Lois Larson
Paro International Airport (PBH) is located in the Paro Valley of Bhutan. It is the only international airport in the country and is known for its challenging landing conditions due to its location deep in a valley surrounded by high Himalayan peaks. The airport serves as a vital gateway to Bhutan, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and providing direct flights to and from several countries in Asia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Bhutan |
| City | Paro |
| Location | 6 km from the center of Paro Town in the Paro Valley of Paro Dzongkhag |
| Elevation | 7,332 ft (2,235 m) above mean sea level |
| Surrounding peaks | 18,000 ft (5,500 m) |
| Runway length | 7,431 ft (2,265 m) |
| Number of runways | 1 |
| Number of terminal buildings | 1 |
| Year of construction | 1968 |
| Year of inauguration of commercial flights | 1983 |
| Airlines | Buddha Air, Drukair, Bhutan Airlines, Tashi Air |
| Number of passengers in 2012 | 181,659 |
| Number of passengers in 2018 | 397,599 |
| Number of flights handled in 2018 | 6,761 |
| Number of pilots certified to operate commercial airplanes (as of December 2014) | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
- Paro International Airport is Bhutan's sole international airport
- It is located 6km from Paro Town, in the Paro Valley
- The airport is surrounded by 5,500-metre-high Himalayan peaks
- It is considered one of the most challenging airports in the world for landings
- Only 50 pilots are certified to land at Paro Airport
Paro International Airport is Bhutan's sole international airport
The first airstrip at Paro Airport was built in 1968 by the Indian Border Roads Organisation and was initially used for on-call helicopter operations by the Indian Armed Forces on behalf of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The first commercial flight operated by Bhutan's first airline, Drukair, took off from Paro in 1983. Today, Paro Airport offers direct flights to and from India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Singapore, in addition to domestic flights within Bhutan.
The airport is a vital connection for tourists and locals alike, serving as a gateway to Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom of about 800,000 people. The challenging conditions at the airport have only added to the mystique surrounding travel to Bhutan, a country known for its happiness index and unspoiled natural beauty. The airport has been described as one of the most beautiful airports in the world, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains.
Landing at Paro International Airport is so tricky that only a handful of pilots (around 50 as of 2024) are certified to operate commercial airplanes there. The low air density at high elevations requires aircraft to fly faster, and the short runway between two 18,000-foot peaks demands technical knowledge and a steady nerve from pilots. To ensure optimal safety, airport officials prefer all planes to land before noon due to strong wind conditions in the valley during the afternoon.
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It is located 6km from Paro Town, in the Paro Valley
Paro International Airport is located 6km from Paro Town, in the Paro Valley of Paro Dzongkhag, Bhutan. Paro Town is the seat of Paro District and is located on the banks of the Paro Chhu, 3-4km north of the airport. The town is steeped in history, with many sacred sites and historical buildings scattered throughout the area.
Paro Airport is Bhutan's sole international airport and is served by Bhutan Airlines and Drukair, Bhutan's first airline, which was established by Royal Charter in 1981. The airport is surrounded by mountains as high as 5,500m (18,000 ft) and is 2,235m (7,332 ft) above mean sea level. The challenging location means that only a handful of pilots are certified to operate commercial airplanes there. The airport has a single 2,265m (7,431 ft) asphalt runway and one terminal building, commissioned in 1999.
The airport is accessible by road from Paro Town and the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu, which lies around 54km to the east. The journey from the airport into Paro Town is straightforward. Travellers simply need to head north along the airport road, following the river to the bridge, before turning north again. This road leads directly into the centre of Paro.
Paro Airport is widely considered one of the most technically difficult airports in the world for plane landings. Only a selected number of specially trained pilots are permitted to fly into the airport, and all flights are restricted to daytime hours, from sunrise to sunset. The challenging conditions have added to the mystique surrounding travel to Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom renowned for its beauty and isolation.
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The airport is surrounded by 5,500-metre-high Himalayan peaks
Paro International Airport (PBH) is located in the Paro Valley of Bhutan. It is the sole international airport in the country and is served by Bhutan Airlines and Drukair. The airport is surrounded by 5,500-metre-high Himalayan peaks and is considered one of the most challenging airports for landings due to its location in a deep valley. The airport has a single asphalt runway that is approximately 2,265 metres long, and there is one terminal building.
