Private jet to Pakistan

Most private flights from Europe to Pakistan serve two purposes: business in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and the export towns of the Punjab, and family visits, weddings and long stays in the cooler months. Karachi is the port and banking centre, Islamabad the capital with the ministries and embassies, Lahore the cultural centre of the Punjab with the Mughal fort and the Badshahi Mosque, and Sialkot a manufacturing town with its own airport.

Before the aircraft, two things set the date: a landing permit from the Civil Aviation Authority, reviewed by the security services, and a route that avoids closed and restricted airspace. Every passenger needs a visa. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators in Europe and the Gulf, file the permit data early and confirm the handler and the parking at each airport in writing.

Name the cities, the travel dates and the passenger count; a consultant answers with the aircraft, the permit timeline and the price.

Flight times and routing

Times taken from the price tables; where a fuel stop is shown, about 1:30 h is included for it:

The straight line from Europe crosses closed and restricted airspace that EU operators do not use, and Iranian airspace is avoided as well, so the track runs over Turkey and the Gulf and reaches Pakistan from the Arabian Sea. The tables count 14 % on top of the great-circle distance for this. Once the overflight permits are issued, the track is flown as filed.

Prices

Each price covers the whole aircraft for one leg; permits, handling, airport charges and taxes are added, and an aircraft positioned near your departure airport is assumed. The European rows are spread over Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Sialkot, and the time shown is for the first aircraft quoted in each row.

From Europe

From Vienna and Munich the Praetor 600 flies non-stop, and from Zurich the Challenger 650 does so for EUR 71,000, only slightly more than the Praetor 600 with a stop: Vienna - Lahore costs EUR 53,000 and Munich - Islamabad EUR 54,000. From London it lands once and costs EUR 75,000 to Karachi, while the Global 6000 flies London - Karachi non-stop in 9:02 h for EUR 110,000. Istanbul - Karachi costs EUR 42,000, and Larnaca - Islamabad EUR 39,000, the lowest fare in the table.

From the Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Dubai - Karachi costs EUR 14,000 in a Phenom 300 and Dubai - Lahore EUR 17,500. Jeddah - Lahore is beyond the light jet's range, so that cell is on request; the Praetor 500 flies it in 5:04 h for EUR 31,000. Abu Dhabi - Islamabad takes 3:14 h for EUR 18,000 and Riyadh - Islamabad 4:06 h for EUR 21,000. Each country needs its own permits, and the Gulf hubs are where most fuel stops from Europe are made.

On the European side, the departure country decides the passenger tax. A jet leaving France pays a passenger tax that rises with distance, about EUR 2,100 to Pakistan where a European flight pays about EUR 420, and Austria charges EUR 12; Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger on any leg over 1,500 km into or out of the country. Germany and Norway levy departure taxes, as do the Netherlands for aircraft from 5.7 t. In the UK, the Challenger 650 and the Global 6000 (20 t or more, fewer than 19 seats) pay Air Passenger Duty at the higher private-jet rate, and smaller jets the standard rate of their distance band. The quote lists Pakistani charges and the handling at any fuel stop. For a stay of a week or longer, two one-way flights usually cost less than parking and crew hotels.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Price per person

Shared between the passengers on board, the same flights cost:

The calculator sends a first estimate by e-mail for any other airport or for a return:

It works on the great-circle distance; the written offer adds the actual routing and the position of the aircraft.

Airports for business jets

Only the airports written into the permit may be used. Almost all private arrivals go to Karachi, Islamabad or Lahore; Sialkot serves the export industry.

Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, about 2,230 m above sea level, is the airport for the Karakoram; approval for a business jet there is checked case by case, with a performance check for the altitude. Several regions, including Balochistan, parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the border areas, are covered by government travel advice, including the UK's, against all or all but essential travel. We plan flights to the four airports above, read the current advice for your dates and ask you to check that your travel insurance covers the trip.

Permit rules

• The landing permit is issued by the Civil Aviation Authority after a security review; operators allow about six days, and the permit may arrive only 24-48 hours before the flight.
• The application lists name, date of birth, nationality and passport details of everyone on board, the purpose of the flight and a business contact in the country.
• A new date means a revised permit, and a different entry point or routing usually a new one.
• An aircraft that only crosses Pakistan needs an overflight permit with 96 hours' notice; a technical stop is allowed for up to 24 hours.
• Helicopter flights need about 15 days' notice and coordination with the security authorities.

The year month by month

October to March is the main season: dry in October and November, cool from December, when fog over the Punjab can disrupt flights at Lahore and Sialkot for weeks. From May the plains are very hot, and the monsoon brings heavy rain in July and August. Empty Legs are scarce at any time; the best chances are westbound in January and after the major holidays, when aircraft that brought families fly home. Ramadan and the two Eids move about 11 days earlier every year, so their dates are checked for your trip.

Empty Legs

Empty Legs to Pakistan are rare, because few jets are based in the country and those that drop passengers usually fly home straight away. The westbound legs are the useful ones, but the aircraft must be at the right airport on the right date, and a change of date means a revised permit, so a window of several days gives the best chance of a match. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates.

Visa, health and customs

Flights to Pakistan leave the Schengen area, so passports are checked at the European airport as well as on arrival. EU citizens continuing to Britain afterwards need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

Flying with a dog or cat

Pakistan admits dogs and cats with an import permit from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, obtained before travel, a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 30 days before entry and a veterinary health certificate issued about ten days before the flight. Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore are the entry airports, and a compliant animal is not quarantined. The animal stays in the cabin with you, provided the operator has agreed beforehand; we confirm the permit and the airport in writing for your dates.

How to book

1. Send the cities, dates and number of passengers, with full passport data as early as possible.
2. We compare a non-stop flight with a fuel stop in the Gulf and choose the airport for your address.
3. You receive offers with operator, aircraft, flight time and price, with parking and crew costs listed separately.
4. Once the contract is signed and paid, the operator files the landing permit, and the handler confirms the parking and where you will be received.
5. At the airport the handler escorts you through immigration and customs; the aircraft waits or flies home as agreed.

Questions about private flights to Pakistan

• • How much does a private jet to Pakistan cost?

  • From Larnaca a Praetor 600 flies non-stop to Islamabad for EUR 39,000 one way for the whole aircraft, from Vienna to Lahore for EUR 53,000. From London it costs EUR 75,000 to Karachi with one stop, or EUR 110,000 non-stop in a Global 6000.

• • Can we fly non-stop from London?

  • Yes, in a long-range jet: London - Karachi takes 9:02 h in a Global 6000. From Vienna and Munich even a super midsize jet flies without a stop.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • About a week at least: operators allow six days for the landing permit, which follows a security review and may be issued only a day or two before the flight.

• • Which airport should we use?

  • Karachi for the south and the port, Islamabad for the capital and Rawalpindi, Lahore for central Punjab and Sialkot for its export industry. Karachi has a dedicated business aviation terminal.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Yes, every EU and UK passenger applies before travel, and the passport must be valid six months beyond the application date.

• • Can we change the date after booking?

  • Yes, but a new date means a revised permit, so changes are made as early as possible.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • October and November are dry and mild; December to February is cool, with fog that can affect Lahore and Sialkot. May and June are very hot.

• • Can our dog travel with us?

  • Yes, with an import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate. For the return to the EU, the antibody test is best taken at home before departure.

• • Are there Empty Legs?

  • Seldom. The best chances are westbound in January and after the major holidays; send a flexible range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.