What NOVOAIR does

NOVOAIR Limited is a privately held Bangladeshi passenger airline headquartered in Banani, Dhaka, founded in 2007 with commercial operations commencing on January 9, 2013 via an inaugural Dhaka–Chattogram flight. The carrier operates a uniform fleet of seven ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft (72 seats each), serving seven domestic destinations — Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, Saidpur, Jashore, Rajshahi, and Barishal — plus an international route to Kolkata, India (temporarily suspended as of 2025). The airline was the first in Bangladesh to introduce several domestic aviation features, including in-flight entertainment, a frequent flyer program (SMILES), co-branded bank cards, a mobile ticketing app, and web check-in. Over 14 years, NOVOAIR has carried more than 8 million passengers across 142,000+ flights and maintains a 98.97%+ on-time performance record, recognized through multiple Bangladesh Monitor awards.

The company's revenue model is anchored in fare-based ticket sales across multiple fare classes (Special Promo, Promo, Special, Discounted, Saver, Flexible), with tiered SMILES miles accrual as a loyalty lever. Ancillary revenue streams include bundled Cox's Bazar holiday packages (flights + hotels from BDT 1,818/month on EMI), group and charter bookings, shuttle services, excess baggage, and a co-branded card partnership program with Eastern Bank (prepaid Mastercard) and Mutual Trust Bank (UnionPay Platinum credit card). Distribution runs through an omnichannel stack: the flynovoair.com website and iOS/Android app, 13+ physical sales offices across Bangladesh, airport counters at five airports, a Kolkata international office, and a network of authorized IATA/non-IATA travel agents using a dedicated online portal. Customers are predominantly individual leisure and business travelers on point-to-point domestic routes, with 24+ partner banks offering zero-interest EMIs to widen affordability.

NOVOAIR's commercial posture is that of a mid-tier regional private carrier in a small, growing domestic market, differentiated by operational reliability metrics, SMILES loyalty ecosystem, and bank co-marketing rather than by scale or network breadth. Notable strategic events include technical partnerships (Buddha Air, 2016), international route entries (Yangon 2015, Kolkata 2016), a temporary full-network suspension in May 2025 followed by resumption and a 15% demand-recovery discount, and ongoing capacity restoration evidenced by Chattogram frequency increases in January 2026.

Name

NOVOAIR

Legal name

NOVOAIR Limited

Website

https://flynovoair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

NOVOAIR is a privately held Bangladeshi airline operating seven ATR 72-500 aircraft on domestic routes to eight cities plus a suspended Kolkata service, serving individual leisure and business travelers through its website, mobile app, sales offices, and travel agents, with the SMILES loyalty program and bank co-branded cards as key differentiators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Passenger Air Transportation

NAICS

Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)

akta.pro primary industry

Turboprop Regional Airlines (THABACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Commuter Airlines (Short-Haul, High-Frequency) (THABACAH)

Keywords

• Passenger air transportation
• Domestic scheduled flights
• Regional airline services
• Turboprop operations
• Air ticket booking

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Airline Ticket Sales: NOVOAIR generates primary revenue through sale of airline tickets on domestic routes within Bangladesh and international routes to Kolkata, India. Tickets are sold at various fare classes including Special Promo, Promo, Special, Discounted, Saver, and Flexible tiers with different mileage accrual rates.
2. Holiday Packages: NOVOAIR offers bundled holiday packages to destinations including Cox's Bazar, combining flights, hotel accommodation, and airport transfers. These packages are sold at starting prices as low as BDT 1,818-2,323 per person per month on EMI basis.
3. Frequent Flyer Program (SMILES): NOVOAIR operates the SMILES frequent flyer program allowing members to earn miles on flights and redeem for free tickets. The program includes co-branded cards with Eastern Bank Limited and Mutual Trust Bank offering additional benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NOVOAIR is a scheduled passenger airline that sells air transportation services, holiday packages, charter flights, and a frequent-flyer loyalty program to travelers in Bangladesh and selected international markets. Its principal routes connect Dhaka with Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, Saidpur, Jashore, Rajshahi, and Barishal domestically, and Kolkata internationally, using ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. Ancillary revenue is generated from baggage fees, seat selection, in-flight catering, and the SMILES loyalty program.

Product overview

NOVOAIR is a Bangladeshi airline operating as a single unified service provider offering passenger air travel. The product portfolio centers on the core flight booking platform (website and mobile app) supplemented by the SMILES frequent flyer loyalty program. The airline provides ancillary services including holiday packages, group bookings, charter flights, and shuttle services. Financial co-branded cards (EBL Prepaid Mastercard and MTB Unionpay Platinum Credit Card) extend the customer relationship through partner banks. All services are interconnected through the central booking system where SMILES membership enables miles accumulation and redemption across flights and partner offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMILES: NOVOAIR's frequent flyer program offering flight miles accrual, redemption facilities, and exclusive member benefits.

