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Airportist Scores and guides are editorial content. Always verify live rules, terminals, and operational alerts with official airport and airline sources.

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AWZOIAW

Ahwaz Airport

Ahwaz, IR

Airportist Score

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AWZOIAWModerate

Ahvaz Qasem Soleimani International Airport

Ahvaz, Iran · Middle East

Ahvaz is southwestern Iran's main airport and ranked among Iran's five busiest in early Iranian year 1403. Most flights are domestic to Tehran and Mashhad. Iran Air flies to Dubai and Kuwait, with seasonal Jeddah and Medina Hajj flights; foreign carriers do not currently serve the airport. Facilities are basic: cafés, prayer rooms, free Wi-Fi listed, and a paid CIP. Germany's Foreign Office warns against all travel to Iran.

Airportist Score

5.1/ 10

Rough

Ease of use6.0
Comfort & amenities5.0
Food & retail4.5
Ground access5.5
Reliability4.5
Lounges4.0

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

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AWZOIAWModerate

Ahvaz Qasem Soleimani International Airport

Ahvaz, Iran · Middle East

Ahvaz is southwestern Iran's main airport and ranked among Iran's five busiest in early Iranian year 1403. Most flights are domestic to Tehran and Mashhad. Iran Air flies to Dubai and Kuwait, with seasonal Jeddah and Medina Hajj flights; foreign carriers do not currently serve the airport. Facilities are basic: cafés, prayer rooms, free Wi-Fi listed, and a paid CIP. Germany's Foreign Office warns against all travel to Iran.

Airportist Score

5.1/ 10

Rough

Ease of use6.0
Comfort & amenities5.0
Food & retail4.5
Ground access5.5
Reliability4.5
Lounges4.0

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare AWZ with another airport

Typical security
25 min
editorial average, not live
Fastest to city
About 20–25 min to central Ahvaz (estimate)
Airport taxi
Cheapest to city
City bus
Not confirmed · Not confirmed
Lounge
1
On time
78%
of departures
Terminals
Separate domestic and international halls plus a CIP building

The lounge at AWZ
AWZ security wait times

4 photos

AWZGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Reconfirm international flights on the day

Flights can be cancelled at short notice.

Germany's Foreign Office warns that renewed fighting can close Iranian airspace and cancel flights without warning. Foreign airlines no longer serve Ahvaz. Reconfirm Iran Air or other Iranian-carrier Gulf and Hajj flights 24 hours before and again on the day.

Terminal

Domestic and international halls are separate

Separate domestic and international halls plus a CIP building.

Domestic flights use the domestic hall; international and Hajj–Umrah flights use the international hall with passport control and customs. The paid CIP is in a separate building to the left of the international hall. Check with your airline which entrance to use.

Food

Cafés and a restaurant, cash only for foreigners

Simple food available; foreigners need cash.

Travel guides and the ground handler describe cafés, a restaurant and fast food in the terminals. Opening hours and prices are not published. Foreign cards do not work in Iran, so bring euros or US dollars and change them locally. Alcohol is banned.

Status

Only a paid CIP, no lounge programmes

Paid CIP only; status cards don't help.

There is no Priority Pass, alliance or airline lounge. The paid CIP (Commercially Important Persons) service has its own building beside the international hall for domestic and international arrivals and departures. Book through an Iranian agency; status cards do not get you in.

Live conditions

Right now at AWZ

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Domestic links to Tehran and Mashhad
Oil and energy industry travel to Khuzestan
Paid CIP to skip terminal queues
Seasonal Hajj and Umrah flights to Jeddah and Medina

Watch out for

Germany warns against all travel to Iran
Foreign cards don't work; bring cash
Foreign airlines suspended Iran flights in September 2026
Photography at the airport can lead to arrest
Landmines near the Iraq border in Khuzestan

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

6.0

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

5.0

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

4.5

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

5.5

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

4.5

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

4.0

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

Among Iran's five busiest in first 8 months of 1403 (Iran Airports Co via Imna/Mehr); 2,939,958 in 2017 (Iran Airports Co)

Terminals

Separate domestic and international halls plus a CIP building

On-time departures

78%

Typical security

25 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for AWZ.

