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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Kunming Changshui International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Kunming, Yunnan Province (China)

IATA: KMG ICAO: ZPPP

Longest Active Runway

14,764 ft

4,500 meters

Field Elevation

6,903 ft

2,104 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

25.1103°, 102.9367°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #11 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#25 of 7558

Top 0.3% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (China)

#2 of 55 in CN

#7 of 264 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+47.6%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 KMG in numbers: 14,764 ft longest runway · tied #11 of 650 published · #25 of 7,558 worldwide (top 0.3%) · #2 in China.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Kunming Changshui International Airport is China's premier high-plateau aviation hub. Operating at nearly 6,900 ft above sea level, commercial airliners encounter reduced atmospheric pressure and lower wing lift. To maintain full MTOW departures on flights to Europe and across Asia, Runway 04/22 was engineered to 14,764 ft (4,500 m), making it one of the longest commercial runways in Asia. Modern dual-runway sequencing handles over 40 million passengers annually.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel runways 03/21 (13,123 ft / 4,000 m) and 04/22 (14,764 ft / 4,500 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in June 2012 as a massive greenfield airport replacing the urban, hemmed-in Kunming Wujiaba International Airport. Features one of the largest single terminal structures in southwest China.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Primary Chinese aviation gateway to South and Southeast Asia, situated hundreds of kilometers inland from coastal mega-hubs like Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Located at an elevation of 6,896 ft (2,102 m MSL), high summer density altitude significantly decreases air density, necessitating Runway 04/22's massive 14,764 ft length for heavy takeoffs.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) · Aeronautical Information Service China (NAIP)

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

High-Altitude Aerodrome (≥5,000 ft)

KMG lies at 2,104 m (6,903 ft), #22 of 650 published airports by elevation and 96 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 6,678 ft above the China median (225 ft, 54 airports); RKZ is highest at 12,408 ft, 5,505 ft higher than KMG.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

No published neighbour with a paved runway of 5,000 ft or more within 100 NM of KMG. Nearest published airport: Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG), 173 NM, 9,843 ft (4,921 ft shorter than KMG); 2 within 250 NM.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 14,764 ft (4,500 m)

KMG runways: 04/22 14,764 × 197 ft asphalt (asp); 03/21 13,123 × 148 ft concrete (con). National standing: #2 of 55 in China; RKZ leads by 1,640 ft (16,404 ft). +47.6% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
04/22	14,764 ft (4500 m / 4.500 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
03/21	13,123 ft (4000 m / 4.000 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →