Druk Air
Bhutan · ROYAL BHUTAN · Active
Airline Identity
History
Drukair, Royal Bhutan Airlines, was established on 5 April 1981 and began flying on 11 February 1983 as Bhutan's first airline, opening the isolated Himalayan kingdom to scheduled international air travel with a single Dornier 228 flying between Kolkata and Paro. It moved to BAe 146 jets in 1988, aircraft specially suited to Paro Airport's challenging mountain approach at over 2,200 metres elevation, which enabled expansion to Delhi, Bangkok, and Kathmandu. The airline modernized further in 2004 with the acquisition of Airbus A319s and recorded its first profitable year in 2007, cementing its role as the principal air gateway supporting Bhutan's tightly managed tourism industry.
Current Operations
Drukair remains Bhutan's flag carrier, wholly owned by the state holding company Druk Holding and Investments, and operates from its sole hub at Paro Airport to around 19 destinations across South and Southeast Asia including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the UAE. Its fleet centers on Airbus A319s and a newer A320neo, supplemented by an ATR 42-600 and helicopters for charter work, with further A320neo and A321XLR aircraft on order. It belongs to no global alliance but holds codeshare and interline agreements with carriers such as Turkish Airlines and Nepal Airlines.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.