Updated Nov 5, 2026

Ahvaz Qasem Soleimani International Airport (IATA AWZ, ICAO OIAW), formerly Ahvaz International Airport, is about 11 km from central Ahvaz in Khuzestan Province, at roughly 20 m elevation. Local time is Asia/Tehran (UTC+3:30).
Iran Airports Company ranked Ahvaz among Iran's five busiest airports by passengers and movements in the first eight months of Iranian year 1403 (March–November 2024), after Mehrabad, Mashhad and Shiraz (Imna and Mehr News). An older Iran Airports Co figure for 2017 was 2,939,958 passengers.
Domestic and international flights use separate terminal halls (about 8,000 m² domestic and 6,500 m² international). One asphalt runway (12/30, 3,398 m).
Main domestic routes are Tehran Mehrabad and Mashhad. Other domestic links include Shiraz, Isfahan, Bandar Abbas and Sari. Karun Airlines is based here.
International: Iran Air lists Dubai (DXB), Kuwait City (KWI) and seasonal Jeddah/Medina Hajj–Umrah flights. Foreign carriers do not currently serve Ahvaz; Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus suspended Iran flights on 21 September 2026.
Germany's Foreign Office warns against all travel to Iran and urges German nationals to leave. Khuzestan is also noted for landmine risk near the Iraq border from the Iran–Iraq war.

15 official sources

https://ahwaz.airport.ir/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasem_Soleimani_International_Airport
https://www.imna.ir/news/828993/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%88-%D9%BE%D8%B0%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%B4-%DB%B2%DB%B3-%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B1-%D9%87%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%DB%B1%DB%B4%DB%B0%DB%B3
https://www.mehrnews.com/news/6344565/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%88-%D9%BE%D8%B0%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%B4-%DB%B2%DB%B3-%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B1-%D9%87%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%B7%DB%8C-%DB%B8-%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84
https://www.loungefrog.com/airports/awz/routes
https://www.airportia.com/iran/ahwaz-airport/routes/
https://orienttrips.com/mag/ahvaz-international-airport/
https://www.saman.aero/en/airport/ahvaz
https://www.booking.ir/cip/awz/
https://varancip.com/ahwaz-airport-cip/
https://www.cip.aero/fa/airportservices/cip/ahvaz
https://www.rustourismnews.com/2026/09/22/turkish-airlines-ajet-and-pegasus-suspend-iran-flights-as-us-sanctions-bite/
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/service/laender/iran-node/iransicherheit-202396
https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/domains/air-operations/czibs/czib-2026-04-r2
https://www.unisco.com/international-airports/ahvaz-intl-airport

Full guide

Explore the AWZ guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Ahwaz Airport and the Ahvaz city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Airport taxiCheapest: City bus
View Getting There
Lounges
1 lounge with access rules, hours, and verdicts.
CIP Lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus stopped flying to Iran on 21 September 2026. For Dubai and Kuwait, check Iran Air; permissions and schedules can change at short notice.
9 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
5 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
CIP loungeSeparate domestic and international halls
View Amenities
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

Ahwaz Airport and the Ahvaz city center

This airport AWZ
City center Ahvaz

Terminal navigation guide

Terminal-change and gate-area notes pulled from the markdown guide.

From Terminals & Navigation

Domestic and international flights use separate halls (about 8,000 m² domestic and 6,500 m² international). Passport control and customs are in the international hall.
One runway: 12/30, 3,398 m asphalt.
Domestic: Tehran Mehrabad is the busiest route, then Mashhad. Other domestic destinations include Shiraz, Isfahan, Bandar Abbas and Sari. Airlines include Iran Air, Iran Aseman, Karun Airlines, ATA, Qeshm Air, Caspian, Sepehran and others.
International: Iran Air to Dubai (DXB) and Kuwait City (KWI), plus seasonal Jeddah (JED) and Medina (MED) for Hajj and Umrah. Older listings also named Sharjah, Muscat and Istanbul; HonestAirport could not confirm those as current scheduled service in November 2026.
Facilities listed by travel guides and the ground handler: prayer rooms, ATMs (Iranian cards), National Bank branches, cafés and a restaurant, mother-and-baby room, medical post, handicraft stalls and lockers. Hours and prices are not published.
Wi-Fi: free Wi-Fi is listed. Speeds and coverage were not independently verified, and many foreign sites are blocked in Iran.

