PIA to Fly Islamabad-Birmingham Three Times a Week
The new PIA Birmingham flights will start on December 1, 2026, with three weekly direct services between Islamabad and Birmingham, the airline announced on November 4, 2026. The flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the first phase.
An airline spokesperson said the service would provide direct air travel to a large number of Pakistanis living in the northern and central regions of the United Kingdom. Birmingham Airport had already flagged the return on Tuesday, saying in a post on X that direct flights to Islamabad would resume three times a week due to high demand from travellers in the Midlands.
The airline said the United Kingdom was a highly important route, and efforts were being made to raise the total number of weekly flights between Pakistan and the UK to 23. In September, PIA said it would increase its weekly flights to London from four to seven, starting from October 27.
PIA Birmingham flights: why the route matters
Birmingham serves one of the largest Pakistani communities in Britain, and the Midlands has long been a strong market for travel to Pakistan. A direct service removes the need for passengers from the region to travel to London or Manchester first, and it gives families, students and business travellers a shorter journey.
The route also matters for PIA’s wider recovery in Britain. Manchester became the first destination when the airline restarted direct UK operations after a gap of nearly five years, and London services have since been increased. Birmingham is the next step in that rebuild, and the airline’s ability to fill the three weekly services will show whether demand in the Midlands matches the airport’s claim of high interest.
PIA’s recent UK growth was covered in PIA Manchester Routes Carry 104,845 Passengers, while the arrival of its newest aircraft was covered in PIA Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Arrives in Islamabad.
How PIA returned to British skies
Pakistani flights were banned from flying to the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States in June 2020, after a PIA aircraft crashed in Karachi, killing nearly 100 people on board. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency barred PIA over safety concerns, following a statement in parliament by then aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who described pilots’ licences as dubious.
The European agency lifted its ban after more than four years, on November 28, 2024. In July 2025, the UK removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, which allowed Pakistani airlines to apply to operate flights in Britain. PIA received approval to resume direct flights to the UK in September last year, after a gap of nearly five years.
That history explains why each new UK route carries weight for the airline. Birmingham is not simply another destination. It is a further sign that regulators and airports now treat PIA as a normal operator again, after years in which its aircraft could not fly to Britain at all.
What passengers should know
Travellers should check the airline’s booking channels for fares and timings, which were not included in the announcement. The Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday pattern gives passengers a choice across the week, but seats on the first services are likely to be in demand from people visiting family over the winter period.
Passengers should also note that the Birmingham service starts alongside a difficult period for the airline’s fleet. A parliamentary committee was told on November 4 that 16 PIA aircraft are currently grounded, a separate development covered in 16 PIA Aircraft Grounded as MPs Question Service. The airline says it is working to restore grounded aircraft where suitable engines are available.
What happens next
The key test for the route will be load factors in its first weeks and whether PIA can sustain three weekly services through the winter. If Birmingham performs well, it strengthens the case for the airline’s plan to reach 23 weekly UK flights. If services are cut back, it will raise fresh questions about fleet availability.
For now, the announcement gives Midlands travellers a direct option they have lacked for years, and it marks another step in PIA’s slow return to its most important overseas market.
Frequently asked questions
When do PIA Birmingham flights start?
PIA will start direct flights between Islamabad and Birmingham on December 1, 2026.
How often will the flights operate?
The flights will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, in the first phase.
Why is Birmingham an important route for PIA?
Birmingham serves a large Pakistani community in the northern and central regions of the UK, and Birmingham Airport cited high demand from Midlands travellers.
When did PIA resume flights to the UK?
PIA resumed direct flights to the UK in September last year, after the UK removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List in July 2025. Manchester was the first destination.
How many weekly UK flights does PIA aim to operate?
The airline says efforts are being made to increase the total number of weekly flights between Pakistan and the UK to 23.
