile Airways flight ticket on their website and even avail some discounts and combo deals. In fact, they do offer multitudes of travel deals on the website. Planning a trip to Thailand with Thai Smile would actually be more cost-effective than one can imagine. In case you are travelling with family, you can receive several discounts with respect to flight tickets and accommodations too. Further, the airline's website also enables web check-in to make the passenger's travel scenes more convenient. Travellers can also get updates on flight status and flight schedules from their website.

  About Tribhuvan Airport

Tribhuvan International Airport is situated in the capital city of Kathmandu, in Nepal. The airport is named after the former King of Nepal, Tribhuvan Bi Bikram Shah. Currently, it is the only airport in Nepal that caters to international passenger traffic. Tribhuvan International Airport operates with a tabletop runway and two terminals. The airport also plays as a hub to two international airlines, including the flag carrier Himalaya Airlines and Nepal Airlines and many other Nepalese airlines too. Buddha Airlines also operates from Tribhuvan International Airport and connects with Indian cities. Currently, due to the passenger traffic and demand witnessed for the country, the Government of Nepal has planned to expand its capacity to the maximum. This is to ensure that traffic congestion is minimised. The works on additional international airports in Nepal such as Pokhara International Airport, Nijgadh International Airport and Gautam Buddha Airport have already commenced.

About Airport Terminals

There are currently two functioning public terminals at Tribhuvan International Airport. One of the terminals is dedicated to catering to domestic traffic while the other one is for international. A specific terminal dedicated to VIP guests is also available and is operated under the Government of Nepal. The space has international guests of the state arriving and are welcomed with enthusiasm. The airport also plans to expand further to add a terminal that would offer a base for helicopter transportation. The terminals also have Radisson Hotel Kathmandu's executive lounge that has been installed for first-class and business-class passengers of various airlines. Thai Airways also has an operational lounge which caters to their business-class passengers along with Star Alliance's gold card members. The airport has a single runway that sprawls across 10,990 ft with no distinguished instrument landing system.

About Airport Authority

Tribhuvan International Airport is owned by the Government of Nepal but is operated under the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The independent body came into existence in 1998 and had its headquarters in Kathmandu. CAAN was earlier under the Ministry of Work, Communications and Transport from 1957. However, after the Civil Aviation Act was passed in 1996, the regulatory body was formed. CAAN takes care of various responsibilities such as new pilot licenses, certification of aerodromes, construction, management and operations of aerodromes, provision of air navigation services, to name a few. Further on this, the Government of Nepal is planning to establish a separate aircraft accident investigation unit as well.

Top airlines flying from Tribhuvan International Airport

Nepal's proximity to India has enabled a few dedicated flights and airlines operations from Tribhuvan International Airport. The Indian airlines that operate from Tribhuvan International Airport include Air India, IndiGo and Vistara. These flights are directly connected to Indian cities such as Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. The airlines fly in and out of Kathmandu Airport regularly.

Along with Indian airlines, the airport also caters to several international destinations and airlines. It connects to about 17 countries and sees regular flight action from international airlines. Some of the important international airlines that operate from Tribhuvan International Airport are Air Arabia, Air China, Bhutan Airlines, Cathay Dragon, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Himalaya Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Nepal Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Sichuan Airlines, Silkair, Thai Airways, Tibet Airlines and Turkish Airlines. The connect to more than 40 international cities across the globe.

Tribhuvan International Airport also has airlines that provide mountain sightseeing flights, including Mount Everest sightseeing flights. Airlines such as Buddha Air, Simrik Airlines and Yeti Airlines offer these sightseeing flights daily. They usually depart early in the morning from the domestic terminal and return in an hour.

Facilities at Tribhuvan International Airport

WiFi - Tribhuvan International Airport offers free WiFi at the airport premise. It is present at the international terminal and ranges from departure to arrival sections. All one needs to do is to log in to the airport's WiFi connection and avail the benefits. There are two WiFi services present at the airport. To get access to the same, you can simply check out the airport's official website or speak to one of the information desks to get more details on the same.