Ground transport guide

City-transfer, rideshare, train, and parking guidance from the markdown guide.

From Ground Transport & Parking

Distance: about 11 km / 20–25 minutes to central Ahvaz by road (HonestAirport estimate for travel time).
Taxi: official taxis wait outside the terminals around the clock. The ground handler lists more than 180 taxis at the international hall and about 20 women's taxis for domestic flights. Fares weren't verified; agree the price or use a meter when available. Prefer a pre-booked taxi.
Bus: city buses are described from Salman Farsi Street (Naderi) and the Koy-e-Mellat terminal. Hours and stop locations weren't verified.
Ride-hailing: Iranian apps serve the city; foreign cards won't pay for them.
Parking: daily parking opposite the admin building (about 220 spaces) and overnight parking near the international terminal (about 300 spaces, some covered). Tariffs weren't verified.

Ride to Ahvaz

Pickup at AWZ. Where the app supports it, dropoff is set to Ahvaz city center for a live price.

To city center

Ahvaz

~7.6 km

Typical fare

See app

Live quotes open in the ride app

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

Compare prepaid private transfers to Ahvaz — useful overnight, with luggage, or when you want a locked-in fare before you land.

FastestBest for luggage

Airport taxi

Official taxis wait outside the domestic and international halls around the clock.

Time to city

About 20–25 min to central Ahvaz (estimate)

Cost

Not confirmed; agree the fare or use a meter

Tip: Prefer a pre-booked taxi. Women's taxis are listed for domestic flights.

Pre-booked / hotel transfer

Hotels and CIP agencies can arrange a private car into the city.

Time to city

About 20–25 min to central Ahvaz (estimate)

Cost

Set by your hotel or agency

Tip: Germany's Foreign Office recommends pre-booked cars over street taxis.

Cheapest

City bus

Buses are described from Salman Farsi Street (Naderi) and Koy-e-Mellat terminal.

Time to city

Not confirmed

Cost

Not confirmed

Tip: Hours and exact stops weren't verified; ask locally.

Check your lounge access at AWZ

Sign in, save your cards, airline status, and lounge programs once, and we'll check them against every lounge.

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Depends

Separate CIP building (left of international hall)Landside, own building

Ahvaz's only lounge-style option: a paid CIP service in its own building beside the international hall.

Access: Day pass

Hours: 06:00–23:00 (per Iranian CIP booking agencies)

Amenities: Check-in and baggage handled by staff · Dedicated security/passport lane on international flights · Private lounge with refreshments · Internet · Car to aircraft (some agencies)

Best for: Skipping terminal queues · International departures to Dubai and Kuwait · Domestic departures to Tehran and Mashhad

Full access guide

Lounge & amenity notes

Lounge, food, and quiet-spot picks pulled from the markdown guide.

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

Lounges: there is no Priority Pass, alliance or airline lounge. The only option is the paid CIP service in a separate building to the left of the international hall (opened around 2010/11).
The CIP serves domestic and international passengers on arrival and departure. Staff handle check-in and bags, there is a private lounge with refreshments, and there is a dedicated security/passport lane for international flights. Some agencies also offer a car to the aircraft. Book through an Iranian agency before the flight. Status cards do not get you in.
CIP hours: two Iranian booking agencies list the CIP as open 06:00–23:00. Prices differ by agency and by domestic vs international, so HonestAirport leaves prices empty.
Food: cafés, fast food and a restaurant are listed in the terminals. Opening hours and prices aren't published. Alcohol is banned.
Sleeping: HonestAirport couldn't verify any sleeping pods or an airside hotel. Hotels are in the city, about 11 km away.

