The Cheapest Time to Fly to Pakistan: A Month-by-Month View
Pakistan is a seasonal route with two hard peaks and a long shoulder. The cheapest fares are usually found in late September and October, and in the weeks after the winter holidays. The most expensive are in the summer school holidays and around the two Eids, when the diaspora travels and the capacity is finite.
The Cheapest Time to Fly to Pakistan: A Month-by-Month View: questions people actually ask
What is the cheapest month to fly to Pakistan?
Late September and October are usually the cheapest, followed by late January and February. The summer holidays and the Eid periods are the most expensive.
Is it cheaper to fly midweek?
Usually. Tuesday and Wednesday departures are typically cheaper than Friday and Sunday, when the diaspora traffic peaks.
How far ahead should I book?
Three to six months for the peak seasons, and two to four months for the shoulder months. Waiting until the last month usually produces a higher fare.
The two peaks
The summer school holidays are the largest peak, because families travel together and the children are out of school. The fares rise from spring and stay high through August.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha create shorter, sharper peaks. The dates move each year, and the fares rise in the weeks before and after. A traveller who can avoid the Eid weeks will usually find a lower fare.
The shoulder months
Late September and October are usually the cheapest months, after the summer peak and before the winter holidays. The weather is still warm in most of the country, and the demand is lower.
The period after the winter holidays, particularly late January and February, is also cheaper. The weather is cooler, and the demand is lower than in December.
The day of the week
Midweek departures are usually cheaper than Friday and Sunday, because the diaspora traffic is concentrated around the weekend. A Tuesday or Wednesday departure can be significantly cheaper than a Friday departure on the same route.
The return date matters as much as the outbound. A return in the middle of the week is usually cheaper than a return on a Sunday.
The booking window
The route is long and the demand is planned, so the cheapest fares usually appear three to six months before departure. Waiting until the last month is a bad strategy for the peaks, when the cabins fill and the remaining fares are high.
A fare alert across a few weeks is more useful than a single search. The difference between a good fare and a bad one is often a matter of timing.
The costs beyond the fare
The baggage allowance is a major part of the cost on this route. A fare that includes a checked bag is often better value than the cheapest fare plus a pre-paid bag, particularly for a family.
The visa and the airport transfer are the other costs. The visa should be obtained before the ticket is purchased, and the transfer should be included in the comparison.