Kathmandu, Feb. 7 -- International passenger traffic at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) crossed the five-million mark for the first time in 2025, driven largely by a surge in outbound travel by migrant workers and students, even as growth in tourist arrivals moderated.

Airport statistics show that TIA handled a record 5.04 million international passengers in 2025, up 1.64 percent year-on-year. On average, the airport processed 13,822 international passengers a day.

International traffic at the Kathmandu airport has increased fivefold over the past two-and-a-half decades. In 2000, TIA handled just 1.06 million international passengers.

Nepal welcomed 1.15 million foreign visitors in 2025, a marginal increase of around ...