---
iata: KBR
name: Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
city: Kota Bharu
country: Malaysia
lastUpdated: '2026-09-25'
officialWebsite: 'https://www.malaysiaairports.com.my/'
sources:
  - 'https://www.malaysiaairports.com.my/'
  - 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Ismail_Petra_Airport'
  - >-
    https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/03/15/sultan-ismail-petra-airport-to-start-full-operation-tomorrow-after-expansion-works
  - 'https://2lnr.com/routes/kbr'
quickFacts:
  - 'IATA KBR / ICAO WMKC — Sultan Ismail Petra, Kota Bharu / Pengkalan Chepa'
  - 'GPS 6.167256, 102.292209 · Kelantan, Malaysia'
  - Expanded terminal full ops from 16 Mar 2026 — capacity 4M pax framing
  - >-
    Airlines: AirAsia · Firefly · Batik Air Malaysia · Malaysia Airlines · Scoot
    (SIN) — confirm live CGK
  - 'Ground: dedicated taxi / bus / e-hailing curb lanes post-expansion'
  - No Priority Pass lounge on research day · No official MCT — omitted
bentoTips:
  - label: Expansion
    title: Full ops from 16 Mar 2026
    detail: Upper departures with aerobridges; arrivals lower level.
    summary: >-
      Transport Minister: expanded terminal fully operational 16 Mar 2026;
      capacity 1.5M→4M.
    category: timing
  - label: Flow
    title: Separated departure / arrival levels
    detail: Follow new wayfinding — layout changed with the rebuild.
    summary: 'Post-expansion kerbside lanes for taxis, buses and e-hailing.'
    category: terminal
  - label: Airside
    title: Expanded F&B — no verified PP lounge
    detail: Do not invent Plaza Premium or bottle prices.
    summary: Larger terminal F&B footprint expected; no Priority Pass product verified.
    category: food
  - label: Banks
    title: Domestic core + SIN international
    detail: International still thinner than domestic — check day-of.
    summary: >-
      KUL/SZB/PEN/JHB domestic framing plus Scoot SIN; AirAsia CGK framing
      confirm live.
    category: status
lounges: []
waterOptions: []
airportistScore: 6.3
slug: kbr
region: Asia
---
> Markdown for [/airports/kbr](/airports/kbr). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy.

- [HTML page](/airports/kbr)
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# Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (KBR)
Kota Bharu, Malaysia · Asia
Kelantan’s upgraded Kota Bharu gateway — expanded terminal fully operational from **16 Mar 2026** (capacity **4M** pax) with **AirAsia**, **Firefly**, **Batik Air Malaysia**, **Malaysia Airlines** and **Scoot** banks including **SIN** international — no Priority Pass lounge verified on research day; taxis/e-hailing on dedicated curb lanes.
## Airportist Score

**6.3 / 10**
Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge).
- Ease of use (25%): 7.0 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
- Comfort & amenities (20%): 6.2 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
- Food & retail (15%): 5.6 — Food and retail quality and variety.
- Ground access (15%): 6.6 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
- Reliability (15%): 6.6 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
- Lounges (10%): 4.4 — Worth-it density and access quality.

## At a glance

- Passengers: undefined
- Terminals: Expanded main terminal (full ops from 16 Mar 2026)
- Typical security: undefined min
- On-time: undefined%
- Disruption: normal

## Best for

- AirAsia / Firefly / MH / Batik domestic into Kelantan east-coast islands
- Scoot / AirAsia international pins (SIN + CGK framing — confirm live)
- Travelers using the expanded upper-departures / lower-arrivals layout

## Watch out for

- No Priority Pass lounge verified on research day
- International banks thin vs domestic KUL/SZB — confirm live SIN/CGK
- Post-expansion wayfinding still settling — follow new curb lanes
- No published MCT

## More intel

- [Lounge directory](/airports/kbr/lounges.md) (free)
- [Getting there](/airports/kbr/getting-there.md) (free)
- [Amenities](/airports/kbr/amenities.md) (free)
- [Traveler tips](/airports/kbr/tips.md) (free)
- [Water](/airports/kbr/water.md) (free)
- [Full guide](/airports/kbr/guide.md) (free)
- [Disruptions](/airports/kbr/disruptions.md) (free)
- [Reviews](/airports/kbr/reviews.md) (free)