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KBLOAKB

Hamid Karzai International Airport

Kabul, AF

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KBLOAKBModerate

Kabul International Airport

Kabul, Afghanistan · Asia-Pacific

Kabul is Afghanistan's busiest gateway, with direct flights to Istanbul, the Gulf, Islamabad and Iran and a lounge that few travellers can verify; services are basic, there is no ride-hailing, and you need a visa before you board.

Airportist Score

4.5/ 10

Rough

Ease of use4.5
Comfort & amenities4.5
Food & retail4.5
Ground access4.5
Reliability5.0
Lounges3.5

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 KBL with another airport

Typical security
30 min
editorial average, not live
Best way to city
About 20–30 min to central Kabul (estimate)
Licensed taxi
Lounge
1
On time
70%
of departures
Terminals
Two terminals: international (opened 2008) and domestic (original 1960 building)
Passengers / year
About 1.2 million (airport website claim; Afghan airports total 1.57 million per the ministry)

All airports

KBLOAKBModerate

Kabul International Airport

Kabul, Afghanistan · Asia-Pacific

Airportist Score

4.5/ 10

Rough

Ease of use4.5
Comfort & amenities4.5
Food & retail4.5
Ground access4.5
Reliability5.0
Lounges3.5

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 KBL with another airport

Arrive

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Flying from Kabul?

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5 photos

KBLGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

Arrive 3–4 hours before departure

The airport's own pages say 3 or 4 hours for international flights; expect several document checks.

The airport's quick guide says to arrive 3 hours before international and 2 hours before domestic flights, while its step-by-step page says 4 hours and 3 hours. Travellers report multiple ticket, passport and baggage checks on the way out, so plan for the longer figure. The airport does not publish queue times.

Terminal

Two separate terminals

International flights use the 2008 terminal; domestic flights use the original 1960 building.

Check which terminal your airline uses before you leave town. Kam Air and Ariana run both domestic (Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar) and international flights. Departing passengers are often dropped at Car Park C and take a shuttle bus, or walk in from the gate, so allow extra time.

Food

Basic cafés; prices and menus not published

The airport website lists a terminal restaurant and cafés but no prices.

The airport website lists a halal terminal restaurant (06:00–22:00) and cafés (05:00–23:00) and says free Wi-Fi is available. No menus, prices or outlet names are published, and these hours come from one source, so bring snacks and water for a long wait.

Status

One business/VIP lounge; access rules unpublished

No Priority Pass or LoungeKey listing found; entry rules and prices are not public.

A business lounge in the domestic terminal was renovated with Afghan Wireless (AWCC) in January 2024, and the airport website lists a VIP lounge with free drinks and Wi-Fi. Eligibility (airline class, status or paid entry) and walk-in prices are not published, so ask your airline or the airport information desk.

Live conditions

Right now at KBL

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

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Direct flights to Istanbul, Dubai, Jeddah, Islamabad and Tehran or Mashhad
Single-ticket connections via Tashkent with Kam Air and Uzbekistan Airways
Domestic hops to Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar

Watch out for

A valid Afghan visa is required; the tourist e-visa works only at Kabul airport
FCDO advises against all travel; Afghan airspace has no air traffic control
No ride-hailing: agree the taxi fare for the whole car first
Lounge entry rules and prices are not published

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.

4.5

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

4.5

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

4.5

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

4.5

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

5.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

3.5

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

About 1.2 million (airport website claim; Afghan airports total 1.57 million per the ministry)

Terminals

Two terminals: international (opened 2008) and domestic (original 1960 building)

On-time departures

70%

Typical security

30 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for KBL.