good

CIP lounge

Has Lounge

Paid CIP in a separate building beside the international hall for domestic and international passengers; book through an Iranian agency.

good

Separate domestic and international halls

Accessibility

Domestic and international flights use separate halls; passport control is in the international hall.

basic

Free Wi-Fi (listed)

Fast WiFi

Free Wi-Fi is listed by the ground handler; many foreign sites remain blocked in Iran.

basic

Food and drink

Food

Cafés, fast food and a restaurant are listed; hours and prices were not verified. Alcohol is banned.

good

Taxis including women's taxis

Easy Transport

More than 180 taxis at the international hall and dedicated women's taxis on domestic flights, according to the ground handler.

Editorial guide tricks

The markdown guide's highest-signal tactics before the data-backed tips below.

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus stopped flying to Iran on 21 September 2026. For Dubai and Kuwait, check Iran Air; permissions and schedules can change at short notice.
Bring enough cash (euros or US dollars) for your whole stay. Foreign credit and debit cards don't work in Iran, and airport ATMs take Iranian bank cards only.
Expect restricted internet: many sites, apps and VPNs are blocked. Free Wi-Fi is listed at the airport, but foreign sites often still fail.
Iran Air, Mahan Air and Saha Airlines are under EU sanctions. EU nationals may not pay sanctioned airlines, even indirectly for a ticket, so check who operates your flight before you buy.
Germany's Foreign Office recommends pre-booked taxis over street taxis. The ground handler lists more than 180 taxis at the international hall and dedicated women's taxis on domestic flights.

01

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Check travel advice before you fly

Germany warns against all travel to Iran over arbitrary arrest risk.

Germany's Foreign Office urges German nationals to leave Iran. Don't photograph the airport. Delete sensitive photos and documents from your devices. Carry your e-visa and a passport copy.

Upside

Clear official guidance

Watch-out

Travel warning is in force

02

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Prefer a pre-booked taxi

About 11 km to the centre; official taxis wait outside.

Germany's Foreign Office prefers pre-booked taxis over street taxis. The ground handler lists more than 180 taxis at the international hall and women's taxis for domestic flights. Agree the fare if there is no meter.

Upside

Short drive into Ahvaz

Watch-out

Fares not published

03

LayoverTraveler Tips & Hacks

Connect via Tehran or Dubai

Domestic hub is Mehrabad; international options are thin.

Most passengers connect over Tehran Mehrabad. Iran Air's Dubai and Kuwait flights are the main international links; seasonal Jeddah and Medina serve pilgrims. Turkish and other foreign carriers have suspended Iran service.

Upside

Dubai link when operating

Watch-out

Few international options

04

LoungeTraveler Tips & Hacks

Book the CIP in advance

Paid CIP only; no Priority Pass or status access.

The CIP building sits beside the international hall. Agencies list 06:00–23:00 opening. Staff handle check-in and bags and offer a private lounge and dedicated screening lane. Prices differ by agency, so HonestAirport leaves them out.

Upside

Skips public queues

Watch-out

Must book and pay in advance

Entry requirements

Iran (IR)

Sign in and add a passport to see the entry requirement for Iran.

Passports are saved in profile settings. Check the official site before you travel.

Published alerts

Editorial profile notes — not a live alert feed. Live operations are on Overview and in the panel below.

Published alerts

Typical operations snapshot — editorial, not live news. File dated Nov 5, 2026.

Moderate

Rated moderate: Germany's Foreign Office warns against all travel to Iran and urges German nationals to leave; airspace and flights can close at short notice after regional fighting.Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus suspended Iran flights on 21 September 2026; foreign carriers do not currently serve Ahvaz.On-time share, delay minutes, cancellations and security waits are HonestAirport estimates; the airport publishes no punctuality figures.

Typical delay mix from the same editorial snapshot — not a live feed. Current operations are on Overview.

Typical departure delays25 min · 22%

Typical arrival delays25 min · 22%

Typical cancellations0 min · 3%

Live operations

Live operational signals from Flighty or FAA, plus checkpoint waits where airports publish them.

Traveler reviews

What travelers say

Write a review

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