Islamabad more popular than Ibiza among UK air travellers

Islamabad is one of a host of surprising destinations to be high on British travellers’ agendas, with the Pakistani capital more popular than Madrid, Ibiza and Berlin, according to new figures.

In figures released by Skyscanner, the flight comparison website, showing bookings made through the website so far this year, Manila, in the Philippines, ranks higher than Rome – and Colombo higher than Prague.

In a comprehensive survey of where Britons are flying in 2017, from bookings up until September 11, Skyscanner has unearthed a few surprises.

The top 10 offers few shocks, with traditional cities welcoming the most British travellers, though that two of the top three are long-haul shows a healthy appetite for flying further afield.

The top 10 most popular destinations according to Skyscanner

1. Amsterdam

2. New York

3. Bangkok

4. Dublin

5. Dubai

6. London

7. Malaga

8. Barcelona

9. Alicante

10. Paris

The appearance of London is an indication that a large number of people are booking internal flights from airports such as Edinburgh and Belfast. Malaga, Barcelona and Alicante creating a Spanish cluster in the top 10 is evidence of Britain's enduring love of holidaying in Spain.

What are the most surprising destinations?

• The Pakistani capital of Islamabad sits high up in 14th place, ahead of Orlando, Milan and Lisbon. This is likely because the UK has the second largest expat Pakistani community in the world, behind only Saudi Arabia, of more than a million people (rather than because travellers are taking holidays in the sprawling city). 

• Manila in the Philippines in 28th is higher than Copenhagen, Athens and Lanzarote. There are only about 200,000 Filipinos living in the UK, so much of this comes down to tourism in the region, which is rising. 

• Lagos, in Nigeria, in 31st, welcomes more bookings from the UK than Munich, Las Vegas and Budapest. The Foreign Office says around 170,000 British nationals visit Nigeria each year, and there are some 216,000 Nigerians living in the UK. 

Which destination has the cheapest average fare?

Dublin, the fourth most popular destination, boasts the lowest average return fare, of £91.04, just ahead of Belfast (£91.90) and Glasgow (£102.79). Outside of the UK and Ireland, the cheapest destination is Berlin, at £103.01 return.

And the most expensive?

Sydney nosed out Auckland as the most expensive average return fare at £984.63, over Auckland’s £983.78. In third place is Melbourne, with an average return fare costing £928.20.

The full top 50

1. Amsterdam

2. New York

3. Bangkok

4. Dublin

5. Dubai

6. London

7. Malaga

8. Barcelona

9. Alicante

10. Paris

11. Palma

12. Faro

13. Tenerife

14. Islamabad

15. Belfast

16. Hong Kong

17. Los Angeles

18. Ibiza

19. Berlin

20. Edinburgh

21. Geneva

22. Lisbon

23. Toronto

24. Sydney 

25. Madrid

26. Orlando

27. New Delhi

28. Manila

29. Istanbul

30. Milan

31. Lagos

32. Bali

33. Mumbai

34. Rome 

35. Colombo

36. Larnaca

37. Glasgow

38. Budapest

39. Kuala Lumpur

40. Tokyo

41. Lahore

42. Prague

43. Copenhagen

44. Lanzarote

45. Johannesburg

46. Athens

47. Melbourne

48. Auckland

49. Munich

50. Las Vegas