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

Chişinău International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Chişinău, Chişinău (city) (Moldova)

IATA: RMO ICAO: LUKK

Longest Active Runway

11,778 ft

3,590 meters

Field Elevation

399 ft

122 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

46.9277°, 28.9317°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#252 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#403 of 7558

Top 5.3% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Moldova)

#1 of 1 in MD

#1 of 2 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+17.8%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 RMO in numbers: 11,778 ft longest runway · #252 of 650 published · #403 of 7,558 worldwide (top 5.3%) · #1 in Moldova.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Chişinău International Airport (RMO)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Chișinău International Airport is the sole commercial gateway to Moldova. Its primary runway 08/26 extends nearly 11,800 ft across an undulating plateau 400 ft above sea level. This generous pavement enables direct, non-stop narrowbody and widebody operations to major Western European and Mediterranean hubs, equipped with CAT II instrument landing systems for winter snowstorms.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel runways: primary Runway 08/26 (11,778 ft / 3,590 m) and secondary Runway 09/27 (8,268 ft / 2,520 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Built in 1960 during the Soviet era; modernized with a fully rebuilt terminal and concrete runway reconstruction in the 2010s. Officially updated its IATA code from KIV to RMO in January 2024 to reflect its Romanian-language name Chișinău.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Sole international commercial gateway for the Republic of Moldova, operating as a vital air lifeline between the EU and Eastern European flight regions.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Runway 08/26 features a full 11,778 ft length originally designed for Soviet heavy transport aircraft, providing massive takeoff and landing safety margins for modern narrowbodies.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Moldova 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)

RMO lies at 122 m (399 ft), #298 of 650 published airports by elevation and 47.7 percentile among 7,558 worldwide.

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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 RMO. Nearest published airport: Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport (CND), 155 NM, 11,483 ft (295 ft shorter than RMO); 3 within 250 NM.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 11,778 ft (3,590 m)

RMO runways: 08/26 11,778 × 148 ft concrete (con); 09/27 7,818 × 148 ft concrete (con). +17.8% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
08/26	11,778 ft (3590 m / 3.590 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
09/27	7,818 ft (2383 m / 2.383 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

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