Hamid Karzai International Airport

Hamid Karzai International Airport
Name	Hamid Karzai International Airport
Image-width	250
IATA	KBL
ICAO	OAKB
Owner	Government of Afghanistan
Operator	Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Afghanistan)
City-served	Kabul
Location	Kabul Province
Elevation-f	5,877
Elevation-m	1,791
Coordinates	34, 33, 57, N...
R1-number	11/29
R1-length-m	3,500
R1-length-f	11,483
R1-surface	Asphalt
Stat-year	2021
Stat1-header	Passengers
Stat1-data	~1,000,000 (pre-2021)

Contents

History
Facilities
Airlines and destinations
Accidents and incidents
Military use
See also

Hamid Karzai International Airport. It is the primary international airport serving Afghanistan and its capital city, Kabul. Located in the eastern part of the city in Kabul Province, it functions as the nation's main hub for civilian air travel and has been a critical site for military and humanitarian operations. The airport has undergone significant changes in management and operational focus following the 2021 Taliban offensive and the subsequent withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces.

History

The airfield's origins date to the early 1960s, constructed with assistance from the United States and the Soviet Union during the reign of Mohammed Zahir Shah. It was originally known as Kabul International Airport and served as a major gateway during periods of relative stability. The facility saw extensive use and conflict during the Soviet–Afghan War, the subsequent Afghan Civil War (1992–1996), and the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). Following the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the airport was renamed in 2014 in honor of the country's first post-Taliban president, Hamid Karzai. Control of the airport was assumed by the Taliban in August 2021 after the Fall of Kabul (2021).

Facilities

The airport features a single primary runway, 11/29, which is 3,500 meters long and equipped with ILS capabilities. The passenger terminal complex includes separate international and domestic halls. Key infrastructure, heavily developed during the NATO-led ISAF mission, includes hardened aircraft shelters, extensive cargo aprons, and fuel farms. The facility also houses the headquarters for the Afghan Air Force and has dedicated areas for air traffic control and logistics support from organizations like the World Food Programme.

Airlines and destinations

Prior to August 2021, the airport was served by several international and domestic carriers connecting Kabul to major hubs. These included Ariana Afghan Airlines, the national carrier, as well as Kam Air, Flydubai, Air Arabia, Pakistan International Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. Destinations included Dubai, Istanbul, Islamabad, Delhi, and Moscow. Following the change in government, commercial flight schedules have been irregular, primarily involving services to Istanbul and Dubai operated by Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air, alongside occasional charter and humanitarian flights.

Accidents and incidents

The airport and its approaches have been the site of numerous serious aviation accidents and security incidents, heavily influenced by the region's protracted conflict. A Kam Air flight crashed in 2005 during approach in poor weather. In 2010, an Air Arabia flight was involved in a runway incident. The deadliest event was the crash of a Boeing 747 operated by National Air Cargo in 2013, which killed all seven crew members shortly after takeoff. The airport has also been repeatedly targeted by rocket attacks and insurgent assaults, including a complex attack in 2021 during the evacuation operations following the Fall of Kabul (2021).

Military use

The airport has been a pivotal military installation for decades. It served as a key base for the Soviet Air Forces during the 1980s. From 2001 to 2021, it was transformed into a massive coalition airbase, known as Kabul International Airport or KAIA, hosting forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, and other NATO nations. It housed the Afghan Air Force's main wing and was the center for Operation Enduring Freedom and Resolute Support Mission air operations. Since 2021, it has been under the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and its military forces.