The first airstrip at Paro Airport was built in 1968 by the Indian Border Roads Organisation for helicopter operations by the Indian Armed Forces on behalf of the Royal Government of Bhutan. It was not until 1981 that the first commercial flight operated by Drukair took off from Paro Airport. The airport has since become a vital connection for tourists and locals, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains.
Due to the challenging conditions, only a limited number of specially trained pilots are permitted to fly aircraft into Paro Airport. Additionally, all flights are restricted to daytime hours, from sunrise to sunset. The low air density at high elevations requires aircraft to fly faster, further adding to the complexity of landings at Paro Airport.
The airport has been described as "the most difficult commercial airport in the world" due to the technical knowledge and skills required for a successful landing. The challenging conditions have even added to the mystique surrounding travel to Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom known for its natural beauty and peaceful isolation.
Despite the challenges, Paro International Airport has seen significant growth in passenger traffic. Between 2012 and 2018, the number of passengers using the airport increased from 181,659 to 397,599, with 6,761 flights handled by the airport in 2018.
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It is considered one of the most challenging airports in the world for landings
Paro International Airport (PBH) is widely considered one of the most technically difficult airports in the world for plane landings. The airport is located in a deep valley 2,235 metres (7,332 feet) above mean sea level and is surrounded by mountains as high as 5,500 metres (18,000 feet). The airport's single runway is 2,265 metres (7,431 feet) long, and landing here requires both technical knowledge and a steady nerve.
The major requirement for aircraft landing at Paro is that they must be capable of flying Kolkata-Paro-Kolkata, a 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) round trip, without refuelling, due to the minimal infrastructure available at the airport. The low air density at this altitude also presents a double challenge, as airplanes must pass by 5,500-metre Himalayan Mountain peaks on approach. As a result, only a handful of pilots (8 as of December 2014) are certified to operate commercial airplanes at Paro.
The airport's challenging conditions have only added to the mystique surrounding travel to Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom of about 800,000 people. The airport is located just six kilometres from the centre of Paro Town, a historic town with many sacred sites and historical buildings.
To ensure optimal safety, airport officials prefer all planes to land before noon due to strong wind conditions. "We try to avoid operations beyond noon because then you get a lot of thermal (winds), the temperatures rising, the rains haven't come in yet," says Dorji, a Druk Air pilot and trainer. "So the land is parched, and you get all these updrafts and get all these anabatic/katabatic winds in the valley in the afternoon. Mornings are much calmer."
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Only 50 pilots are certified to land at Paro Airport
Paro International Airport (PBH) in Bhutan is widely considered one of the most technically difficult airports in the world to land a plane. The airport is nestled between towering 18,000-foot Himalayan peaks and residential areas. Its treacherous approach requires pilots to navigate through a narrow window between the mountains to land on a small 7,431-foot runway. Only about 50 pilots worldwide are certified to land at Paro due to the airport's challenging conditions.
The combination of geographic factors, including the surrounding mountains and the elevation of the airport, makes Paro and much of Bhutan visually stunning. However, these same factors also make flying in and out of Paro a highly specialised skill. The thin air at higher elevations affects aircraft performance, requiring the plane to fly faster through the air to maintain the same true airspeed. As a result, pilots need to have a comprehensive understanding of the local area and the technical knowledge to execute the demanding manoeuvres necessary for a safe landing.
Paro is a Category C airport, which means pilots must have special training to fly there. They must perform the landing manually without radar assistance. The lack of radar also means that there are no night flights at Paro, regardless of the season. The unpredictable weather, including strong winds and the potential for thunderstorms and hail during the monsoon season, further complicates landings at the airport.
The challenging conditions at Paro International Airport have added to the mystique surrounding travel to Bhutan. Pilots who are qualified to land at Paro are celebrated as aviation thrill-seekers, earning a reputation akin to the legendary Maverick from the movie "Top Gun".
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Frequently asked questions
Paro Airport is in Bhutan.
Paro Airport has one runway.
Paro Airport is 7,332 ft (2,235 m) above mean sea level.
The aircraft must be an 18–20 seat STOL-capable aircraft.
Paro Airport is about 3-4 km south of the centre of Paro.
