Kuwait International Airport

History

The airport was first launched in 1927–1928.

Terminal 1, which currently serves all airlines (excluding Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways, who are served by Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 respectively), was designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange and opened in 1979.

The airport underwent a large renovation and expansion project from 1999 to 2001, in which the former parking lot was cleared and a terminal expansion was built.

Kuwait International Airport can currently handle more than 13 million passengers a year. A new general aviation terminal was completed in 2008 under a BOT scheme and is operated by Royal Aviation.

In 2011, the Department of Civil Aviation announced the intention of extending Kuwait International Airport so it can handle more passengers and more aircraft. On 3 October 2011, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced that a new Foster + Partners designed terminal would begin construction in 2012 and will increase the annual passenger handling amount to 14 million passengers in its first phase with the option of expanding to 25 million passengers. The airport finalized formalities for the construction of the terminal, which was due to begin construction in 2012 with completion by 2016. It would be built to the south of the current terminal complex with new access routes from the Seventh Ring Road to the south of the airport compound. It is designed as a three-pointed star, with each point extending 600 meters from the star's center. Two airside hotels will form part of the new building.

In December 2012, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Public Works announced that the new terminal at the Kuwait International Airport would be completed by the end of 2016, estimating the cost to be around 900 million Kuwaiti dinar ($3.2 billion). On 20 May 2013, the Director of Operations Management in the General Administration of Civil Aviation, Essam Al-Zamil, announced that some of the flights will be diverted to the Sheikh Saad Terminal instead of Kuwait Airport's main terminal starting in July due to the large number of passengers and the growing number of aircraft attributing to Kuwait Airport being over capacity.

On 22 May 2018, Jazeera Airways launched its own dedicated terminal at Kuwait International Airport, to be called Terminal 5. It is located directly adjacent to and connected to the existing main building, but features dedicated arrival/departure areas, customs and all supporting functions in order to alleviate congestion at the main building. All Jazeera arrivals will arrive at the new terminal from opening, while departing flights will transition from the current terminal between 22 and 27 May. By 27 May, all departing and arriving Jazeera flights will be handled exclusively at Terminal 5.

Military

The airport is home to the Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, which is used by the Kuwait Air Force and has been used by Italian Air Force Boeing KC-767s since October 2014 for the fight against ISIL. The gateway at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, used by US Air Force and coalition forces, was replaced after over 20 years of operation in 2019 with the opening of Cargo City, located adjacent to a newly built ramp on the airport's western side. Cargo City is operated by the 387th Air Expeditionary Group, with the 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron providing additional services like maintenance for military and contract flights.

Facilities

The airport lies at an elevation of 204 ft above mean sea level. It has three runways: 15R/33L with a concrete surface measuring 3400 x and 15L/33R with an asphalt surface measuring 3500 x.

Terminals

Kuwait International Airport is scheduled to have five operational, numbered terminals by 2026.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2, designed by Foster and Partners, will expand the airport's overall capacity by 25–50 million passengers per year through the introduction of a triangular building with 28 gates, 4,500 additional parking spaces and a 400-bed air-side hotel. It began construction in May 2017 and was due for completion in August 2022, but was initially delayed to 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following further delays, the new target operation date for T2 is set for the last quarter of 2026.

The new terminal is environmentally sustainable, and aims to achieve LEED Gold certification. It is one of the world's largest environment friendly airport projects, and forms an essential part of Kuwait Vision 2035.

Terminal 4

Inaugurated on 8 August 2018, Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport is exclusively used by Kuwait Airways, Kuwait's national carrier. The terminal was designed by the Spanish branch of the American company AECOM and constructed by a joint venture between Cengiz Insaat and First Kuwaiti Contractor. It spans over 55,000 square meters and is located adjacent to the airport's cargo-handling facilities. The terminal features five bus gates and nine boarding bridges, enabling it to accommodate up to eight aircraft simultaneously.

With an annual capacity to handle 4.5 million passengers, Terminal 4 was built to alleviate congestion at Terminal 1 and enhance the overall airport experience. It offers 2,450 parking spaces in a dedicated lot connected to the terminal by a bridge. In addition to these facilities, the terminal is equipped with modern amenities and streamlined operational processes, aimed at providing passengers with a more efficient and comfortable travel experience.