Updated Nov 6, 2026

Kabul International Airport (IATA KBL, ICAO OAKB; named Hamid Karzai International until 2021) lies about 5 km north-east of central Kabul at roughly 1,800 m above sea level. Local time is Asia/Kabul (UTC+4:30). It is owned by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation. Facts checked 6 November 2026.
Traffic: the airport's homepage claims 1.2 million+ passengers a year (its About page says 2 million+). The ministry reported 1,570,896 passengers across all Afghan airports in its latest year, so KBL's own total is below that. In its previous annual report the ministry counted 7,665 flights at KBL: 3,400 domestic and 4,265 international.
Two terminals: an international terminal opened in 2008 and the original 1960 terminal, now used for domestic flights.
International routes in October–November 2026: Kam Air to Islamabad (daily from 1 November), Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Istanbul, Ankara, Tashkent and Shanghai; Ariana Afghan Airlines to Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Islamabad and Al Ain; Turkish Airlines from Istanbul; flydubai from Dubai; Iran Air, Mahan and Taban to Tehran and Mashhad (Iran Air resumed in late October). Domestic: Ariana and Kam Air to Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar.
Risk: the UK FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan (page still current on 6 November 2026). Afghan airspace has had no air traffic control service since 2021 and EASA tells operators to stay above FL320; Pakistani air strikes in October 2026 renewed border fighting. KBL stayed open. Ask your airline about your exact flight in the week you travel.
Entry: every arriving passenger needs a valid Afghan visa or an approved authorisation letter for visa on arrival (UN logistics cluster, October 2026). The tourist e-visa is single-entry, up to 30 days, valid 90 days from issue, and works only for entry through Kabul International Airport.

20 official sources

Full guide

Explore the KBL guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Terminal navigation guide

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

From Terminals & Navigation

Two terminals: the international terminal (opened 2008) and the original domestic terminal (1960). Check which one your airline uses.
Domestic flights: Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air to Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar. Wikipedia and Wikivoyage also list Kam Air to Khost.
International routes confirmed in October–November 2026: Kam Air to Islamabad (daily from 1 November), Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Istanbul, Ankara, Tashkent and Shanghai; Ariana Afghan Airlines to Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Islamabad and Al Ain; Turkish Airlines from Istanbul; flydubai from Dubai; Iran Air, Mahan and Taban to Tehran and Mashhad.
Also reported in 2026 by Wikipedia and Afghan Guide: Air Arabia from Sharjah, Etihad from Abu Dhabi, Kam Air to Doha and Kuwait City, and Ariana to Delhi. These were not on the October 2026 UN logistics cluster list, so confirm before booking.
Alliances: only Turkish Airlines (Star Alliance) is in an alliance. Kam Air and Ariana are hubbed at Kabul and sit outside all three.
Airspace: the Kabul flight information region has no air traffic control service; EASA, France, Germany and Canada advise operators to stay above FL320. Commercial flights into KBL have continued.
Hours, gate layouts and a terminal map were not published in a form we could verify; follow airline and airport signage.

Ground transport guide

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

From Ground Transport & Parking

Distance: about 5 km north-east of central Kabul. Heavy traffic and checkpoints can slow the trip; allow 20–30 minutes (HonestAirport estimate).
Taxi: Wikivoyage (2026) puts a taxi to the centre at about AFN 300–500, with daytime fares of AFN 100–200 if you walk out of the gate and flag one down. Afghan Guide quotes about AFN 500. Foreigners are often overcharged, so agree the price for the whole vehicle before you get in and show it on your phone.
Ride-hailing: there are no ride-hailing apps in Kabul (Wikivoyage; Afghan Guide).
Pre-arranged pick-up: hotels and local operators can send a driver, which helps on late arrivals because taxis are scarce after dark (Wikivoyage; Al Hamid).
Parking: the airport website lists a licensed taxi stand and long-stay parking at Park C (both 24 hours) and short-stay parking at US$2 per hour. Wikivoyage also reports Car Park C with a shuttle bus to the terminal. Long-stay rates are not shown.
Public transport: Wikivoyage says the government bus service is unreliable. No scheduled airport bus was found.

Ride to Kabul

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

To city center

Kabul

~0.4 km

Typical fare

See app

Live quotes open in the ride app

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

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

FastestCheapestBest for luggage

Licensed taxi

Licensed taxis operate at the airport around the clock according to the airport website; there are no ride-hailing apps.

