Airline profile · South Asia

NOVOAIR

BangladeshRegional carrierSince 2007

VQIATA code
NVQICAO code

NOVOAIR (IATA VQ, ICAO NVQ) is a private Bangladeshi airline, established in 2007, that has flown since 9 January 2013. It operates ATR 72-500 turboprops from Dhaka on domestic routes, which in January 2026 were Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Saidpur. It is not in an alliance.

Founded
2007
First flight
2013-01-09
Headquarters
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Country
Bangladesh
Main hubs
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (DAC)
Airline type
Regional carrier
Alliance
None
Loyalty
SMILES
Ownership
Privately owned Bangladeshi airline. Ownership details were not verified for this profile.
Callsign
NOVO AIR
Website
flynovoair.com

How travel agents book NOVOAIR

GDS distribution

No verified public statement of NOVOAIR's GDS distribution was found for this profile.

NDC

No public NDC programme details verified at time of writing.

Direct channels

Direct bookings are made on flynovoair.com and through the 13603 hotline.

On ReservationHub

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History of NOVOAIR

NOVOAIR was established in 2007 and began commercial flights on 9 January 2013 with a Dhaka to Chattogram service, using Embraer 145 jets. It later moved to ATR 72-500 turboprops and introduced SMILES, which it describes as the first frequent flyer programme for domestic flights in Bangladesh.

The airline grew to seven ATR 72-500s by December 2019, flying from Dhaka to most Bangladeshi airports with domestic service and also to Kolkata in India. Demand on some routes then fell as new road and rail links, including the Padma Bridge in 2022, gave travellers cheaper options. In January 2024 NOVOAIR sold two ATRs to Yeti Airlines of Nepal.

Flights were paused from 2 May 2025 and restarted on 21 May 2025. NOVOAIR has said it wants leased Airbus A320 or A321 jets for an international network to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai, Sharjah and Muscat, but a global shortage of lease aircraft has delayed the plan. By January 2026 it had carried more than 8 million passengers.

Milestones

  1. 2007Company established.
  2. 2013First commercial flight, Dhaka to Chattogram, on 9 January.
  3. 2019Seventh ATR 72-500 delivered in December.
  4. 2024Sold two ATR 72-500s to Yeti Airlines of Nepal in January.
  5. 2025Flights paused on 2 May and resumed on 21 May.
  6. 2026Entered its 14th year with more than 8 million passengers carried.

Fleet

ATR 72-500 Embraer ERJ 145 (retired)

Aircraft types in service as of 2025

NOVOAIR's current aircraft type is the ATR 72-500 turboprop; the Embraer 145 jets it launched with have been replaced. It had seven ATRs in 2019 and sold two to Nepal's Yeti Airlines in January 2024, which leaves five based on press reports. Five ATRs were offered for sale in June 2024, and the airline has been trying to lease Airbus A320-family jets for international flying.

Network and hubs

NOVOAIR flies from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. In January 2026 it operated daily flights to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Saidpur, and added a second Chattogram rotation four days a week.

Earlier networks included Jashore, Rajshahi and Barishal, and the airline's only international route, Dhaka to Kolkata, which was suspended by 2025. Plans for six international routes to Southeast Asia and the Gulf depend on obtaining jet aircraft.

NOVOAIR: frequently asked questions

What are NOVOAIR's airline codes?

NOVOAIR uses the IATA designator VQ, registered to Novoair Limited, and the ICAO code NVQ with the callsign NOVO AIR. NOVOAIR is not an IATA member airline. Its flights are shown as VQ followed by the flight number on Bangladeshi domestic routes.

What aircraft does NOVOAIR fly?

NOVOAIR flies ATR 72-500 turboprops, which seat around 70 passengers. It started in 2013 with Embraer 145 jets, which have since been replaced. The airline has been trying to lease Airbus A320 or A321 jets so that it can launch international routes.

Where does NOVOAIR fly?

In January 2026 NOVOAIR flew daily from Dhaka to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Saidpur. It has flown to Jashore, Rajshahi, Barishal and Kolkata in the past, and plans routes to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai, Sharjah and Muscat once jets arrive.

Does NOVOAIR have a frequent flyer programme?

Yes. NOVOAIR's frequent flyer programme is called SMILES. The airline describes it as the first frequent flyer scheme for domestic flights in Bangladesh. Members earn rewards on NOVOAIR flights, and details are on the airline's website.

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Sources

  1. NOVOAIR — About
  2. NOVOAIR — Contact
  3. NOVOAIR — Press releases
  4. NOVOAIR — Press releases (page 2)
  5. Prothom Alo — Novoair gets new aircraft
  6. The Business Standard — Novoair sells two ATR 72 aircraft
  7. The Business Standard — What four local airlines plan for international expansion
  8. ch-aviation — Bangladesh's NovoAir to resume scheduled flights
  9. IATA — Airline and location code search
  10. FAA — JO 7340.2 Contractions, ICAO aircraft operator designators

Profile updated by the ReservationHub team. Airline details change: confirm schedules, fares and policies with the airline before booking. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.