The addition of Terminal 4 marked a significant milestone in the expansion and modernization of Kuwait International Airport, reflecting the country's commitment to improving its aviation infrastructure in line with global standards.

Terminal assignments

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

The following airlines offer scheduled passenger services: | Air Arabia | Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Sharjah | Air Cairo | Alexandria, Assiut, Cairo, Sohag ** Seasonal:** Luxor | Air India Express | Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa–Mopa, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Tiruchirappalli | AJet | Istanbul–Sabiha Gökçen | Akasa Air | Mumbai–Shivaji | Alexandria Airlines | Alexandria | ATA Airlines | Ahvaz, Lamerd, Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini | Biman Bangladesh Airlines | Dhaka | Fly Cham | Damascus | Flynas | Abha (begins 26 June 2026) | Himalaya Airlines | Kathmandu | IndiGo | Delhi | Iran Air | Ahvaz, Isfahan, Lar, Mashhad, Shiraz | Jazeera Airways | Abha, Addis Ababa, Ahmedabad, Al Ain,, Al Jawf, Almaty,Amman-Civil, Bengaluru, Bergamo (begins 20 May 2026), Chittagong, Colombo–Bandaranaike, Damascus, Dushanbe, Fergana, Gassim, Giza, Islamabad, Karachi, Moscow–Domodedovo, Namangan, Shiraz, Siddharthanagar, Tehran–Imam Khomeini, Thiruvananthapuram, Türkıstan ** Seasonal:** Antalya, Batumi, Budapest, Hurghada, Kraków, Larnaca, Prague, Rize–Artvin, Salalah, Sochi, Tashkent, Tirana, Tivat, Trabzon, Yerevan | Kam Air | Kabul, Khost | Kuwait Airways | Amsterdam, Alexandria, Barcelona, Bengaluru, Casablanca, Colombo–Bandaranaike, Guangzhou, Hyderabad, Kathmandu, Madrid, Mashhad, Milan–Malpensa, Mykonos (resumes 14 June 2026), Sphinx, Tbilisi, Zürich (resumes 12 June 2026) Seasonal: Antalya, Bodrum, Luxor, Málaga, Muscat, Salalah, Sarajevo, Trabzon, | Nesma Airlines | Cairo |Pakistan International Airlines | Sialkot | Pegasus Airlines | Seasonal: Antalya, Trabzon | Sepehran Airlines | Mashhad | SunExpress | Seasonal: Trabzon | Tarco Aviation | Port Sudan | Varesh Airlines | Mashhad | Yemenia | Aden

Cargo

| Cargolux | Luxembourg | Cargolux Italia | Milan–Malpensa | DHL Aviation | Bahrain | Ethiopian Airlines Cargo | Addis Ababa, Riyadh | Qatar Airways Cargo | Doha | Turkish Cargo | Istanbul

Statistics

Accidents and incidents

• On 25 August 1973, a Douglas DC-6 belonging to Yemen Airlines was hijacked during a flight from Taiz to Asmara. After making a refueling stop in Djibouti, the aircraft was taken to Kuwait where the single hijacker surrendered.
• On 17 December 1973, a terrorist attack on Rome's Fiumicino Airport ended with the hijacking of a Lufthansa Boeing 737-100 that was preparing to depart to Munich. The aircraft was taken to Kuwait where the hijackers surrendered one day later.
• On 5 June 1977, a Middle East Airlines Boeing 707 was hijacked during a flight from Beirut to Baghdad. The ordeal ended in Kuwait when the aircraft was stormed and the single hijacker was arrested.
• On 24 July 1980, two hijackers demanding money surrendered after hijacking a Kuwait Airways Boeing 737-200 during a flight from Beirut.
• On 12 December 1983, the airport was one of the targets of the 1983 Kuwait bombings.
• On 2 August 1990, British Airways Flight 149 carrying 349 passengers landed at Kuwait International Airport just four hours after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, leading to the capture of the passengers and crew. The Boeing 747-100 aircraft was looted by the Iraqis and destroyed. All passengers and crew were reported safe, but one flight attendant was raped and the passengers were taken to Iraq. A McDonnell Douglas DC-9 belonging to the Kuwait Air Force was also destroyed at the airport. During the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait many of the planes belonging to Kuwait Airways were stolen from the airport and stored in different locations in Iraq, some of the Airbus A310s notably were given Iraqi registrations, the aircraft were later destroyed by allied bombings in 1991.
• On 25 February 1991, a USMC McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II crash-landed after being hit by ground fire during the Kuwait Liberation War.
• On 27 February 1991, the airport played host to a large tank battle between U.S. and Iraqi forces during the first Gulf War. It is known today as the Battle of Kuwait International Airport.
• On 10 December 1999, three US military personnel died when a USAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules made a hard emergency landing at Kuwait International Airport after sustaining damage from landing short of the runway at nearby Jaber al-Ahmad Airbase.
• On 24 May 2018, a Police Air Wing Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopter was destroyed in a fire that broke out in a military hangar. Another similar helicopter was rescued before the fire reached it.
• On 7 May 2019, a towing tractor driver was killed when a Kuwait Airways Boeing 777-300ER aircraft being towed rolled over the tractor after the tow-bar broke.
• On 8 June 2025, Gulf Air Flight 213 received a bomb threat en route to Kuwait, the plane landed safely and after procedures revealed there was no bomb.

