✓ Policy web-verified 2026-06-20
Buddha Air, Nepal’s biggest domestic carrier, never strips your checked bag down to zero the way a European low-cost airline does. Every fare includes a checked allowance — the only question is how generous. The cheapest deal fares (Charlie, Delta and Echo) get you 15 kg checked plus a 5 kg cabin bag. Pay up to the mid-tier Apex or Bravo and that climbs to 20 kg; the full-flex Normal fare gives you the maximum 25 kg.
This is a weight-based system, not the piece-based Basic/Light/Standard ladder you see on Western carriers — there’s no fare where you simply have no hold bag. What changes is the kilo ceiling, and on Buddha Air’s short hops (Kathmandu to Pokhara, Bharatpur, Biratnagar and the international Kolkata run) 15 kg is plenty for most travellers. The trap is excess weight, which is billed per kilo by sector and adds up fast on a heavy trekking load.
Quick facts
| Free cabin / hand carry | 55 x 40 x 20 cm, 5 kg, one piece |
| Cheapest fare checked bag | 15 kg (Charlie / Delta / Echo fares) |
| Mid-tier checked bag | 20 kg (Apex / Bravo fares) |
| Top fare checked bag | 25 kg (Normal Y fare) |
| Allowance type | Weight-based, all fares include a hold bag |
| Excess baggage | Charged per kg by sector (approx. NPR 100-450/kg) |
| Sports / trekking gear | Checked only, never in cabin |
| Network | Nepal domestic + Kolkata (India) |
Cabin bag & personal item
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Hand carry / cabin bag | 55 x 40 x 20 cm, max 5 kg, one piece — included on every fare |
| Personal item | No separate free personal item; the 5 kg hand carry is your only cabin allowance |
Checked baggage & fees
| Cheapest fares (Charlie C / Delta D / Echo E) | 15 kg included |
| Mid fares (Apex A / Bravo B) | 20 kg included |
| Full fare (Normal Y) | 25 kg included |
| Excess baggage | Per-kg by route, e.g. Kathmandu-Pokhara ~NPR 165/kg, Kathmandu-Biratnagar ~NPR 245/kg, Kathmandu-Kolkata ~NPR 440/kg (plus 13% VAT / 5% GST) |
| Infants | Same 5 kg cabin allowance; no separate checked allowance |
Baggage by region & route
Checked-bag inclusion on the cheapest fare can depend on where you fly, not just the fare name. Here is what the lowest fare includes by route:
| Route / region | Cheapest fare includes |
|---|---|
| Nepal domestic (all routes) | 15-25 kg included, by fare class |
| Kathmandu-Kolkata (international) | 15-25 kg included, by fare class (excess billed higher per kg) |
What each fare includes
| Fare | Personal / cabin | Cabin dims | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal (Y) | 5 kg hand carry | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 25 kg |
| Apex (A) / Bravo (B) | 5 kg hand carry | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 20 kg |
| Charlie (C) / Delta (D) / Echo (E) | 5 kg hand carry | 55 x 40 x 20 cm | 15 kg |
What you actually get on a cheap fare
On a cheap Buddha Air deal fare you still get a real checked bag — that’s the good news, and it’s unusual for a discount fare. The cheapest Charlie, Delta and Echo tickets carry 15 kg in the hold plus the 5 kg cabin bag, so a typical traveller doesn’t need to buy anything extra. What you’re giving up versus the pricier Apex/Bravo or full Normal fare isn’t the bag itself, it’s the kilos: 15 kg instead of 20 or 25, and tighter change/refund rules.
Budget for excess, not for a bag. If you’re flying with trekking gear or a heavy duffel, the per-kilo excess charge is sector-priced and can sting — roughly NPR 165/kg out of Kathmandu to Pokhara and up to NPR 440/kg on the Kolkata run, before VAT and GST. If you know you’ll be over 15 kg, the cheaper move is often to book up one fare tier for the extra 5 kg rather than pay per-kilo excess at the airport.
Oversize, sports & special items
Sports and trekking equipment — cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks and trekking poles — must go in the hold, never the cabin, and count against your weight allowance (excess charged per kg over your limit). On Buddha Air’s small turboprop fleet (ATR 72s and Beechcraft 1900Ds) hold space is genuinely limited, so oversized or odd-shaped items are worth flagging at booking.
For 2026 Buddha Air kept the weight-based fare-class structure (Normal/Apex/Bravo/Charlie/Delta/Echo), with the 5 kg / 55 x 40 x 20 cm cabin limit and the 15/20/25 kg checked tiers unchanged. There is no EU-style cabin-bag baseline here — this is a Nepali domestic carrier, and the rules are weight-and-fare-class, not piece-based.
Frequently asked questions
Does the cheapest Buddha Air fare include a checked bag?
Yes. Even the lowest Charlie, Delta and Echo fares include 15 kg of checked baggage plus a 5 kg cabin bag. Unlike Western low-cost carriers, Buddha Air has no fare that gives you zero hold allowance.
How much checked baggage do I get on each fare?
Normal (Y) fares get 25 kg, Apex (A) and Bravo (B) fares get 20 kg, and Charlie (C), Delta (D) and Echo (E) fares get 15 kg. All include a 5 kg cabin bag.
What is the cabin baggage limit on Buddha Air?
One hand-carry piece up to 5 kg, maximum 55 x 40 x 20 cm. This is included on every fare; there is no separate free personal item beyond it.
How much is excess baggage on Buddha Air?
Excess is charged per kilo by sector. Examples include roughly NPR 165/kg Kathmandu-Pokhara, NPR 245/kg Kathmandu-Biratnagar and NPR 440/kg Kathmandu-Kolkata, all before 13% VAT and 5% GST.
Is baggage allowance different on international flights?
The same weight-by-fare-class structure (15-25 kg) applies on the international Kathmandu-Kolkata route as on domestic flights. The main difference is that per-kg excess rates are higher on the Kolkata sector.
Can I carry trekking poles or sports gear in the cabin?
No. Trekking poles, cricket bats, golf clubs and hockey sticks must be checked into the hold. They count toward your weight allowance and trigger per-kg excess if you go over.
How much baggage does an infant get?
Infants receive the same 5 kg cabin/hand-carry allowance and dimensions. There is no separate free checked allowance specified for infants.
Should I pay excess or book a higher fare?
If you expect to exceed your fare’s limit, booking up one tier for an extra 5 kg is often cheaper than paying per-kilo excess at the airport — especially on the higher-rate sectors like Kolkata.