In the fiscal year 2008–2009, over 3,136,664 passengers used the former Benazir Bhutto International Airport and 34,025 aircraft movements were registered. The airport served as a hub for the flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. It was also the hub of Shaheen Air and a focus city ofAirblue. The government launched a Rs. 399 million project to renovate and expand the airport including the taxi way link adjacent to the lone runway of the airport. The renovation was completed by March, 2015. The last flight to depart from this airport was PK791 operated by Pakistan International Airlines, heading for Birmingham, UK which departed at 11:39 AM PST marking the end of scheduled commercial flights to the airport.
New airport
A new airport was constructed in Fateh Jang, Attock District, approximately west of the twin cities. It was built to replace the existing Benazir Bhutto International Airport in response to increasing air traffic and passenger load. It is now completed, and has become the first greenfield airport in Pakistan and the first to support the landing of Airbus A380. Built on an area of 3,289 acres, the project consisted of 90 check-in counters and a parking facility for 2,000 vehicles and will cater to an upward of 10 million people every year in its first phase and up to 25 million in the second phase. The terminal includes 15 gates with ten remote gates, a four-star hotel, duty-free shops, two runways, six taxiways, a food court and 42 immigration counters. The airport is connected to Islamabad via the Kashmir Highway and Rawalpindi via the GT Road. The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus is also being expanded to connect the airport with the metropolitan area. The airport was opened for commercial flight operations on 3 May 2018.
Facilities
Benazir Bhutto International Airport was a civil and military airport which handled VIPs as well as public scheduled operations for many airlines. Foreign diplomats, high level government officials, as well as military officials were welcomed at this airport. The airport was only able to handle eleven wide body aircraft at one time, with an additional five parking places for general aviation aircraft. It could not accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 747-8. This airport did not have any air bridges installed, so buses took the passengers from the airport terminal to the aircraft where air stairs were used.
Current status
Since the airport was built on an airbase, the Pakistan Air Force has taken ownership of the apron and old terminal building of the airfield in a similar fashion to when Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport moved its terminals. The runway is expected to remain in use by the PAF in the near future and VIPs and other dignitaries will continue to use the airbase instead of Islamabad International Airport. General aviation by private companies is also expected to continue to use this airport instead of the new Islamabad International Airport.
Accidents and incidents
On 28 July 2010, Airblue Flight 202, a domestic flight from Karachi operated by Airbus A321 AP-BJB, crashed into the Margalla Hills in Islamabad while trying to land at the airport. The aircraft crashed into mountainous and wooded terrain near the city, killing all 152 people on board.
