DG Khan Airport Expansion to Finish by January 2028, Runway to Grow From 1.9 km to 3 km
DG Khan airport's Rs 5.5 billion expansion should finish by January 2028, with a 3 km runway, double width and night landing lights. See what changes and when.
Short answer: The expansion of Dera Ghazi Khan's airport is expected to finish by January 2028, Federal Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari said after visiting the site on Monday, 19 October 2026. The Rs 5.5 billion project lengthens the runway from 1.9 km to 3 km, doubles its width to 200 feet and adds lighting for night landings.
The airport is Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari Airport, the main air link for DG Khan division in south Punjab. The minister inspected the works and was briefed by aviation officials on progress and on the planned passenger facilities, according to reports published on 20 October 2026.
For people in DG Khan, Rajanpur, Layyah and nearby districts, the DG Khan airport expansion is about two things. A longer runway can take bigger aircraft, and night lighting means flights are no longer limited to daylight. Neither arrives before 2028.
DG Khan airport expansion is due to finish by January 2028
The minister gave January 2028 as the expected completion date. That is about 15 months from the October 2026 visit. Until then the airport works with its current runway, lights and lounges, and any flight changes depend on the airlines.
A completion date given at a site visit is a target, and dates like this often move. Nothing published so far says what happens to flights during construction. We would plan on the current setup for all of 2027.
| Item | Now | After expansion |
|---|---|---|
| Runway length | 1.9 km | 3 km |
| Runway width | 100 feet | 200 feet |
| Night landing lights | Not described | Modern lighting for night landings |
| Passenger areas | Current terminal | New waiting lounges and other facilities |
| Cost | Rs 5.5 billion | |
The runway grows by 1.1 km and doubles in width
The runway will go from 1.9 km to 3 km long. That is 1.1 km more, or about 58 per cent longer. Its width will double from 100 feet to 200 feet. A longer, wider runway lets heavier aircraft take off and land with more room to spare.
Which aircraft the airport will handle after 2028 has not been said. We will not guess at it. Airlines decide which planes fly where, based on demand as much as on runway length.
The percentage is our own arithmetic: 1.1 divided by 1.9 is 0.579.
Night landing lights could widen flight timings
The project includes modern lighting systems so aircraft can land at night. Reports describe this as a new capability, which suggests the airport is now limited to daylight operations. More timings would help travellers who connect to Lahore, Islamabad or Karachi.
That second step is not automatic. Lights make night flights possible. Airlines still have to schedule them, and nobody has announced a schedule for 2028.
The plan also lists new waiting lounges and "other passenger facilities". No floor area, gate count or design has been published.
The project costs Rs 5.5 billion
The expansion is costed at Rs 5.5 billion, according to the figures given during the minister's visit. No breakdown between runway, lighting and terminal work has been published, and we have not seen the project document itself.
For a sense of scale, the Rawalpindi Ring Road is reported to have cost about Rs 57 billion with land, roughly ten times this airport project.
Travellers from DG Khan should keep their current plans
Nothing changes for passengers today. Book as you do now, through the airline that serves the route, and check your baggage limits before you fly. The new runway and lights help only once they are finished and airlines add flights.
- Book current flights directly with the airline and check the timing on your ticket.
- Read the airline's baggage rules for domestic flights before you pack.
- Save the airline's helpline number in case of a delay or cancellation.
- Watch for airline announcements nearer 2028, not for promises in between.
- Compare road and rail options for trips where flights are rare.
If you fly PIA, its cabin and checked baggage rules apply on domestic routes too. Travellers heading west can compare with flights to Quetta, another city where schedules are thin.
Common questions
When will DG Khan airport expansion be completed?
By January 2028, according to Federal Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari after his site visit on 19 October 2026.
How long will the DG Khan runway be?
3 km, up from 1.9 km. Its width will double from 100 feet to 200 feet.
How much does the DG Khan airport project cost?
Rs 5.5 billion, according to the figures given during the visit. No breakdown has been published.
Will DG Khan airport have night flights?
The project adds lighting for night landings. Whether airlines schedule night flights is up to them, and none has been announced.
What is the official name of DG Khan airport?
Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari Airport, Dera Ghazi Khan.
Are flights affected during the construction?
Nothing published says so. Check with your airline before booking any trip in 2027.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
The completion date, the Rs 5.5 billion cost, the runway figures, the lighting and the lounges come from the minister's remarks and the briefing during his visit on 19 October 2026, as reported on 20 October 2026. We tried the Pakistan Airports Authority website on 20 October 2026; it loads as a script-driven page, and we found no press release or project page on DG Khan in it. So every project figure here is reported, not read on an official page. Reports say the Civil Aviation Authority gave the briefing; we could not confirm which body is running the works. The 58 per cent and 15 month figures are our own arithmetic. We did not check current flight schedules into DG Khan.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
