The airport commenced full operations on 6 May 2018, replacing the Benazir Bhutto International Airport which now serves as PAF Base Nur Khan.[4] It is the largest airport in Pakistan in terms of cargo, area and passenger capacity, capable of serving 9 million passengers annually.[5] Further expansions in the future will allow it to serve up to 25 million passengers annually. It became the busiest airport in Pakistan in terms of total passenger traffic in the fiscal year 2024-2025, surpassing Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. The terminal includes 15 gates with ten remote gates, duty-free shops, a food court and 42 immigration counters.[6]Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority is acquiring 2,833 acres (11.46 km2 / 4.42 sq mi) of land to build a third runway. It is the first airport in Pakistan that has double airbridges capable of handling the Airbus A380. New Gwadar International is the second,[7] followed by Jinnah International Airport, which will be able to accommodate the A380 after its main runway reconstruction,[8] and followed by Allama Iqbal International Airport where the main runway can handle an A380. The airport is a hub for Pakistan International Airlines and SereneAir.
Islamabad International Airport view from Parking Area
Construction of the Islamabad International Airport (ICAO: OPIS) began on 7 April 2007. It was formally inaugurated on 20 April 2018 for regular international and domestic flights.
The plan to construct a new airport was announced in January 2005 by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.[9] A land of 3,242 acres (1,312 ha) land was acquired at the cost of Rs. 2.5 billion in November 2005.[10]
The new airport was planned in response to increasing air traffic and passenger loads at the existing Benazir Bhutto International Airport. It was estimated that the number of passengers at the former airport was growing by 14 percent annually compared to the national air passenger growth rate of 4 percent, making it the second-busiest airport in the country at the time. Therefore, a site in Pind Ranjha, Attock District was selected as the site for the construction of a new airport just a few kilometres from the Islamabad interchange on M-1/M-2 motorways. The foundation stone of the project was laid by former President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on 7 April 2007.[11]
It was a project of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and designed by French company Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) and CPG Corporation of Singapore. The whole project was financed by PCAA on its own. It is built on more than 3,200 acres (1,295 ha) of land and consists of a passenger terminal building, two runways, four taxiways, and apron and parking bays for wide-body aircraft.[12] There is also a cargo terminal, air traffic control complex, and fuel farm, as well as a fire, crash, and rescue facility. The site of the airport is near Fateh Jang Tehsil of Attock District. It is 25 km (16 mi) equidistant from Zero Point, Islamabad and from Saddar, Rawalpindi.[13] The airport is on par with international standards, and serves as a major hub for all aviation activities in Pakistan. The PCAA asked a team of British architects to design the new airport. PCAA signed an agreement with the Louis Berger Group in the US in association with Pakistani consulting firm GT AASR, to undertake project management services. The airport was to be completed in five years but took 12 years to complete, resulting in a three times increase in cost.[14] MM Pakistan (MMP) and Mott Macdonald Ltd. were tasked to undertake the project management services from the previous consultants, and were successful in completing this troubled project.[15]
On 7 April 2018, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) successfully conducted the inaugural test flight from Benazir Bhutto International Airport to Islamabad International Airport, piloted by Captain Masood Bijrani and First Officer Hamad Khan. The aircraft landed at the New Islamabad International Airport to assess the facility's operational readiness, including airport systems, passenger handling by PIA staff and crew, as well as coordination with customs, the Airport Security Force, and other relevant agencies.[16]
On 1 May 2018, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi officially inaugurated the new airport.[17] This was followed up with the airport commencing full commercial flight operations on 3 May 2018 and thus replacing the old airport.
Virgin Atlantic flew their first flight to Islamabad on 10 December 2020 with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.[20] Virgin Atlantic ended their service to Islamabad on 9 July 2023.[21]
On 31 December 2022, the Government of Pakistan announced its decision to outsource the management of Islamabad International Airport to international operators as part of an initiative to encourage foreign investment. The Islamabad airport, along with other major airports, is slated to be managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. This move aims to boost government revenue and enhance facilities, offering improved services for international travellers.[23] In October 2024, the government's 15-year lease award for Islamabad International Airport has sparked controversy, with allegations of favouritism after one bidder was reportedly barred from participating.[24]
Domestic ArrivalsInterior of domestic arrivalsInternational departure area
Islamabad International Airport has a 180,000 m2 (1,900,000 sq ft) modular terminal building which is capable of handling 9 million passengers and 80,000 metric tons of cargo per annum. The numbers are expected to reach 25 million passengers by 2024.[25] Being a new airport, a significant portion of the land has been earmarked for commercial purposes such as duty-free shops, a hotel and convention centre, air malls, a business centre, food courts, and leisure and cinema facilities.
1: Air China's flight from Islamabad to Beijing makes a stopover in Karachi. However, the airline has no traffic rights to transport passengers solely between Islamabad and Karachi.[59]
The airport is connected to Islamabad via the Srinagar Highway and Rawalpindi via the GT Road (Highway N-5). A four-lane highway was constructed to serve cargo traffic.[63] The Srinagar Highway is also connected to M-1 Motorway, providing another connection to the airport from Peshawar, Chiamkiani, Nowshera, Risalpur, Jehangira, Lawrencepur, Burhan Attock and Fateh Jang.
