Skardu International Airport
Airport in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
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Skardu International Airport (IATA: KDU, ICAO: OPSD) is an international airport located on the outskirts of Skardu 9.2 km (5.7 mi) from the city center, and serves the Skardu District. It is the busiest airport in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region.[2][3] It is adjacent to Qadri airbase, a Pakistan Air Force FOB base which shares the main runway with the airport.
GoP Aviation DivisionSkardu International Airport سکردو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 737-300 at Skardu Airport in 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Joint-use airport | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | GoP Aviation Division | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Pakistan Airports Authority | ||||||||||||||||||
| Serves | Skardu-16100 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Skardu District, Baltistan Division, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hub for | Pakistan International Airlines | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 7,301 ft / 2,225 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 35°20′22″N 75°32′29″E | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | paa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||||||
  OPSD Location of airport in Pakistan  OPSD OPSD (Pakistan)  OPSD OPSD (South Asia) | |||||||||||||||||||
 Location in Skardu | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (July 2024 – June 2025) | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Source: Statistics from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
In June 2025, the government was reportedly moving towards a Rs 180 million upgrade of Skardu International Airport.[4]
History
Skardu Airport was initially built as an airbase in 1949, following Pakistan's independence and served as an airfield for the Pakistan Air Force in the Northern Areas.[5] It was converted into a domestic airport for civilian use, alongside military use. On 2 December 2021, Skardu Airport was designated and re-inaugurated as an international airport after providing upgrades to the airport to become a tourism hub for Gilgit-Baltistan.[6][7]
Runways
Skardu Airport has two asphalt runways, both 11,944 ft (3,641 m) long. A third 8,740 ft (2,664 m) long asphalt runway, Runway 15/33, was de-commissioned in December 2021.
Airlines and destinations
Skardu Airport is connected to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, through regular Pakistan International Airlines flights, as well as through flights to Lahore,[8] Multan,[9] Faisalabad,[10] Sialkot[11] and Karachi.[12]
Flydubai has submitted a request to start international operations to and from Skardu Airport, which could potentially become the first foreign airline to start international flights from Skardu.[13][14] On 14 August 2023, the first international flight operated by Pakistan International Airlines from Dubai landed at the airport, marking a major step towards promoting tourism in the region.[15]
It was reported in June 2025 that the government had initiated a project for Rs 180 million upgrade of Skardu International Airport, to improve air connectivity and support economic development in Gilgit-Baltistan.[4]
In May 2026, AirSial announced they would start direct flights from Islamabad to Skardu.[16]
