US-Bangla Airlines, one of Bangladesh's leading private carriers, entered its 13th year of operations on Friday, marking 12 years since launching its inaugural flight on the Dhaka–Jessore route with a Dash 8-Q400 aircraft on July 17, 2014.

Over the past 12 years, the airline has expanded its fleet to 25 aircraft, comprising three Airbus A330-300s, nine Boeing 737-800s, 10 ATR 72-600s, and three Dash 8-Q400s. The carrier said it has consistently maintained an on-time performance rate of more than 90 percent since the start of operations.

Marking the anniversary, Managing Director Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mamun said US-Bangla was well prepared to meet growing competition in the global aviation industry.

He said operating a modern fleet was essential to providing quality service and added that the airline would continue acquiring new aircraft to enhance passenger comfort and operational efficiency.

He also said the carrier was proud of its contribution to Bangladesh's economic development.

Al-Mamun thanked government agencies, private organisations, travel agents, tour operators, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, corporate partners, media outlets, journalists, and the airline's employees for their support over the past 12 years.

US-Bangla currently operates domestic services from Dhaka to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, Saidpur, and Rajshahi. The airline launched its first international route to Kathmandu on May 15, 2016, and now serves destinations including Kolkata, Chennai, Male, Muscat, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, and Guangzhou.

The carrier said it plans to further expand its fleet by adding 15 Boeing 737-8 aircraft and six Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft by 2027. It also confirmed plans to resume scheduled flights to Kathmandu later this year.

As part of its international growth strategy, US-Bangla said it aims to launch services to Kuwait, Bahrain, Madinah, Dammam, Colombo, Johor Bahru, Penang, and Hong Kong by 2027, targeting destinations with large Bangladeshi expatriate communities.

The airline also plans to introduce flights to London, Rome, and other European cities by 2028, followed by services to New York, Toronto, and Sydney by 2030.

US-Bangla was named Best Domestic Airline in 2025, having also received the award in 2015, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The airline currently employs nearly 4,000 people in Bangladesh and overseas and says it contributes significantly to the national economy through taxes and surcharges.

Tickets are available through its website, mobile application, more than 40 sales offices in Bangladesh and abroad, as well as an extensive network of travel agencies. It also operates its SkyStar frequent-flyer programme.

US-Bangla noted that it was the first Bangladeshi airline since independence to operate direct flights to China, Chennai in India, and Male in the Maldives.

The carrier also said it delivers checked baggage within 15 minutes of international flight arrivals as part of its customer service standards.

In addition to passenger services, the airline operates domestic and international cargo services and has supported a range of educational, social, cultural, and sporting initiatives since its establishment.