Kabul Airport (KBL) Information

Where is Kabul Airport?  

Once a beautiful land, with a rich history, Afghanistan is a war torn nation. Its capital city, Kabul, is still a gateway to the country, but is no longer visited by most travellers (there are travel advisories in place against visiting here). 

Kabul International Airport (IATA: KBL, ICAO: OAKB), officially Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, also known as Kabul Hamid, Karzai Airport, Kabul Karzai Airport, Khwaja Rawash Airport, Kabul Airport or KAIA, serves the capital city of Kabul, in Kabul province, in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan military has a base at KBL, as well as NATO forces. The Afghan National Police provide security inside the passenger terminals.

An airport in a war zone is a sensitive subject, and presents an always changing situation. In a nutshell, Kabul's airport was destroyed in a bombing campaign in 2001. After a period, efforts were made to reinstate operations and rebuild the infrastructure. 

A new international terminal, built by the government of Japan at a cost of USD 35 million, began operations in 2009, allowing foreign nationals and aid workers better access to the country. The existing terminal was refurbished and is used for domestic flights. There have been bombings at Kabul Airport as recently as August 2015.

Kabul Airport is a hub for Ariana Afghan Airways, Afghan Jet, East Horizon, Kam Air and Safi Airways. Other airlines serving KBL include Air India, Emirates, flydubai, Mahan Air, Pakistan Airlines, SpiceJet and Turkish Airlines.

From Kabul Airport flights depart to Bahrain, Delhi, Dubai, Frankfurt, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jeddah, Khandahar, Kuwait City, Moscow, Riyadh and Tehran, among others. Most passengers travelling from foreign nations travel through Dubai.

Putting safety first, your best bet for a Kabul Airport transfer is to be met by someone you know, or to use a transfer service geared to securely transporting westerners. Details on all options are included in this guide.

Read our blog post: The elusive Kabul Taxi

Female visitors: Make sure you wear a headscarf before landing in Kabul Airport until you fly out. Also, when taking taxis, it is customary for women to always sit in the back seat.

 

There is an AFN 20 departure tax for international flights and a AFN 10 departure tax for domestic flights.

 

Services at Kabul Airport include:

• Post office
• Restaurant
• Duty free

 

WARNING: Kabul is currently extremely dangerous and sudden changes can occur in the security situation. As recently as August 2015 there has been terrorist activity in Kabul, including suicide bombings and attacks on embassies. If your visit is essential, consult your country's embassy in Kabul and monitor US Dept. of State and UK FCO travel warnings throughout the planning and duration of your trip/stay.

 

Read our blog post: The elusive Kabul Taxi

Additional Kabul Airport information may be found by visiting their official website below.

• Official KBL Kabul International Airport Website