Himalaya Airlines is adding another route to China. From September 2026 the Nepalese carrier is scheduling a new service between Kathmandu and Shanghai Pudong International Airport, with the Airbus A320 assigned to operate it.
The schedule
Service begins on 7 September 2026. The outbound flight, H9780, departs Kathmandu at 18:25 and arrives at Shanghai Pudong at 02:00 the following morning, operating on Mondays and Fridays. The return, H9781, leaves Shanghai Pudong at 03:00 and arrives back in Kathmandu at 08:35, operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays. That gives the route a twice-weekly frequency in each direction, with an overnight rotation that keeps the aircraft turning quickly in Shanghai.
The Airbus A320 is listed for both flights. The type is a single-aisle twinjet seating in the region of 150 to 180 passengers depending on configuration, and it is the backbone of Himalaya Airlines' operation.
Why Shanghai
Himalaya Airlines is a Nepal-China joint venture and its network has always leaned toward Chinese destinations, so adding Shanghai Pudong extends an existing strategy rather than opening a new front. Pudong is China's largest international gateway and one of the busiest airports in Asia, which brings connecting reach well beyond the local Shanghai market.
For Kathmandu, the appeal runs in both directions. Nepal's tourism industry has spent years working to rebuild long-haul and regional arrivals, and Chinese visitors have historically been one of the larger inbound groups. A direct link to a hub the size of Pudong also matters for outbound traffic from Nepal, including students, workers and traders who would otherwise connect through a Gulf or South Asian hub.
An overnight rotation with a purpose
The late-evening departure from Kathmandu and pre-dawn turnaround in Shanghai is a common pattern for narrowbody operators working a route close to the practical limit of the aircraft's range and crew duty rules. It keeps the aircraft productive overnight, when it would otherwise be sitting on the ground in Kathmandu, and delivers passengers into Shanghai in time to connect onto morning departures.
Twice-weekly is a cautious start, and that is normal for a new international route. Frequencies on services of this kind typically move up or down after the first season depending on how loads develop, so the September launch is best read as a first test of the market rather than a settled commitment.
Sources: AeroRoutes. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Elena Vargas.
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