Products and services

• Scheduled Passenger Flights (Domestic) Scheduled passenger air transportation between Dhaka and domestic destinations including Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, Saidpur, Jashore, Rajshahi, and Barishal, operated with ATR 72-500 aircraft and targeting leisure, business, and VFR travelers in Bangladesh.
• International Passenger Flights Scheduled international passenger flights from Bangladesh to regional destinations including Kolkata, India, sold to individual travelers, corporate accounts, and travel agencies.
• SMILES Frequent Flyer Program Membership-based loyalty program that lets enrolled travelers earn and redeem SMILES miles on NOVOIR flights, encouraging repeat bookings by individual leisure and business travelers in Bangladesh.
• Holiday Packages Bundled air-plus-tourism packages pairing NOVOIR scheduled or charter flights with leisure travel services, marketed to domestic and inbound leisure travelers visiting destinations such as Cox's Bazar.
• Charter Flights On-demand charter air transportation using ATR 72-500 aircraft, contracted to corporate clients, tour operators, and groups requiring non-scheduled flights within Bangladesh and to regional international destinations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.97%+ on-time performance maintained over multiple years of operations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Rajshahi KingsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 December 2018NOVOAIR became the official Airline Partner of Rajshahi Kings cricket team for Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2019. The partnership included promotional activities and visibility for NOVOAIR brand during cricket matches, with agreement signed between NOVOAIR's Head of Marketing & Sales and Rajshahi Kings Chairman.
• Eastern Bank Limited (EBL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVOAIR and Eastern Bank Limited jointly offer the EBL NOVOAIR Co-Branded Prepaid MasterCard - Bangladesh's first such card for a local airline. The dual-currency (USD & BDT) EMV prepaid card allows SMILES members to earn 200 bonus miles on signup, enjoy priority services at NOVOAIR counters, priority check-in and boarding, excess baggage allowances, and VIP car services for Platinum tier members. Card provides free reload, global ATM access, and discounts at 1,300+ partner merchants.
• Mutual Trust Bank (MTB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVOAAIR partnered with Mutual Trust Bank to offer MTB NOVOAIR Co-Branded Unionpay Platinum Credit Card. Benefits include 10% discount on base fare for first year on all domestic and international routes, complimentary access to MTB Air Lounges at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (Dhaka), Shah Amanat International Airport (Chattogram), Osmani International Airport (Sylhet), and Cox's Bazar Airport. Cardholders receive Meet & Greet Service at HSIA Dhaka, and earn 20% more SMILES miles per flight.
• 24+ Partner Banks for EMIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNOVOAIR partnered with over 24 leading banks in Bangladesh to facilitate zero-interest installment payment facilities for holiday packages and air tickets. Banks include Eastern Bank (EBL), Mutual Trust Bank (MTB), Standard Chartered Bank, City Bank, BRAC Bank, and 19+ others. Customers can purchase tickets and packages on 6-month EMI with no additional charges or processing fees.
• 17+ Hotel Partners (Cox's Bazar)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNOVOAIR partnered with 17+ hotels in Cox's Bazar for holiday packages including Hotel Sea Palace, Windy Terrace, Grace Cox Smart Hotel, Hotel Kollol, Neeshorgo Hotel & Resort, Best Western Heritage Hotel, Best Western Bay Hill, Hotel Cox Today, Long Beach Hotel, Ocean Paradise Hotel & Resort, Green Nature Resort & Suites, Seagull Hotel, Ramada Hotel, Dera Resort & Spa, Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa, and others. Packages include free hotel stay with return ticket purchases.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines): Royal airline of Bhutan operating regional turboprop (ATR) service connecting South Asian gateways, with a similar small-fleet, short-haul, government-linked regional model to NOVOAIR's Bangladesh domestic network.
• Yeti Airlines: Nepalese domestic regional airline operating a turboprop fleet (ATR 72-500s and older types) on short-haul mountain and trunk routes, comparable in fleet philosophy, route profile, and emerging-market operating environment to NOVOAIR.

Broad incumbents

• Air India: India's flag carrier operating full-service domestic and international service, including routes that overlap with NOVOAIR's Bangladesh-India cross-border market. Represents the broader incumbent benchmark for international connectivity out of the region.
• IndiGo: India's largest carrier and dominant LCC, serving similar South Asian leisure/business traveler segments as NOVOAIR but at much greater scale. Relevant as a benchmark for unit economics, distribution, and digital-first booking in the regional market.
• SpiceJet: Indian low-cost carrier historically operating a meaningful turboprop/Q400 regional fleet alongside narrowbodies, providing a comparable regional short-haul operating model to NOVOAIR within the broader South Asian market context.
• Biman Bangladesh Airlines: State-owned national flag carrier of Bangladesh offering a much broader domestic and international network than NOVOAIR, including widebody long-haul capability, and sets the incumbent benchmark against which private peers like NOVOAIR compete.

Direct peers

• Regent Airways: Bangladeshi private airline operating domestic trunk routes and select international services with a similar business model and target customer base to NOVOAIR, providing direct competitive overlap on Dhaka-origin traffic.
• US-Bangla Airlines: Bangladesh-based private airline and the closest direct competitor to NOVOAIR, operating domestic routes across the same cities (Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, Saidpur, Jashore) and competing head-to-head for the same leisure and business passengers.

Emerging players

• Malindo Air: Malaysian-Indonesian hybrid carrier with regional short-haul operations across South and Southeast Asia, comparable to NOVOAIR as a smaller emerging-market operator pursuing regional connectivity and bundled holiday/leisure travel.
• Buddha Air: Nepal's largest private airline, operating a comparable ATR 72-500 turboprop fleet on short-haul regional routes. NOVOAIR signed a 2016 technical partnership with Buddha Air for ATR 72-500 support, making it a directly comparable regional turboprop operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NOVOAIR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/flynovoair
• Facebookfacebook.com/flynovoair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/novoair
• Instagraminstagram.com/flynovoair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NOVOAIR