Cheap Flights from Manchester to Islamabad

The expensive stretch runs through the UK summer and the weeks around Christmas, when visits to family in Pakistan pile up, so fares sit firmly at the top of the calendar. Prices ease as autumn turns to winter, and January is the cheapest month on the route. If your dates are flexible, working backwards from the new year and comparing the winter and early spring months is where the savings usually appear.

Start with what the fare includes: on a long-haul economy ticket, checked baggage is nearly always bundled into the base fare, but the weight allowance differs from carrier to carrier, so read the baggage line before comparing prices. The route mixes full-service names such as British Airways, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Gulf Air with carriers like Regent Airways, Emerald Airlines, Aer Lingus and Saudi Arabian Airlines, plus Pakistan International on the destination side. Some tickets are direct from Manchester International, others add exactly one connection, and the one-stop fares are often the ones worth a second look.

Before you land at Benazir Bhutto International, sort out your entry paperwork and check whether your ticket requires a visa in advance, since rules for visitors from the United Kingdom change. The airport sits outside the city centre, so plan the last leg by pre-booked transfer, taxi or a pick-up arranged by family, which is how most arriving passengers handle it. Agree the fare before setting off, and keep your onward address handy for the arrival forms.

Currency

PKR (₨)

Power sockets

Type C, D, G · 230 V

Language

English, Urdu

Emergency number

15, 16, 1122

Calling code

+92

Internet domain

.pk

Population of Islamabad

1.0 M (2017)

Time zone

UTC+05 (Asia/Karachi)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Confirm which airport your ticket names, since Manchester flies from Manchester International and Islamabad receives you at Benazir Bhutto International.
• Check the checked baggage allowance included in your fare, especially on the connecting carriers where weight limits differ.
• Check visa and passport requirements for Pakistan before you pay, not after.
• Check whether a one-stop itinerary is sold as a single ticket or two separate ones, and what happens if the connection fails.
• Check the month you plan to fly against the price calendar, since January fares sit below the summer and holiday weeks.