Direct connection returns to Birmingham
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is to resume direct flights between Birmingham Airport and Islamabad from 1 December 2026, restoring a route expected to be closely watched by travellers across the West Midlands. The service will operate three times each week and is being brought back after what the airline and airport describe as strong demand from passengers in the region.
The route will provide the only direct service from the Midlands to Pakistan, according to the announcement. It is expected to be particularly important for people travelling to visit relatives and friends, as well as for passengers who have previously had to use connecting flights. Birmingham Airport said the service follows the reinstatement of PIA’s UK routes.
“There are strong links between our region and Pakistan, with many people travelling to spend time with family and friends,” said Matt Hazelwood, Birmingham Airport’s chief commercial officer.
The scale of the potential market is reflected in the figures supplied by the airport. More than 320,000 people of Pakistani heritage live in the West Midlands, while more than 178,000 passengers travelled between Birmingham and Pakistan via indirect flights in 2025. Those figures indicate substantial existing demand for journeys between the region and Pakistan, although they do not predict how many passengers will use the restored direct service.
Timetable and aircraft
PIA is scheduled to use a Boeing 777 on the route. Departures from Birmingham are planned for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, giving passengers three weekly opportunities to travel without a change of aircraft or airport on the journey to Islamabad.
| Service detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Airline | Pakistan International Airlines |
| Route | Birmingham to Islamabad |
| Launch date | 1 December 2026 |
| Frequency | Three flights each week |
| Aircraft | Boeing 777 |
| Departure days | Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday |
Adrian Hamilton Manns, PIA’s chief executive, also welcomed the return of the direct link. The airline’s decision gives passengers in Birmingham and the surrounding area an alternative to indirect travel, which can involve additional time and arrangements. Tickets are now on sale, according to the airport’s announcement.
Importance for the region
The announcement has a clear community dimension. Birmingham and the wider West Midlands have longstanding links with Pakistan, and the airport expects the route to appeal strongly to the visiting friends and relatives market. For those passengers, a direct connection may make planning journeys simpler, particularly around periods when demand for family travel is high.
- Flights are due to begin on 1 December 2026.
- The service will run three times weekly from Birmingham.
- Islamabad will be the region’s only direct Pakistani destination from the Midlands.
- PIA will operate the route with a Boeing 777.
Matt Hazelwood said the restored service would give passengers “more choice and convenience” when arranging travel and added that Birmingham Airport looked forward to its start in December. The airport’s stated rationale is therefore both commercial and practical: the route responds to established passenger demand while giving travellers in Birmingham and elsewhere in the Midlands a direct option to Islamabad.
The service’s success will depend on sustained demand once operations begin. The available 2025 figures show that many passengers already travelled between Birmingham and Pakistan using indirect routes, but the airport has not provided a forecast for the number expected to transfer to the revived direct flights. For now, the December launch marks the return of an important international connection for Birmingham and the region’s Pakistani community.
