Flights To Tibet from India

Tibet has been a very special and unique destination for most religious people, ranging from Hinduism and Jainism to Buddhism for thousands of years. As a result, lots of people come to Tibet because it’s the place where their religions once originated, especially many Indian Hindu pilgrims. In a word, they come to Tibet to get closer to their spirituality.

There are currently no direct flights from India to Tibet. You can fly to Lhasa via Kathmandu or via major cities in mainland China. The transit flight cost from Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport to Lhasa Gonggar Airport is about 67,725 INR or 7,187 CNY on average.

India to Tibet via Nepal

From India to Kathmandu, then getting to Lhasa from Kathmandu is a good way which is quite an easy and popular travel route. Because India and Nepal border on land and the flight routes are short, Indian travelers have a lower flying cost. Also because there is a visa-free travel policy between the two countries, Indian citizens can enter Nepal by holding their ID cards. Therefore, Nepal is the preferred gateway for Indian passport holders to enter Tibet. You can reach Kathmandu in two ways - either by flight or by road.

Delhi and Other Cities to Kathmandu

There are seven direct flights from Delhi to Kathmandu. The time that is taken to reach Kathmandu by plane is about one hour and forty-five minutes. The cost is approximately US$90, which is approximately 6,538 INR. However, the connecting flights are going to cost you nearly 6 hours and 40 minutes.

Besides Delhi, Kathmandu can also be reached from Ahmadabad, Goa, Bengaluru Varanasi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. But direct flights are only available from Varanasi, and Mumbai to Kathmandu. The average cost of flights from Mumbai to Kathmandu is 10,240 INR while that from Delhi is 6,538 INR. What makes the price so different? The flight distance from Mumbai to Kathmandu is 1,590km, while the flight distance from Delhi to Kathmandu is just 813km.

And there're high-frequency direct/connecting flights from the above cities to Kathmandu, among which most of the connecting flights have a layover in Delhi. Here're the details from India to Kathmandu by road or by flight.

• Delhi(DEL): 1,174.4km by road; Non-stop flight for 1hr 45min;
• Ahmedabad (AMD): 1,871.9 km by road; 5h 50m duration by flight, 1 stop;
• Goa (GOI): 2,348.1 km by road; 7h 35m duration by flight, 2 stops;
• Bengaluru (BLR): 2,383.7 km by road; 6h 15m duration by flight, 1 stop;
• Varanasi (VNS): 498.9 km by road; Non-stop flying time is 55 minutes;
• Mumbai(BOM): 1,999.6 km by road; Non-stop flight duration is 2 hours 35 minutes; the average cost is 10,240 INR or 1,086 CNY; flights are available every day;
• Hyderabad(HYD): 1,792.4 km by road; 5h 55m duration by flight, 1 stop at DEL;
• Kolkata(CCU): 875.9 km by road; 24h 40min duration by flight, 1 stop at DEL;

So if possible, you are suggested to fly to Delhi first as there are multiple planes to Kathmandu almost every single day. In addition, the services of the flights are extremely fantastic, offering different kinds of mocktails and delicacies for your choice. The flight tickets can be booked from online websites of tourism or ask us for help.

To fly to Kathmandu from Delhi or other cities in India, please take your valid Passport or Voter ID Card as Indian citizens do not need a visa to enter Nepal.

Kathmandu – Lhasa

Nepal is the only country with direct flights to Lhasa. There are direct flights operated by Himalayan Airlines on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The cost is about US$300 or 22,069 INR. The flight time is about one and a half hours for a 590km journey. >>Check more about Kathmandu to Lhasa flights

To fly to Lhasa from Kathmandu, you need first to obtain a China Group Visa, which requires 4 participants to apply together and wait for 3 working days, with an invitation letter from the Tibet Tourism Bureau and your passport. In addition, a Tibet Visa is also a must-have document for you to board the plane. >>Check more about Tibet visa for Indian citizens

Please book a Tibet tour with a Tibet travel agency to secure the invitation letter and your Tibet visa.

