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

Kuwait International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Kuwait City, Al Farwaniyah Governorate (Kuwait)

IATA: KWI ICAO: OKKK

Longest Active Runway

15,026 ft

4,580 meters

Field Elevation

206 ft

63 m MSL

Runway Inventory

3 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

29.2245°, 47.9698°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#7 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#14 of 7558

Top 0.2% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Kuwait)

#1 of 1 in KW

#1 of 1 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+50.3%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 KWI in numbers: 15,026 ft longest runway · #7 of 650 published · #14 of 7,558 worldwide (top 0.2%) · #1 in Kuwait.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Kuwait International Airport (KWI)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Kuwait International Airport operates under some of the most punishing atmospheric environments in global aviation. The flat desert topography provides obstruction-free obstacle clearance surfaces, but midday summer heat severely thins air density, extending takeoff ground roll requirements for heavily fueled widebodies heading to Europe and North America. Ground operations also manage frequent convective shamal dust storms requiring rapid runway friction monitoring and air filtration maintenance.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel north-south runways 15L/33R (11,483 ft / 3,500 m) and 15R/33L (11,155 ft / 3,400 m) with a newly constructed third parallel runway.

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

First opened in 1928 as a desert airfield; comprehensively modernized in 1979 with Kenzo Tange's iconic airplane-shaped terminal. The ongoing Terminal 2 expansion aims to elevate annual capacity to 25 million passengers.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Functions as northern Arabian Gulf hub, complementing Dammam (DMM, 161 NM south) while maintaining heavy military transport logistics alongside civil Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways hubs.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Summer ambient temperatures routinely exceed 50°C (122°F), causing extreme thermal density altitude penalties that demand rigorous engine thrust lapse calculations and high-speed tire thermal ratings.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Kuwait National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

KWI lies at 63 m (206 ft), #372 of 650 published airports by elevation and 37.5 percentile among 7,558 worldwide.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

2 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Closest of 2 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbours within 100 NM: Abadan Ayatollah Jami International Airport (ABD), 70 NM, 10,169 ft. Next: BSR 81.1 NM. KWI has the longest runway in this radius, 1,902 ft over BSR.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 15,026 ft (4,580 m)

KWI runways: 16/34 15,026 × 197 ft asphalt (asph); 15L/33R 11,483 × 148 ft asphalt (asp); 15R/33L 11,155 × 148 ft concrete (con). +50.3% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
16/34	15,026 ft (4580 m / 4.580 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt (ASPH)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
15L/33R	11,483 ft (3500 m / 3.500 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
15R/33L	11,155 ft (3400 m / 3.400 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Abadan Ayatollah Jami International Airport (Abadan)	`ABD`	70 NM (129.6 km)	10,169 ft	✅ Lighted
Basra International Airport (Basra)	`BSR`	81.1 NM (150.2 km)	13,124 ft	✅ Lighted

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