Airblue vs PIA vs Serene Air for Domestic Travel in 2026

For domestic travel in 2026 the real choice is Airblue or PIA, plus Fly Jinnah and AirSial on some routes, because Serene Air has not been flying since 2 October 2025. PIA has the widest network, including the only scheduled flights we could find to Gilgit and Chitral. Airblue is a private carrier with a modern Airbus fleet that flies Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Skardu and, from late October 2026, Quetta.

This guide compares the airlines on what can be checked: where they fly, what state they are in, how baggage works and which suits which trip. We do not rank punctuality or service, because we found no independent, current measure of either.

Is Serene Air flying in 2026?

No. Serene Air's flight operations have been suspended since 2 October 2025 for lack of airworthy aircraft. Its air operator certificate was suspended and then restored in late November 2025, but the aircraft are still not flying. In August 2026 it denied reports that it had shut down and said it expects to resume by the end of 2026, with shareholders considering more investment (ProPakistani).

If a booking site still shows Serene Air, do not pay for it. If you already hold a ticket, contact the airline or your agent for a refund or a rebooking. A planned restart is not a schedule, and we would not build a trip around it.

PIA: the widest network

PIA's main advantage is reach. It flies about 20 domestic destinations and is the airline that uses ATR turboprops on the mountain routes to Gilgit, Skardu and Chitral. On our reading of published schedules, seven daily flights depart Islamabad for Skardu, the earliest around 6:15 in the morning.

In December 2025 a consortium led by Arif Habib acquired 75 per cent of PIA, and in February 2026 the group announced a plan to buy the rest. Ownership has changed but it is too early for us to say what that means for service. Check the fare, the fare rules and the refund terms at booking rather than assuming.

Baggage: PIA's official guide gives 7 kg of hand baggage for domestic and international flights, and says the checked allowance depends on your ticket and route. Ask your agent or the helpline before you fly.

Airblue: the private carrier

Airblue flies Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, plus Multan and Skardu. It has flown to Skardu since July 2022. Its fleet is Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, 12 in September 2026 according to Wikipedia. Airblue, AirSial and PIA all fly Islamabad to Skardu, and schedule sites showed roughly 18 to 21 flights a week in total in late summer 2026.

Airblue's baggage rules depend on the fare. Aggregator sites list Value fares without checked baggage and Flexi and Xtra fares at 20 and 30 kg, but these are third-party figures of uncertain date, so read the rules on your booking screen.

Fly Jinnah and AirSial

Fly Jinnah is Pakistan's low-cost carrier, with a Karachi and Lahore base and domestic flights to Islamabad, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and Sialkot. We found no Skardu or Gilgit flights. Its checked bags are sold by fare, and its website lists a Value fare with 23 kg and an Ultimate fare with 46 kg, with hand baggage at 10 kg.

AirSial flies an all-economy fleet of 12 Airbus A320 aircraft and reported Skardu flights in 2026. Its published baggage rules are 7 kg in the cabin and 20 kg checked, according to a search summary of its documents, so check them at booking.

Which airline suits which trip?

Compare the total, not the base fare. Add baggage, seat selection and meals, and read the refund rules before you buy.

Mountain flights are not like city flights

Flights to Skardu and Gilgit are often cancelled or delayed by weather. That risk is the same whichever airline you choose. Book a refundable or changeable fare, avoid tight connections on the same day, and keep a day spare. See our guides on flights to Gilgit and Skardu and on what to do when a northern flight is cancelled.

For the views, see our note on the best side to sit on the Gilgit flight.

Is it safe?

Gilgit-Baltistan is not on the UK government's do-not-travel list (updated 22 September 2026). Some other places these airlines fly to are: the UK advises against all travel to Peshawar and against all of Balochistan, which includes Quetta. Check the advice for your destination, and if you hold a foreign passport, remember that travelling against it can void your insurance.

Which should you pick?

For the north, choose by schedule and fare between PIA, Airblue and AirSial, and buy a flexible ticket. For Gilgit, PIA is the option we found. For a short city hop, compare Fly Jinnah's base fare with the others. If you would rather not gamble on the weather at all, our Skardu and Deosai tour plans the road journey, and our trip planner helps you compare options.

Frequently asked questions