References

References

1. (November 1993). "Instrument and Observing Methods – Report No. 56". World Meteorological Organization.
2. "Airport information for OKBK".
3. {{GCM. KWI
4. (5 July 2018). "From nothing to something – Cargo City takes shape". Af.mil.
5. "History". Kuwait International Airport.
6. https://248am.com/mark/kuwait/kuwait-airport-before-and-after/
7. https://arab-architecture.org/db/building/kuwait-international-air-terminal-building
8. https://www.tangeweb.com/works/works_no-43/
9. "Kuwait International Airport Expansion".
10. "History - Directorate General of Civil Aviation".
11. "Kuwait International Airport".
12. (15 June 2014). "Firms quit Kuwait airport project; second terminal put on hold".
13. (21 May 2018). "Jazeera Airways Announces Start of Flights From New Dedicated Terminal on May 22".
14. (July 2016). "AirForces Monthly". [[Key Publishing.
15. Cloys, Robert. (24 May 2019). "Cargo City officially opens as new gateway in Kuwait".
16. Everstine, Brian W.. (27 October 2019). "Cargo City Opens in Kuwait". Air Force Magazine.
17. arabtimes. (17 March 2025). "Kuwait Gears Up for Aviation Renaissance with New Airport Opening in 2026".
18. "Kuwait International Airport New Terminal". Airport Technology.
19. (8 April 2021). "Kuwait seeks to list Terminal 2 as environmentally friendly". Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
20. (1 June 2021). "Eyeing the private sector". Gulf Construction.
21. "Kuwait International Airport: Terminal 4".
22. (20 April 2016). "Flights Timetable {{!}} Travellers - Kuwait International Airport". Schedules Section, Air Transport Department, DGCA.
23. "Air Arabia (G9) list of flight destinations".
24. (24 April 2012). "AirCairo announces low fare (hybrid) business model, flights to Kuwait".
25. (12 September 2011). "Egypt Air initiates low rate weekly flights to Kuwait".
26. (14 August 2024). "Air Cairo launches Luxor-Kuwait service".
27. "Air India Express adds 3 flight to the middle East from Bangalore".
28. (September 2008). "Kuwait International Airport August 2008 Statistics". Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
29. (2 April 2019). "Air India Express starts Kannur-Bahrain service".
30. (2 July 2008). "Air India Express to start Kuwait services".
31. (6 January 2021). "Air India announces new domestic and international flights".
32. (August 2024). "Kuwait International Airport July 2024 Statistics". Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
33. (15 April 2022). "Egypt's Alexandria Airlines to restart scheduled operations".
34. "ATA Airlines flight schedule at Kuwait Airport".
35. (29 September 2021). "Biman to resume flights to Medina, Kuwait and Kathmandu". Dhaka Tribune.
36. "flynas opens new base in Abha".
37. (31 October 2021). "Iran Air schedules flights to Kuwait & Dubai".
38. (19 April 2022). "Iran Air to launch more flights to Kuwait".
39. (19 March 2021). "Jazeera Airways launches flights to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia". Aviation Pros.
40. (2 December 2021). "Jazeera Airways Launches First Ever Route Between Kazakhstan and Kuwait".
41. (15 January 2026). "«الجزيرة» تنقل رحلاتها من مطار علياء إلى «عمّان الجديد» 1 فبراير".
42. "Jazeera Airways launches direct Milan Bergamo flights".
