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NJFORNI

Al Najaf International Airport

Najaf, IQ

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Al Najaf International Airport

Najaf, Iraq · Middle East

Najaf is a 24-hour one-hall pilgrim gateway eight to ten kilometres from the Imam Ali Shrine — paid for with no visa on arrival, no Priority Pass, unpublished kitchens, and an FCDO all-but-essential overlay on the rest of the province.

Airportist Score

5.9/ 10

Mixed

Ease of use6.4
Comfort & amenities6.0
Food & retail5.8
Ground access6.2
Reliability5.4
Lounges5.2

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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NJFORNIModerate

Al Najaf International Airport

Najaf, Iraq · Middle East

Najaf is a 24-hour one-hall pilgrim gateway eight to ten kilometres from the Imam Ali Shrine — paid for with no visa on arrival, no Priority Pass, unpublished kitchens, and an FCDO all-but-essential overlay on the rest of the province.

Airportist Score

5.9/ 10

Mixed

Ease of use6.4
Comfort & amenities6.0
Food & retail5.8
Ground access6.2
Reliability5.4
Lounges5.2

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 NJF with another airport

Arrive
24 h
before departure
Typical security
25 min
editorial average, not live
Fastest to city
15–30 min
Arrivals kerb taxi
Cheapest to city
Careem or Baly
App quote · 15–30 min
Lounge
1
Terminals
1
passenger hall (2008 conversion + later extensions). No live 8.5M T2. One 3,000 m runway.

3 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

BGWBaghdad International Airport
Baghdad
143 km

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NJFGuide

NJFGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

Land with the e-visa already issued

Federal Iraq dropped visa-on-arrival. FCDO: apply on the Iraq e-visa portal at least 24 hours before travel (US$160, 60 days) and carry a ticket out.

Kurdistan List A visa-on-arrival is not valid here. A KRG stamp from Erbil does not cover Najaf. Desk-close minutes are unpublished — do not invent 45 minutes. Sepehran leftover 2023: show passport and ticket at the first police checkpoint, then bags, then X-ray.

Terminal

One hall — ignore leftover T2

Live campus is a single passenger building. The AM TECH / MHC 8.5 million-pax Terminal 2 (≈92,000 m², 14 airbridges) is not open.

Wikipedia leftover “four departure + two arrival gates” is the early expansion brief. Sepehran leftover 2023 “six transit gates” leftover-conflicts with that — neither is a 22 Sep 2026 FIDS count. Domestic arrivals are bused from the stand (Sepehran).

Food

Eat before you count on 24/7 kitchens

SIA lists restaurants, duty-free, a mosque and Wi-Fi. It does not confirm any 24-hour kitchen. Fountain locations are unpublished.

Do not invent chain names. CIP hospitality is for booked protocol, not a walk-up café. Buy a sealed bottle airside after screening empties a full one.

Status

FCDO + 22 Sep Iran-carrier reroutes

FCDO (still current 22 Sep 2026) advises against all but essential travel to the remainder of Najaf province. Baghdad closed to Iranian carriers from midnight 22/23 Sep; Iran Air said NJF continues that afternoon.

US Treasury pressure on Iranian airlines was the trigger. Iran’s CAO talked about diverting Baghdad-bound flights to Najaf. Wikipedia already marked many Iranian carriers “suspended” that day — treat that as unfolding, not a settled FIDS. Verify with the airline.

Live conditions

Right now at NJF

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

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Pilgrims already holding the federal Iraq e-visa
Short hops to the Imam Ali Shrine by taxi or Careem
Travelers who booked CIP / تشريفات protocol

Watch out for

No visa on arrival — e-visa US$160 / 60 days, at least 24 hours before travel
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the remainder of Najaf province
No metro, no airport rail, no published city bus; Uber is not Iraq
Leftover T2 8.5M / 14 airbridges / Wikipedia 4+2 gates are not the live campus
22 Sep 2026 Iran-carrier reroutes — verify the airline, not a leftover Wikipedia 'suspended' stamp

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.

6.4

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

6.0

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

5.8

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

6.2

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

5.4

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

5.2

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

2,686,074 (2022, COSIT)

Terminals

1 passenger hall (2008 conversion + later extensions). No live 8.5M T2. One 3,000 m runway.

Typical security

25 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for NJF.

Updated Sep 22, 2026

One live passenger hall (2008 conversion of a former air base, plus later hall extensions). The 92,000 m² / 8.5 million-pax Terminal 2 is a design project — not live. Do not sit leftover Wikipedia “four departure gates + two arrival gates” as a 2026 FIDS count.
COSIT 2022: 2,686,074 passengers and 23,327 movements — Iraq’s second-busiest airport by total traffic that year, and the busiest by international passengers. Peak year on the COSIT series is 2016 (3,435,783). Do not sit leftover ~2.8 million 2023 figures that are not COSIT.
One runway 10/28, 3,000 × 45 m asphalt. Leftover MHC “3.5 km CAT III upgrade” is a project brief, not a live AIP. ICAA granted a permanent operating licence on 24 June 2026.
Eastern edge of Najaf, about 8–10 km from the Imam Ali Shrine. No metro, no airport rail, no published city bus. Taxis 24 hours at arrivals (SIA, 18 Mar 2026). Uber is not Iraq; Careem lists Najaf; Baly also runs the city.
Airport is 24 hours (SIA). Federal Iraq: no visa on arrival — e-visa at eservice.evisa.iq, US$160 / 60 days, apply at least 24 hours before travel (FCDO, still current 22 Sep 2026). Passport 6 months + one blank page.
No Priority Pass at NJF (Collinson’s Iraq page is Baghdad only). DragonPass has no NJF airport page (404). Sit the landside CIP / صالة التشريفات protocol hall, not a casual lounge network.

20 official sources

https://www.najaf-airport.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Najaf_International_Airport
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iraq
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iraq/entry-requirements
https://eservice.evisa.iq
https://mofa.gov.iq/texas/en/2025/03/03/e-visa/

Full guide

Explore the NJF guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Arrivals kerb taxiCheapest: Careem or Baly
View Getting There
Lounges
1 lounge with access rules, hours, and verdicts.
CIP Protocol Lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Get the federal e-visa before you fly. Kurdistan’s List A visa-on-arrival is Erbil/Sulaymaniyah only — it is not a Najaf stamp. Portal: https://eservice.evisa.iq (Iraqi MoI, from 1 Mar 2025). FCDO price/validity: US$160 / 60 days.
12 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
6 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Restaurants + duty-freeCIP / صالة التشريفات
View Amenities
Water
Where to refill for free, and where a bottle costs the least airside.
3 spots
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/iraq

https://en.dragonpass.com.cn/airports/NJF

https://www.careem.com/en-AE/iraq-rides/

https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/najaf-airport-guide.htm

https://blog.flysepehran.com/ar/airports/najaf-airport/

https://964media.com/513653/

https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/najaf-international-airport-secures-icao-operational-license-2026/

https://al-iraqinews.com/archives/646046

https://www.tasnimnews.ir/en/news/2026/09/22/3703470/iran-air-says-istanbul-baku-najaf-flights-remain-in-operation

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202609228176

https://www.amtech-me.com/project/najaf-airport-terminal-2/

https://manhal-habbobi.co.uk/najaf-international-airport

https://t.me/njfairport2023

https://www.instagram.com/alnajafairport/

☀️43°C / 109°F

Security wait times

Current security wait information is not available for this airport. Check the airport's official website or app before travel.

Official airport site

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 24, 13:04 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.