US-Bangla Managing Director Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun.
US-Bangla Airlines plans to lease 21 Boeing narrowbody aircraft by the end of 2027 to support expansion across Asia and the Middle East, while preparing to add more widebodies for long-haul growth.
The latest fleet expansion comprises 15 737-8s and six 737-800s sourced through five aircraft leasing companies. US-Bangla announced the agreement at a “Beyond with Boeing” event held in Dhaka.
“These aircraft will support our expansion program for 2027 by opening new international destinations, increasing frequencies on existing routes and strengthening Bangladesh’s connectivity with the global economy,” US-Bangla Managing Director Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun said.
The airline has identified Bengaluru, India; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Kathmandu, Nepal; Beijing; Penang, Malaysia; Kuwait City; and Madinah, Saudi Arabia, as prospective destinations, subject to regulatory approval.
US-Bangla is already Bangladesh’s second-largest airline by scheduled capacity, behind state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines. OAG Schedules Analyser data shows the carrier is offering about 1.53 million departing seats during the summer 2026 season, representing 24.2% of total capacity from the country. Its capacity has increased by 6.7% from summer 2025.
The airline’s international capacity is growing more quickly, rising 12.4% year over year to approximately 618,000 departure seats from Bangladesh. US-Bangla accounts for about 15.5% of Bangladesh’s international capacity, up from 14.5% a year earlier.
However, Al Mamun said Bangladeshi airlines collectively carry less than 30% of the country’s international passenger traffic, leaving considerable scope for local operators to capture a greater share of the market.
“Foreign airlines generate nearly $4.5 billion in annual revenue from passengers traveling to and from Bangladesh,” he said. “Every aircraft we add is an investment in our nation’s future, creating jobs, strengthening connectivity and supporting Bangladesh’s economic growth.”
US-Bangla’s largest international route by capacity this summer is Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur, followed by services from Dhaka to Riyadh, Jeddah, Singapore, Dubai, Guangzhou and Bangkok. It also operates to Sharjah, Muscat, Doha, Chennai, Abu Dhabi, Kolkata and Male, alongside flights from Chittagong to several Gulf destinations.
The largest immediate opportunities among its proposed destinations appear to be Kuwait City and Madinah. Sabre Market Intelligence data shows that approximately 383,000 two-way passengers traveled between Bangladesh and Kuwait City during 2025, while the Bangladesh-Madinah market totaled about 365,000 passengers.
However, both markets already have nonstop competition. OAG data shows Biman, Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways serving Kuwait City during summer 2026, while Biman, Saudia and Flynas provide capacity to Madinah.
Elsewhere, Penang and Bengaluru would give US-Bangla first-mover opportunities in nonstop markets. Sabre data shows about 42,000 passengers traveled between Bangladesh and Penang in 2025, while Bengaluru generated approximately 25,000 passengers. OAG data shows no nonstop service to either destination during summer 2026.
Alongside the planned 737 leases, Al Mamun said US-Bangla was preparing to introduce additional widebody aircraft “to connect Bangladesh directly with major destinations across Europe, Oceania and North America.”
A video presented during the event specifically identified Sydney, London and Rome as future destinations under consideration. Sabre data indicates that Bangladesh-London was the largest of those markets in 2025, generating about 267,000 two-way passengers. Sydney recorded approximately 61,000 passengers, while Rome had about 93,000.
US-Bangla currently operates three Airbus A330-300s, nine ATR 72-600s and five 737-800s, according to CAPA – Centre for Aviation Fleet Database. The planned aircraft additions would therefore increase its narrowbody Boeing fleet more than fivefold if all existing 737-800s are retained.
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