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Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport

Nouakchott, MR

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Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport

Nouakchott, Mauritania · Africa

Mauritania's main airport, 25 km north of Nouakchott, opened in 2016. Flights go to Paris, Istanbul, Casablanca, Tunis, Algiers, Gran Canaria, Dakar and West Africa. It is easy to navigate but basic: get the e-visa before you fly, bring exact cash for the fee, expect little food and frequent equipment breakdowns, and take a taxi into town.

Airportist Score

4.4/ 10

Rough

Ease of use5.5
Comfort & amenities4.0
Food & retail3.0
Ground access3.5
Reliability5.5
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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All airports Official site

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Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport

Nouakchott, Mauritania · Africa

Mauritania's main airport, 25 km north of Nouakchott, opened in 2016. Flights go to Paris, Istanbul, Casablanca, Tunis, Algiers, Gran Canaria, Dakar and West Africa. It is easy to navigate but basic: get the e-visa before you fly, bring exact cash for the fee, expect little food and frequent equipment breakdowns, and take a taxi into town.

Airportist Score

4.4/ 10

Rough

Ease of use5.5
Comfort & amenities4.0
Food & retail3.0
Ground access3.5
Reliability5.5
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 NKC with another airport

Typical security
20 min
editorial average, not live
Best way to city
35–55 min
Airport taxi
Lounge
1
On time
72%
of departures
Terminals
One passenger terminal (opened 2016)
Passengers / year
Not published (HonestAirport estimate: about 0.8 million)

4 photos

NKCGuide

NKCGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

Get the e-visa before you fly

E-visa online first; exact euros or dollars at the border.

Mauritania stopped issuing visas on arrival on 5 January 2025. Apply online through the ANRPTS e-visa portal well before travel and print the approval. You pay at the airport in exact cash: €55 or $60 for a 30-day visa for most nationalities. No change or receipt is given.

Terminal

One terminal, few frills

Single terminal; equipment breakdowns are common.

Every flight uses the single terminal opened in 2016, so you cannot go to the wrong building. Usually only passengers can enter. Escalators and baggage carousels have often broken down, and Mauritanian press and logistics reports criticise the toilets and lighting. Allow extra time at baggage reclaim.

Food

A café and duty free, not much more

Very limited food; bring cash and snacks.

After security there is a duty-free shop, a café and a lounge. Travel guides describe the food choice as slim, so eat before you leave the city if you have a long wait. There are ATMs, but they have been reported out of service, so bring euros or dollars.

Status

One VIP lounge, listed with Priority Pass

One small airside lounge; check access in the app.

The only lounge is airside. Lounge directories list it as the Ya Marhaba VIP Lounge and say it accepts Priority Pass. Other listings use different names, and opening hours and airline access rules are not published. Check your membership app before you rely on it.

Live conditions

Right now at NKC

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

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Travellers to Nouakchott and Mauritania
Star Alliance connections via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines
SkyTeam and oneworld connections via Paris and Casablanca

Watch out for

No visa on arrival since January 2025: get the e-visa first
Visa fee in exact euros or dollars, no change given
Alcohol and pork are banned; all bags are scanned on arrival
Escalators and baggage carousels often out of service
Taxi only into town; agree the fare and currency first

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.

5.5

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

4.0

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

3.0

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

3.5

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

5.5

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

4.0

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

Not published (HonestAirport estimate: about 0.8 million)

Terminals

One passenger terminal (opened 2016)

On-time departures

72%

Typical security

20 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for NKC.

Updated Oct 26, 2026

Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport (IATA NKC, ICAO GQNO) is the main airport of Mauritania and serves the capital, Nouakchott. It lies about 25 km north of the city and opened on 23 June 2016, replacing the old airport in the city centre.
One passenger terminal, built for about 2 million passengers a year. The airport is run by Afroport.
Mauritania does not publish annual passenger figures for the airport. Nearly all scheduled flights are international.
International flights (October 2026 schedules): Air France (SkyTeam) to Paris-CDG; Turkish Airlines (Star Alliance) to Istanbul, with some flights via Banjul; Royal Air Maroc (oneworld) to Casablanca; Tunisair to Tunis; Air Algérie to Algiers; Binter to Gran Canaria; Air Sénégal to Dakar; ASKY to Lomé and Conakry.
Mauritania Airlines, the national carrier, is based here. It flies to Casablanca, Dakar, Gran Canaria, Bamako, Abidjan and Conakry, and domestically to Nouadhibou, Zouérat and Néma.
Two concrete runways: 16/34 (3,400 m) and 06/24 (2,400 m).

17 official sources

https://www.diplomatie.gov.mr/fr/node/50
https://anrpts.gov.mr/visa/requestvisa
https://www.lca.logcluster.org/224-mauritanie-aeroport-international-oumtounsy-de-nouakchott
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouakchott%E2%80%93Oumtounsy_International_Airport
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9roport_international_de_Nouakchott-Oumtounsy
https://info.flightmapper.net/airport/NKC
https://lematin.ma/economie/royal-air-maroc-et-mauritania-airlines-signent-un-accord-strategique/271300
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mauritania/entry-requirements
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mauritania/safety-and-security
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/mauritania-prohibited-and-restricted-imports
https://thislounge.com/nkc
https://loungeiq.com/airport/NKC
https://scootwestafrica.com/nouakchott-airport-info/
https://www.bourse-des-vols.com/guide-aeroports/aeroport-de-nouakchott.html
https://www.aeroport-nouakchott.com/fr/taxis_location_vehicules_nouakchott.php
https://fr.madar.mr/actualites/les-autorites-se-preparent-a-ouvrir-une-zone-daccueil-dans-la-zone-des-arrivees-de-laeroport-international-de-nouakchott/
https://cridem.org/C_Info.php?article=771841

Full guide

Explore the NKC guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport and the Nouakchott city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
2 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Airport taxi
View Getting There
Lounges
1 lounge with access rules, hours, and verdicts.
Ya Marhaba VIP Lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Pick your network: Turkish Airlines (Star Alliance) via Istanbul, Air France (SkyTeam) via Paris-CDG and Royal Air Maroc (oneworld) via Casablanca give the most onward connections.
8 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
4 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Ya Marhaba VIP LoungeCafé and duty freeATMs
View Amenities
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

⛅34°C / 93°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.

Status update: 11:23 GMT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Oct 27, 11:23 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.