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TWUWBKW

Tawau Airport

Tawau, MY

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Tawau Airport

Tawau, Malaysia · Asia-Pacific

A single low terminal east of Tawau that already handles more people than its 1.5 million design capacity, with apron bridges under construction and one late AirAsia flight to Guangzhou.

Airportist Score

4.5/ 10

Rough

Ease of use5.4
Comfort & amenities4.6
Food & retail4.0
Ground access4.4
Reliability5.4
Lounges1.2

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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Tawau Airport

Tawau, Malaysia · Asia-Pacific

A single low terminal east of Tawau that already handles more people than its 1.5 million design capacity, with apron bridges under construction and one late AirAsia flight to Guangzhou.

Airportist Score

4.5/ 10

Rough

Ease of use5.4
Comfort & amenities4.6
Food & retail4.0
Ground access4.4
Reliability5.4
Lounges1.2

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 TWU with another airport

Fastest to city
31 km by road; no published ride time
Airport taxi
Cheapest to city
Airport bus
Not published · 31 km by road; no published ride time
Terminals
One passenger terminal
Passengers / year
1,962,752 (2024)

TWU security wait times

8 photos

TWUGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

The AIP day ends at 22:00

Malaysia Airports, customs, immigration, and air traffic are published as 2300–1400 UTC, 07:00–22:00 Malaysian time.

AirAsia AK1618 to Guangzhou is filed at 23:10 local on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday through 25 March 2027. The 1 November 2026 flight landed in Guangzhou. That departure sits outside the printed AIP window.

Works

Bays 3 to 6 are closed

From 1 October 2026 through 30 March 2027 the AIP supplement closes stands 3, 4, 5, and 6 for new passenger boarding bridges.

Temporary stands sit behind the hoarding. The supplement says bays 5 and 6 cannot be used at the same time in that layout. Bay 1 and 2 bridge work is planned from 1 April 2027 to 28 February 2028.

Food

The AIP names one restaurant

Passenger facilities on the current AIP are an airport restaurant, an ATM, and bus and taxi service.

No cafe names, hours, or prices are printed there. Priority Pass does not list a Tawau lounge.

Status

Domestic airport, one China flight

In 2024, 1,894,595 of 1,962,666 non-transit passengers were domestic, and all 547 international movements were non-scheduled.

The scheduled international flight that is operating now is AirAsia to Guangzhou. Do not treat a charter plan from 2025 as today's timetable.

Live conditions

Right now at TWU

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

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Domestic connections to Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur
The east-coast hop toward Semporna
A direct AirAsia flight to Guangzhou on four evenings a week

Watch out for

Stands 3 to 6 are closed until 30 March 2027
The published airport day ends at 22:00, and the Guangzhou flight is filed at 23:10
No lounge is listed by Priority Pass
Bus and taxi exist, and neither fare is on the AIP

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.

5.4

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

4.6

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

4.0

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

4.4

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

5.4

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

1.2

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

1,962,752 (2024)

Terminals

One passenger terminal

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for TWU.

Updated Nov 1, 2026

One passenger terminal at Balung, about 31 km by road from Masjid Al-Khautar. The current field opened in December 2001 and was inaugurated in 2003.
Malaysia Ministry of Transport, citing Malaysia Airports: 1,962,752 passengers in 2024 including 86 transit passengers, of which 68,071 were international. Aircraft movements 12,964. Cargo 8,905 tonnes.
Published design capacity in the 2024 facilities table is 1.5 million passengers a year. A RM120.9 million upgrade is meant to raise that to 2.5 million, with airside work running into 2028.
Runway 06/24, asphalt, 2,685 by 47 m. Runway 24 has the ILS. Rescue and firefighting category 7. Aerodrome elevation on the 29 October 2026 AIP is 56 ft.
Operator and customs hours on that AIP are 2300–1400 UTC, which is 07:00–22:00 Malaysian time. AirAsia files Tawau–Guangzhou at 23:10 local.