Delhi to Tibet via Major Chinese Cities

It is feasible to travel from Delhi to Tibet by flight through mainland Chinese cities. There are frequent flights from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi to the major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. At the same time, there are connecting flights operated by several airlines to multiple airports across China. Some airfare comparison websites provide competitive prices for your choice. So it's better to choose your most suitable departure airport.

Delhi to Tibet via Chengdu

Delhi - Chengdu

Distance: 2600 kilometers / 1616 miles.

Average flight time: 4 hours 45 minutes/direct flight - 18 hours 10 minutes/transfer

The recommended flight is IndiGo Airlines (21:40-04:55). The flight costs about US$232 or 18,912 INR and takes about 4 hours and 45 minutes.

Chengdu - Lhasa

For the second half of the flight journey, you have multiple choices as there're more than 15 daily flights from Chengdu to Lhasa. Almost all depart from Sichuan Shuangliu International Airport and land at Lhasa Gonggar Airport after 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The cheapest flight is Air China CA4405 (06:15-08:40). The fare is about 1400 CNY or 15,650 INR per way, plus the airport construction fee of 60 CNY, the total fare is 1,460 CNY or 16,320 INR. >>Check more about Chengdu-Lhasa flights

Delhi to Tibet via Beijing

Delhi – Beijing

Distance: 3775.56 kilometers / 2346.02 miles.

Average flight time: 10 hours 30 minutes / direct flight) - 32 hours 40 minutes/transfer:

The recommended flight is Air China CA948 (22:40-11:40). The flight costs about US$580 or 47,278 INR and takes about 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Beijing - Lhasa

For the second half of the flight journey, you have three choices. They all depart from Beijing Capital International Airport T3. The departure times are 07:35, 08:15, and 14:50 respectively.

The full fare is 3,260 CNY or 36,658 INR per way, plus the airport construction fee and fuel cost of 60 CNY, the total fare is 3,320 CNY or 37,332 INR, and the annual discount is very small. >>Check more about Beijing-Lhasa flights

Delhi to Tibet via Shanghai

New Delhi – Shanghai

Distance: 4,245.53 kilometers / 2,638.05 miles.

Average flight time: 6 hours 10 minutes/direct flight - 24 hours 55 minutes/transfer:

The recommended flight is Air India AI348 (11:55-20:20). The flight cost is about US$400 or 32,606 INR and it takes about 6 hours.

Shanghai - Lhasa

For the second half of your flight journey, there are two choices, one flight MU2335 (06:45-14:40) in the morning takes off from Pudong Airport T1, and the afternoon flight (TV9882 16:45-23:25) from Hongqiao Airport T2 terminal take off.

The price of each one-way ticket is 3,360 CNY or 40,376 INR, and the airport construction fee and fuel cost are 60 CNY, totaling 3,420 CNY or 41,098 INR per ticket. >>Check more about Shanghai to Lhasa flights

Delhi to Tibet via Guangzhou

Delhi – Guangzhou

Distance: 3,640.84 kilometers / 2262.31 miles.

Average flight time: 5 hours 5 minutes/direct flight - 27 hours 30 minutes/transfer

The recommended flight is China Southern Airlines CZ360 (00:05-07:15), the flight cost is about US$520 or 38,246 INR, and it takes about 5 hours and 5 minutes.

Guangzhou - Lhasa

There is only one flight from Guangzhou to Lhasa a day. China Southern Airlines CZ3463 (08:25-14:40) takes off from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport T2.

The face price of each one-way ticket is 2,930 CNY or 35,209 INR, and the airport construction fee is 60 CNY, totaling 2,990 CNY or 35,930 INR. >>Check more about Guangzhou to Lhasa flights

To get to mainland China, please apply for a China visa in advance. Also, a Tibet visa is required for getting to Lhasa.