How to get to Bangladesh: airports, flights and border crossings

For a first trip, book into Dhaka (DAC). It is the only Bangladeshi airport with a broad long-haul network, so you can usually reach it with one connection from North America, Europe, Australia or New Zealand, and it is the hub for onward domestic flights. Chattogram (CGP) and Cox's Bazar (CXB) work if your trip is only the coast or the southeast, but they add a connection and fewer schedule options.

Land entry from India is possible at Benapole, Akhaura and Tamabil, and there are a few smaller crossings. It is cheap and interesting, but expect long queues, slow paperwork and a full travel day. Sea entry is not a practical route for most travellers.

Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) is the main gateway. Most travellers connect through a Gulf hub (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Riyadh), Istanbul, or a Southeast Asian hub such as Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. Nonstop times are short from those hubs: roughly 4–6 hours from the Gulf, 3–4 hours from Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, and 2–3 hours from Delhi or Kolkata. From the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, plan on one or two connections and 14–30 hours door to door depending on your start point and layover.

Chattogram (CGP) and Cox's Bazar (CXB) have smaller international schedules, mostly regional. If you want to start on the coast, compare a through ticket to CXB against a cheap flight to Dhaka plus a domestic hop. Domestic tickets are inexpensive, but build in buffer time: delays and cancellations happen, especially in the monsoon.

At Dhaka airport, immigration and baggage can take a while at peak arrival banks. Keep your onward address and a printed or offline copy of your visa or approval ready. Change a small amount of cash at the airport for the taxi, then use city exchanges or ATMs for the rest.

Bangladesh shares its land borders with India and Myanmar. The practical crossings for travellers are with India: Benapole, the busiest, used by buses and trains from Kolkata; Akhaura, near Brahmanbaria, for trips from Agartala and Tripura; and Tamabil, near Sylhet, for arrivals from Shillong and Meghalaya. Smaller crossings exist but have fewer facilities and slower processing.

Cross-border buses and the Maitree Express train between Kolkata and Dhaka are established options; check current schedules, days of operation and ticket rules before you plan around them, because services change. At any land crossing, expect queues, form-filling and a slow onward journey. Do not plan a tight connection on the same day.

The Myanmar border is not a route for ordinary tourism; check your government's travel advice before considering any crossing there. Sea entry by passenger ferry is not a realistic option for most visitors; if you arrive by private yacht or cruise, clearance procedures apply and should be arranged in advance.

Check your visa route first: Bangladesh runs an e-visa system and, for some nationalities, visa on arrival, but the rules and eligible countries change. Confirm on an official government source, and read your own government's travel advice for the areas you plan to visit. Some districts and the Hill Tracts have extra permit or advisory considerations.

Match your arrival airport to your itinerary. If your first nights are in Dhaka, fly to Dhaka. If you are going straight to Cox's Bazar or the Hill Tracts, price a flight to Chattogram or Cox's Bazar before defaulting to the capital. Travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation is worth arranging before you fly; check what it covers for the activities you plan.

Finally, treat every journey as longer than it looks. Dhaka traffic, monsoon flooding and domestic flight delays all add hours. A relaxed first day near your arrival airport is usually better than a same-day dash across the country.