Time to city

About 20–30 min to central Kabul (estimate)

Cost

About AFN 300–500 (Wikivoyage 2026) or about AFN 500 (Afghan Guide); agree it first

Tip: Agree the price for the whole car, not per person, and show it on your phone. Daytime street taxis outside the gate can cost AFN 100–200.

Airport parking (Park C)

Short- and long-stay parking is listed at Park C with a shuttle bus to the terminal.

Time to city

On site

Cost

Short stay listed at US$2 per hour; long-stay rate not shown

Tip: Allow extra time for the shuttle bus or a walk from the gate when departing.

Editorial guide tricks

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

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Check your flight with the airline in the week you travel. Afghan Guide (1 November 2026) says flights to and from Pakistan and over Iran have been disrupted by the 2026 wars.
Kam Air and Uzbekistan Airways have an interline agreement: one ticket from Kabul via Tashkent to 15 Uzbekistan Airways destinations (including Paris, Milan, Delhi, Seoul and Moscow) with through-checked bags. Through-ticketing has been available since September 2026.
The land border with Pakistan has been closed to travellers since February 2026 (Afghan Guide; Wikivoyage). Kam Air flies Kabul–Islamabad daily from 1 November 2026.
The tourist e-visa is valid only for entry through Kabul International Airport, so do not plan an overland entry on it.
Bring clean US dollars. Foreign cards rarely work, and Wikivoyage reports that Afghan ATMs pay out afghanis only and charge a fee of about 7%. Both Al Hamid and Wikivoyage suggest changing money in the city rather than at the airport.
SIM cards: Wikivoyage says you can buy one at the airport; Al Hamid says registration needs your passport and takes a while, and suggests an eSIM bought before you fly.
Travel outside Kabul needs a permit or travel letter from the Ministry of Information and Culture (Al Hamid; Wikivoyage).

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Sort your visa before you fly

Every arriving passenger needs a visa or approved authorisation letter.

The UN logistics cluster says passengers without a valid visa are refused entry. The tourist e-visa allows up to 30 days, is single-entry, valid 90 days from issue and works only through Kabul airport. Carry a printed copy and a passport valid for six months or more.

Upside

Entry rules are clear

Watch-out

No visa-on-arrival without prior approval

LayoverTraveler Tips & Hacks

Connect via Tashkent, Istanbul or Dubai

Kam Air and Uzbekistan Airways sell single tickets via Tashkent to 15 cities.

Through-checked baggage is included on the Kam Air and Uzbekistan Airways interline, in sale since September 2026. Turkish Airlines flies Istanbul and flydubai flies Dubai. Pakistan and Iran routes have been disrupted in 2026, so check the week you fly.

Upside

Single ticket with through-checked bags

Watch-out

Routes change with the regional situation

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Fix the taxi price first

About AFN 300–500 to the centre; no ride-hailing apps.

Wikivoyage quotes AFN 300–500 and Afghan Guide about AFN 500. Foreigners are often charged double, so agree a price for the whole car and show it on a phone calculator. Taxis are scarce after dark, so pre-arrange a hotel pick-up for late arrivals.

Upside

Short ride of about 5 km

Watch-out

Overcharging is common

NavigationTraveler Tips & Hacks

Know your terminal

International flights use the 2008 terminal; domestic flights use the 1960 building.

Confirm the terminal with your airline. Expect to be dropped at Car Park C and take a shuttle bus or walk. Do not photograph checkpoints, soldiers or government buildings.

Upside

Only two terminals

Watch-out

Signage and facilities are basic

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Know before you go

Right now at KBL

Who this airport works for

Why this score

Explore the KBL guide

Map

Getting There

Lounges

Traveler Tips

Amenities

Reviews

Sort your visa before you fly

Connect via Tashkent, Istanbul or Dubai

Fix the taxi price first

Know your terminal

What travelers say

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Why this score

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Map

Getting There

Lounges

Traveler Tips

Amenities

Reviews

Sort your visa before you fly

Connect via Tashkent, Istanbul or Dubai

Fix the taxi price first

Know your terminal

What travelers say

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