Pakistan's Airport Network: A Comprehensive Overview

Pakistan has a total of 69 airports, including three major hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. However, some sources state that there are 151 airports in Pakistan, including domestic, military, and international airports. These airports are operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, except for the first privately-owned airport in the country and in South Asia, the Sialkot International Airport. Military airbases are primarily managed by the Pakistan Air Force, except for the Dhamial and Tarbela Army Aviation Airbases, which are under the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Army.

Pakistan's busiest airports

Pakistan has a total of 69 airports, including three major hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. The busiest airport in Pakistan is the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, which is also the largest airport in the country. It is named after Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. The airport is located around 14 kilometres from Karachi's city centre and has three large passenger terminals that handle both domestic and international flights. The airport has a capacity of over 10 million passengers per year and serves as a hub for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), airblue, and many other private airlines.

The second busiest airport in Pakistan is the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, which is also the second-largest airport in the country. It operates both international and domestic flights and comprises a new terminal complex and an old terminal. The old terminal includes a State Lounge and Hajj Lounge, while the new terminal can handle 4.21 million passengers and 85,000 tons of cargo per year.

The third busiest airport in Pakistan is the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad, which is located outside the city in the area of Chaklala, Rawalpindi. As the airport of the country's capital, it frequently hosts V-VIPs, VIPs, foreign delegates, and business communities. The airport schedules both domestic and international flights and has processed over 80,000 tons of cargo, mostly in the international sector.

The fourth busiest airport in Pakistan is the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar, which is located in the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This airport is also known as the "Gateway to the East" due to its regular flights to China, Malaya, Singapore, Europe, and America.

Other major airports in Pakistan include the Multan International Airport, the Faisalabad International Airport, the New Gwadar International Airport, and the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport.

The country's privately-owned airports

Pakistan has a total of 69 airports, including three major hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. Six additional medium-sized airports are located in Peshawar, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Sukkur, while the remaining are classified as smaller airports.

Most civil airports in Pakistan are operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. However, Sialkot International Airport, owned by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is Pakistan's first privately-owned airport and the first of its kind in South Asia. It is open to both domestic and international flights.

Sialkot International Airport covers an area of 1014 acres and facilitates more than 680,489 passengers with air transportation. The airport is located 14 km west of Sialkot city. Before the opening of the new Islamabad International Airport, the Sialkot airport had the longest runway in Pakistan.

The airport offers many facilities to passengers, including:

• Passenger Porter Services
• Tuck Shop & Restaurants
• ATMs, Currency Exchange, and Banks
• Passenger Facilitation Services (PFS)

Pakistan has approximately 151 airports in total, including domestic, military, and international airports. There are three major international airports: Islamabad International Airport, Jinnah International Airport Karachi, and Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore.

Military airbases

Pakistan has a total of 69 airports, including three major hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. The country's military airbases, on the other hand, are primarily managed by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The PAF is responsible for the aerial defence of Pakistan and also provides support to the Pakistan Army and Navy when required.

As of 2024, the PAF had more than 70,000 active-duty personnel and is the largest Air Force in the Muslim world in terms of aircraft fleet size. It was established in 1947 and currently operates from 27 airbases, 19 of which are flying bases, and 8 are non-flying bases.

The flying bases are further classified into two categories: Major Operational Bases and Forward Operational Bases. The Major Operational Bases include the Northern Air Command and the Southern Air Command, both of which have several wings under them. The Forward Operational Bases include PAF Base Rahimyar Khan, PAF Base Kallar Kahar, PAF Base Korangi Creek, and others.

The PAF also has several training institutes, such as the Pakistan Air Force Academy, the Combat Commanders' School, and the PAF Airpower Centre of Excellence.

International airports

Pakistan has a total of 69 airports, including three major hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. Of these, there are 11 international airports in Pakistan.

The primary international airports are located in the three major hubs of Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. The Karachi airport is called the Jinnah International Airport, the Islamabad airport is called the Islamabad International Airport, and the Lahore airport is called the Allama Iqbal International Airport. These primary international airports are the largest in the country.

In addition to the primary international airports, there are several secondary international airports in Pakistan. These include the following:

• Dera Ghazi Khan International Airport
• Faisalabad International Airport
• New Gwadar International Airport
• Multan International Airport
• Peshawar Bacha Khan International Airport
• Quaid-e-Azam International Airport
• Shaikh Zayed International Airport
• Sialkot International Airport
• Begum Nusrat Bhutto International Airport in Sukkur
• Turbat International Airport

The Sialkot International Airport stands out as Pakistan's first privately owned airport and the first of its kind in South Asia.

Domestic airports

Pakistan has a total of 69 airports, including three major hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. Six additional medium-sized airports are located in Peshawar, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Sukkur, while the remaining are classified as smaller airports.

Most civil airports in Pakistan are operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. However, Sialkot International Airport is Pakistan's first privately owned airport and is open to both domestic and international flights. Military airbases are primarily managed by the Pakistan Air Force, except for the Dhamial and Tarbela Army Aviation Airbases, which are under the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Army.

• Dera Ghazi Khan Airport
• Dera Ismail Khan Airport
• Rahim Yar Khan Airport
• Saidu Sharif Airport
• Kalat Airport
• Abbottabad Airport
• Attock Airport
• Bahawalnagar Airport
• Bahawalpur Airport
• Bhagatanwala Airport
• Campbellpore Airport
• Chilas Airport
• Chitral Airport
• Dalbandin Airport
• Faisalabad Airport
• Gilgit Airport
• Gujrat Airport
• Gwadar Airport
• Hyderabad Airport
• Jacobabad Airport
• Jiwani Airport
• Kadanwari Airport
• Khuzdar Airport
• Lora Lai Airport
• Mangla Airport
• Mansehra Airport
• Mianwali Airport
• Mirpur Khas Airport
• Mohenjodaro Airport
• Muzaffarabad Airport
• Nawabshah Airport
• Nushki Airport
• Ormara Airport
• Panjgur Airport
• Para Chinar Airport
• Peshawar Airport
• Quetta Airport
• Rawala Kot Airport
• Sahiwal Airport
• Sargodha Airport
• Sehwan Sharif Airport
• Shikarpur Airport
• Skardu Airport
• Sukkur Airport
• Taftan Airport
• Talhar Airport
• Tarbela Airport
• Turbat Airport

Frequently asked questions