Press rooms - An interesting highlight about Tribhuvan International Airport is the press room facility. They harbour two press rooms which can accommodate 30 and 40 persons respectively. It is mostly used to conduct press conferences and is perfect for global events and conferences. There is a podium as well as seats to handle the audience.

Post office - For immediate courier of documents and important letters from the airport, you can visit their post office too. It is located right within the airport and is ideal for emergency mail services.

Lounge and airport hotel - Although an airline-affiliated lounge is not present at the airport, it does have some interesting lounges. Thai Royal Silk Lounge, which is located at the departure hall of the international terminal building, is worth the indulgence. The place is quaint and has a character that would enhance a traveller's experience. The services provided are also top-notch. As for business travellers who are only travelling for professional purposes, a dedicated CIP Executive lounge is also available. You can find Radisson Hotel, also installed at the departure hall of the terminal building. In case you need to rest and freshen-up, you can book a room within the airport.

Hotel reservation booth - A dedicated hotel reservation booth is also installed at the airport to help travellers with the same. You can find the counter at the arrival hall of the airport. The booths have been set to help passengers to make hotel reservations or collect vouchers or hotel details of the ones they have booked. It is convenient and perfect for first-time travellers.

Nursing station - Nursing stations are clubbed with senior citizen rooms at Tribhuvan International Airport. It is called Senior Citizen & Breast-Feeding Room. Space has been installed to enable new mothers travelling with infants to use an area where they can feed the baby. Not to mention, space can also be used for other activities such as tending to the baby's hygiene, changing of diapers and more. Senior citizens can use the room to relax comfortably and even sleep a little if need be.

Baggage services - Facilities catering to baggage are also available at the airport. The baggage services include the wrapping of the luggage, baggage trolleys and porter facilities as well. Dedicated baggage counter can be found at the airport premise. It is located at the departure hall.

ATMs and foreign exchange - There is a slew of local as well as international bank branches present at the airport. In case you need to make any withdrawals or transfers or need to deposit money or exchange currency, you can make all of that happen at Tribhuvan International Airport. The essential services are available at the airport plus, the currency exchange rates offered by them are also quite reasonable and within budget.

Restaurants and cafe - You will find fine restaurants and dining experiences within the airport premise. You can find them at the terminal at both departure and arrival zones. Along with fine dining restaurants, the airport has also installed food courts and establishments that are affordable and easy on the pockets. Since a majority of backpackers and solo travellers travel to and from Tribhuvan International Airport, they have ensured to make the food experience be just as pocket-friendly.

Medical services - The airport offers impeccable medical services to cater to emergency cases that occur within the premise. There are dedicated first aid rooms and pharmacies at Tribhuvan International Airport. This also includes ambulance and other such medical-related services. You can approach the information desk or speak to the airport staff regarding the same if you're feeling under the weather. These services are provided by professionals of Kathmandu Medical College.

How to reach Tribhuvan International Airport

Tribhuvan International Airport is very close to the city centre. In fact, it is only about 6 km from the city centre and Thamel, the main tourist attraction. In just about 1 km from the airport is Pashupatinath Temple. Everything is close to the airport, which makes it easier to reach the Tribhuvan International Airport. You can take various modes of transport to reach Tribhuvan International Airport.

Taxicabs

Taxicabs are also available across the country and are the perfect way to reach Tribhuvan International Airport. However, the only flipside with the taxicab is that it is quite expensive.

Buses and minivans

Nepalis often use buses and minivans as a means to get around in the city. It is the most convenient and affordable ways to reach Tribhuvan International Airport as well. There are frequent buses from the city centre to the airport and other parts of the country. Another good way to reach would be to take up minivans. It is quite an experience as you can sit on top of it and enjoy the serenity of the Kathmandu valley. The minivans and buses will reach you to Pashupatinath Temple, which is less than a kilometre away from the airport. You can walk up to the airport right from the temple.