The Ministry of Religious Affairs of Pakistan has announced the flight schedule for the Hajj 2026 pilgrimage operation, confirming that the inaugural flights will commence on April 18, 2026. Under the government’s Hajj scheme, a total of 468 flights will be operated to facilitate the transport of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
On the opening day, flights will depart from Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Multan, carrying pilgrims to the holy city of Madinah. Approximately 119,000 pilgrims are expected to travel, including 67,230 men and 51,846 women, who will journey from Pakistan to the sacred cities of Madinah and Makkah.
The operation will span 34 days, with the final flight scheduled to leave Pakistan on May 21, 2026. Notably, flights to Jeddah will begin on May 4, while the first dedicated flight to Madinah is set for May 7. During the initial 15 days, the majority of pilgrims will be flown directly to Madinah.
In total, 186 flights are planned to land in Madinah, with 282 flights destined for Jeddah. Four airlines will participate in this large-scale operation: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Airblue, AirSial, and Saudi Airlines.
Flights will operate from eight Pakistani cities: Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Sukkur. Islamabad will manage 129 flights, followed by Karachi with 124, Lahore with 104, Multan with 34, Sialkot with 26, Faisalabad with 23, Quetta with 18, and Sukkur with five flights.
