Islamabad: Pakistan’s international aviation market has undergone a profound structural shift over the past two decades. Data from the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Aviation Dashboard show a clear redistribution of market share between domestic and foreign carriers.

In 2023-24, foreign airlines carry more than 65% of all international passengers traveling to and from Pakistan. PIA’s share has fallen below 20%, while all other Pakistani airlines combined account for roughly 15%. In total, Pakistani carriers now hold only about one-third of the international market. This implies that nearly two-thirds of international ticket revenue generated from Pakistan flows to foreign airlines.

The contrast with 2006-07 is stark. At that time, Pakistani airlines held close to 50% of the international market, with PIA alone accounting for approximately 44% of total international passenger traffic. Foreign airlines were present and significant, but they were not dominant.

The shift is structural rather than temporary. The decline of PIA has reduced Pakistan’s ability to retain foreign exchange, strengthen aviation tax revenues, and negotiate from a position of leverage. At the same time, private domestic carriers have not scaled sufficiently to fill the gap. Pakistan today is heavily dependent on foreign airlines for its international connectivity – a reality that reflects deeper competitiveness and institutional challenges within the domestic aviation sector.

This analysis was conducted and released by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International. It draws on airline market share data from the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Aviation Dashboard, based on international passenger traffic flows from Pakistan for the period 2006-07 to 2023-24.

Gilani Research Foundation is a not-for-profit public service project to provide social science research to students, academia, policymakers, and concerned citizens in Pakistan and across the globe.

Gilani Research Foundation is headed by Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani who pioneered the field of opinion polling in Pakistan and established Gallup Pakistan in 1980. Currently, Dr. Gilani, who holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has taught at leading universities in Pakistan and abroad, is Chairman of Gallup Pakistan.

Gallup Pakistan is not related to Gallup Inc. headquartered in Washington D.C. USA. We require that our surveys be credited fully as Gallup Pakistan (not Gallup or Gallup Poll). We disclaim any responsibility for surveys pertaining to Pakistani public opinion except those carried out by Gallup Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International Association.