Skardu Airport is an international airport situated in the beautiful city of Gilgit Baltistan, Skardu. The airport is surrounded by mesmerizing mountains covered with snow and rivers. It is located at an altitude of around 7316 feet. There are two runways at the airport, however, only one is currently operating.
The operational runway is considered the longest one in Pakistan which is around 12000 feet long. The other runway which is not functional is around 8740 feet long. Moreover, the airport has the capacity to hold up to three aircraft at a time. They also have equipped and specialized aircraft rescue facilities.
Skardu Airport Locations & Nearby Resorts
The Skardu airport is located around 18 kilometers from the main city. The travel time between the main city and airports is around 30 to 35 minutes. Different resorts such as Shangrila resort, Mount view hotel and Mashabrum hotel provide shuttle facilities to travelers as well. Like other airports in Pakistan, the operation of Skardu airport also comes under the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Moreover, the International Airport Transport Association awards a code to the Skardu airport, KDU. Similarly, the airport is also referred to as OPSD by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Operational Flights to Skardu
People from all around the world come to this beautiful city to visit the most popular tourist destinations situated in the region. They come to this place either by air or by road. Skardu airport is used by domestic and foreign travelers to travel by air. Previously, the airport only used to connect Skardu with the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad on a daily basis.
However, now frequent flights from other cities to Skardu are scheduled. The cities include Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Multan. Moreover, on 2 December 2021 was upgraded to the status of an international airport. Pakistan International Airport (PIA) is the only airline providing flight facilities from the Skardu region. However, the news is spreading that AirBlue will also launch its
flights in recent months.
By Air Travel Time From ISB to Skardu
The travel time between Islamabad and Skardu by air is around 45 minutes. However, the duration may change due to unpredictable weather conditions. Moreover, it takes more than 20 hours to travel by road from Islamabad to Skardu. Therefore, people prefer to go by air which increases the number of travelers at the airport, hence, the Skardu airport plays a major role in boosting tourism in the region. A significant number of tourists want to spend their days and nights in the city to view the beautiful sceneries of Upper Kachura Lake, Lower Kachura Lake, the mesmerizing Manthokha waterfall, and Shigar Fort, Khaplu Fort, etc.
Skardu Airport Flights
Currently, PIA is the only airline operating flights from various cities in the country to Skardu. There are 6 to 7 flights per week scheduled from Islamabad to Skardu. However, the flights from other cities are limited to once or twice a week. Sometimes, two flights in a day are scheduled if the number of travelers increases. Usually, the first flight departs from Islamabad airport at 7:30 am and reaches the destination in an hour.
Then the same flight departs from Skardu to Islamabad. Similarly, the second flight takes off from the Islamabad international airport at around 10:00 am and reaches the destination at 11 o’clock. PK 451, PK452, PK 606, PK 608 are the aircrafts used to travel between Skardu and Islamabad? It is pertinent to mention here that the weather of the Skardu region usually remains cold throughout the year. However, the months of June, July, August, and September are the best months to visit the city because of the amazing weather.
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Nearby Hotels and Resorts
The most popular resort to book during a stay in Skardu is the Shangrila Resort. It was the first-ever resort established in Skardu. The unique architecture of the hotel inspired by the Tibetans is a great attraction for the tourist to spend their vacations. The resort surrounds a heart-shaped lake encircled by orchards and gardens of fruits and flowers.
The mesmerizing view of the resort will definitely make your days a lifetime memory. The resort has various categories of rooms with different rates. You can choose among those depending on the number of people and budget.
In addition to this, there are a number of hotels in the main city and other valleys. They also provide a shuttle facility from the airport to the resort. Various hotels also give packages for the tourist which include hotel accommodation, traveling, food, etc. Baltistan Continental Hotel, Indus View Hotel, Byarsa Hotel, Mount View Hotel, and Continental Guest House are some of the best hotels in Skardu.
All these hotels provide free wifi and parking facilities for their customers. However, other amenities differ in each hotel such that some provide free laundry and breakfast as well. The room services and transportation are also provided by the hotel management. Moreover, these hotels are nearer to the Skardu Airport.
The advantage of staying nearer to the airport is that in case of flight cancellation it would be easy for you to reach the hotel. This is important information you need to know that due to the weather condition of the region there is a chance of your flight cancellation. So, you need to be mentally prepared for such a situation and arrange the hotel accommodation as well.
Skardu Airport Contact Details
A detailed address and a contact number of the Skardu airport are given. You can easily contact the airport authorities to get any information regarding flights, luggage, other facilities, etc.
- Address: Airport Road, Skardu Gilgit Baltistan
- Contact Number: 0321 6101916
- Moreover, if you want to know any details about the booking of a ticket from Skardu you can contact the PIA booking office at Skardu.
- Address: PIA Booking Office, Chashma Bazar, Kushu Bagh Main Road, Skardu.
- Contact Number: 05815- 920284 For further information, you can also contact the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.
- Contact Number: 021-99071111
- Email Address: support@caapakistan.com.pk
- Furthermore, you can contact the PIA customer care center to get more information about the
- tickets confirmation and cancellations.
- Helpline Number: 111-786-786
- The customer care representatives will be available to serve you 24/7