43. (10 January 2022). "Jazeera Airways to operate Kuwait-Ctg direct flights from 24 Jan". The Business Standard.
44. (14 March 2022). "Nepal's second international airport to start flights on May 16; Kuwait the first destination". Onlinekhabar.
45. (16 July 2023). "Jazeera Airways launched Tehran-Kuwait City Service".
46. (30 June 2021). "Jazeera Airways Announces Flight Schedule to Antalya and Kyiv". Aviationpros.com.
47. "Jazeera Airways Adds Larnaca To Summer Network".
48. (4 April 2022). "Jazeera Airways to start Prague - Kuwait route".
49. (7 March 2022). "Jazeera Airways to begin operations to Salalah".
50. (14 October 2025). "Jazeera Airways opens winter gateway to Sochi". Times Kuwait.
51. "News for Airlines, Airports and the Aviation Industry | CAPA".
52. (24 February 2025). "Jazeera Airways to launch flights between Yerevan and Kuwait in June". AMI Novosti-Armenia.
53. "flynas opens new base in Abha".
54. "Kuwait Airways to resume commercial flights to Colombo in October". Newswire.
55. "Kuwait Airways to operate 8 new flight destinations".
56. "Airlines with direct flights between Mashhad and Kuwait".
57. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/kuwait-airways-adds-new-direct-flights-to-5-dream-destinations-in-2026-connects-gulf-to-mediterranean-asian-ge
58. "Kuwait Airways to launch operations to Sphinx in January 2026".
59. "Kuwait Airways resumes Kuwait-Zurich service".
60. (21 July 2023). "Nesma Airlines commences Cairo-Kuwait service".
61. "PIA resumes flights between Sialkot and Kuwait | SAMAA".
62. "Sepehran Airlines Destination Routes".
63. [https://www.cargolux.com/network-offices/network-offices cargolux.com - Map] retrieved 8 December 2021
64. [https://www.cargolux-italia.com/network-offices/map cargolux-italia.com - Map] retrieved 8 December 2021
65. [https://aviationcargo.dhl.com/destinations-served aviationcargo.dhl.com - Destinations] retrieved 8 December 2021
66. [https://ethiopiancargo.azurewebsites.net/network/route-map ethiopiancargo.azurewebsites.net - Route Map] retrieved 8 December 2021
67. [https://www.qrcargo.com/docs/Freight_Network_Map_W20-21.pdf qrcargo.com - Freight Network Map] retrieved 8 December 2021
68. [https://www.turkishcargo.com.tr/en/online-services/flight-schedule turkishcargo.com.tr - Flight schedule] retrieved 8 December 2021
69. (11 April 2020). "Kuwait International Airport Statistics". Statistics Section, Air Transport Department, DGCA.
70. "UI Douglas DC-6 , Saturday 25 August 1973".
71. "UI Boeing 737-130 D-ABEY, Monday 17 December 1973".
72. "UI Boeing 707 , Sunday 5 June 1977".
73. "UI Boeing 737-269 9K-ACV, Thursday 24 July 1980".
74. (2 August 1992). "The strange flight of BA 149: Why did no one prevent a British Airways".
75. "Accident McDonnell Douglas AV-8B-10-MC Harrier II 163190, Monday 25 February 1991".
76. M60 vs T-62 Cold War Combatants 1956-92 Nordeen&Isby P.73
77. "Star Air Aviation (Pvt) Ltd.".
78. "Incident Eurocopter AS 365N3 Dauphin KMOI-03, Thursday 24 May 2018".
79. "Incident Boeing 777-369ER 9K-AOH, Monday 6 May 2019".
80. Newspaper, The Peninsula. (8 June 2025). "Gulf Air headed to Kuwait lands due to bomb threat; suspect apprehended".
81. arabtimes. (8 June 2025). "Bomb Threat on Gulf Air Flight Declared Hoax - No Disruption at Kuwait Airport".