Skardu International Airport  سکردو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Pakistan International AirlinesBoeing 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″N75°32′29″E / 35.33944°N 75.54139°E /35.33944; 75.54139 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | paa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||||||
  OPSD Location of airport in Pakistan Show map of Gilgit Baltistan OPSD OPSD (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan OPSD OPSD (South Asia) Show map of South Asia | |||||||||||||||||||
 Location in Skardu | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023-24[1]) | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Sources: PAAAIP[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
Skardu International Airport (IATA:KDU,ICAO:OPSD) is aninternational airport located on the outskirts ofSkardu 9.2 km (5.7 mi) from the city center and serves theSkardu District. It is the busiest airport in Pakistan'sGilgit-Baltistan region.[3][4]
It is adjacent toQadri airbase, aPakistan Air Force FOB base which shares the main runway with the airport.
In June 2025, the government was reportedly moving towards a Rs 180 million upgrade of Skardu International Airport.[5]
Skardu Airport was initially built as anairbase in 1949, followingPakistan's independence and served as an airfield for thePakistan Air Force in theNorthern Areas.[6] 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.[7][8]
Skardu Airport has twoasphalt runways, both 11,944 ft (3,641 m) long, while a third 8,740 ft (2,664 m) long asphalt runway, Runway 15/33, was de-commissioned in December 2021.
Skardu Airport is connected to Pakistan's capital,Islamabad, through regularPakistan International Airlines flights, as well as frequent flights toLahore,[9]Multan,[10]Faisalabad,[11]Sialkot[12] andKarachi.[13]
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 fromSkardu.[14][15]
On 14 August 2023, the first international flight operated byPakistan International Airlines fromDubai landed at the airport, marking a major step towards promoting tourism in the region.[16]
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.[5]
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Airblue | Islamabad,Lahore[17] |
| Pakistan International Airlines | Dubai–International,[18]Islamabad,Karachi,Lahore |
