Direct flights from Birmingham to Pakistan return as PIA restarts Islamabad route on 1 December

Direct flights between Birmingham and Pakistan are coming back. Pakistan International Airlines will resume services from Birmingham Airport to Islamabad on 1 December after a years-long absence, giving the city's large Pakistani community a non-stop route home for the first time in years, Birmingham Live reports.

Flights will run three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, using a Boeing 777. It will be the only direct service from the region to Pakistan.

Strong demand from Birmingham

The return answers years of demand from travellers. In 2025, more than 178,000 passengers made the return trip between Birmingham and Pakistan using indirect services, because there was no direct connection from the airport. Those journeys typically meant changing planes in the Gulf or travelling to another UK airport first.

Birmingham and the surrounding area are home to more than 320,000 people of Pakistani heritage, and the new flights are expected to be particularly popular with people visiting friends and relatives.

PIA resumed flights to Manchester in October, and Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, said at the time that he was "determined" to bring back flights to Birmingham too.

"Strong links between our region and Pakistan"

Matt Hazelwood, chief commercial officer at Birmingham Airport, said: "We welcome PIA back to BHX as an airline partner. There are strong links between our region and Pakistan, with many people travelling to spend time with family and friends."

"With flights taking off three times a week, PIA will give passengers more choice and convenience when planning their journeys. We look forward to seeing the service get under way in December."

Adrian Hamilton-Manns, PIA's chief executive, called the resumption "an important step in restoring PIA's UK network and strengthening air links between Pakistan and the United Kingdom".

"Birmingham and the wider Midlands region are home to a significant Pakistani community, and this service will make it easier for overseas Pakistanis to reconnect with their families and loved ones," he said. "We are pleased to return to Birmingham and remain committed to expanding our international network and enhancing the travel experience for our valued passengers."

Good timing for winter travel

The first flights will take off in early December, in time for the busy winter travel season.

A direct flight saves many hours compared with connecting routes, avoids the stress of a missed connection and makes travel easier for older passengers and families with young children. Flying from Birmingham also saves the trip to Manchester or London for people across the city.

Good news for the airport

For Birmingham Airport, the route adds a long-haul service at a time when it has been working to grow its network, and follows the recent loss of its flight to Delhi, which was described as a "real loss" for the city's Indian community. A three-times-weekly Boeing 777 brings a significant number of seats, and long-haul routes like this also support jobs at the airport, from check-in and baggage handling to catering and security.