South Air flights now link Karachi with smaller cities across Pakistan, and the new regional airline has already mapped out a wider network for the months ahead.
This guide covers where the airline flies, how often, what tickets cost and what it plans next, based on its launch announcements and public booking listings.
South Air flights: cities and routes
South Air is a private regional carrier headquartered in Karachi. It flies under the Tourism Promotion and Regional Integration (TPRI) licence of the Civil Aviation Authority, a category meant for routes that established airlines tend to skip.
Scheduled service from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport began on 16 July 2026 with two routes. One runs from Karachi to Quetta via Turbat, and its first flight, Z8911, went to Turbat. The other runs from Karachi to Islamabad via Bahawalpur, and its first flight, Z8942, went to Bahawalpur. Booking portals also show Karachi sectors to Gwadar, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan and Panjgur, but these listings change often, so confirm with the airline before you book.
How often and when do they fly?
The airline started with one weekly flight on Karachi to Turbat and three weekly flights on Karachi to Bahawalpur. The weekdays have not been widely published, so check the exact days on the booking page.
The Karachi to Islamabad service via Bahawalpur leaves Karachi at 7:30 am and lands in Islamabad at 11:40 am. As it makes one stop, the trip takes about 4 hours 10 minutes, against roughly two hours on a nonstop flight.
South Air fares
On the Karachi to Islamabad route, three economy fares went on sale at launch. Economy Basic cost Rs 14,218 with no checked baggage, Economy Value cost Rs 15,792 with a 20 kg baggage allowance, and Economy Premium was sold out for the first flight.
These are launch-time prices for a single route. Fares shift with demand and travel date, so the amount on the payment page may be different.
Fleet and ownership
South Air operates ATR 72 turboprops, which suit short regional sectors and smaller airports. Public listings point to a small fleet of two wet-leased aircraft, with an ATR 42 planned. The airline is backed by the SOS Group and led by chief executive Nishat Fatima.
Future plans
The airline says it will add flights from Karachi to Peshawar, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Gwadar in the near future, and grow both its fleet and its route map. Northern services to Gilgit, Chitral and Skardu are also expected, though no start dates have been announced.
South Air has also signed an agreement with Dreamworld Destination Hotels and Golf Course for joint travel packages and tourism promotions. Aviation observers expect the new entrant to add competition and improve links to underserved areas.
