In 1962, finding the upper winds forecast favorable, PIA set out to break the record for the fastest flight between London and Karachi. With representatives of FAI (Federation Aeronautique International) on board to monitor the official timings, PIA completed the flight in 6 hours, 43 minutes, 51 seconds, a record which remains unbroken to this day.

In 1964, PIA achieved another historic first, regarded as a major milestones in the chequered history of the airline. On 29th April, 1964, with a Boeing 720B, PIA earned the distinction of becoming the first airline from a non-communist country to fly into the People’s Republic of China. PIA's first service to China was from Karachi to Shanghai via Canton. In 1964-65, PIA expanded its fleet further with the addition of a fourth Boeing 720B and two Fokker F-27s. Serious development had become a reality and the PIA team continued to move ahead with ambitious plans and goals for the national flag carrier.

A collective pride and a joyous buoyancy was pervasive within the PIA family. Riding high on the crest of success, PIA became a household name in Pakistan in the mid sixties. The war between India and Pakistan, during 1965, further tested the national airline. PIA played a major role in providing logistical support to the Armed Forces by operating special flights using Boeings, Super Constellations, and Viscounts. The Founder of the Nation, Mr. Jinnah had predicted that the Pakistan Airforce would need the support of a civil airline in special circumstances, and this came into evidence during the war.

In 1966, a system of feeder services linking eight new points in West Pakistan was introduced. By this time, the airline's Viscounts were proving inadequate owing to traffic growth, and had to be replaced by Tridents. The airline continued up the growth curve, receiving two Fokker F-27s, two Boeing 707s and one Trident in the following year