6 official sources

https://aip.caam.gov.my/aip/eAIP/2026-10-29-AIRAC/html/eAIP/WM-AD-2.WBKW-en-MS.html
https://aip.caam.gov.my/aip/eAIP/43.%202026-10-01-AIRAC/html/eSUP/WM-eSUP-26-43-en-MS.html
https://www.mot.gov.my/my/Statistik%20Tahunan%20Pengangkutan/Statistik%20Pengangkutan%20Malaysia%202024.pdf
https://mahbseadrmprodsa.blob.core.windows.net/corporate-prod-cms/2025-07/2023%20Airport%20Statistics_1.pdf
https://www.theborneopost.com/2025/09/26/close-monitoring-of-tawau-airport-upgrade-for-timely-completion-loke/
https://www.malaysiaairports.com.my

Full guide

Explore the TWU guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Tawau Airport and the Tawau city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Airport taxiCheapest: Airport bus
View Getting There
Lounges
Priority Pass's Malaysia list names Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, and Subang. Tawau is not on it. Plaza Premium's location list does not name Tawau either. No lounge row is stored.
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Treat the airport as a domestic east-Sabah field that happens to have one scheduled China flight. Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur are the connections. In 2024 there were zero scheduled international movements.
10 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
5 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Airport restaurantBus and taxi
View Amenities
Water
Refill points and bottle prices.
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

Tawau Airport and the Tawau city center

This airport TWU
City center Tawau

Terminal navigation guide

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

From Terminals & Navigation

There is one passenger terminal. The landside face still reads TAWAU. Departures and arrivals share the building. The AIP does not publish a walking time, a gate count, or a floor plan.
The 29 October 2026 apron list is bays 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on concrete and asphalt (PCR 685/R/C/W/U and 574/F/C/W/U), bay 6 asphalt PCR 135/F/C/W/U, and bay 6A asphalt PCR 116/F/C/W/U. Visual docking is published for bays 1 and 2 only. Those bay numbers are the pre-works chart. Stage 2A takes 3, 4, 5, and 6 out of service.
Runway 06/24 is 2,685 by 47 m asphalt, PCR 574/F/C/W/U. Declared distances are the same both ways: TORA 2,685 m, TODA 2,865 m, ASDA 2,745 m, LDA 2,685 m. In the same runway table the slope, stopway, and strip rows are labelled 05 and 23. That is a labelling error on the plate. There is no second runway.
Runway 24 has CAT I approach lights, 900 m, high intensity, and an ILS or localiser chart. The localiser is ITWU on 111.300 MHz. The glide path is 332.300 MHz with DME channel 50X. Runway 06 has a simple approach lighting system, 420 m, plus a VOR approach and an RNP approach. PAPI is on the left for both ends, 3 degrees.
Threshold elevation is 16 m on runway 06 and 11.0 m on runway 24. The apron altimeter checkpoint is 16 m. Those are not the 56 ft aerodrome elevation.
DVOR/DME VTW is 115.600 MHz, channel 103X. Tower is Tawau Tower 122.500 MHz. Ground is Tawau Ground 121.900 MHz, 2300–1400 UTC. Approach radar is Tawau Radar 123.550 MHz and is published only 0100–1000 UTC. Outside that, the tower provides the approach service. ATIS is 126.250 MHz in the same 2300–1400 window.
Rescue and firefighting is category 7. Removal of a disabled aircraft is by arrangement with the airline and handler. The largest aircraft named for that job is a Boeing 767-200. The aerodrome beacon on the tower is published 1000–1400 UTC only, green and white.
Traffic is IFR and VFR. Airspace is class C from the surface to 11,500 ft. Transition altitude is 11,000 ft. Magnetic variation is 0°W (2023).

Ground transport guide

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

From Ground Transport & Parking

The AIP says "Bus and Taxi services" and nothing else. It does not name a company, a fare, a timetable, or a city stop. Coupon-taxi prices and a four-times-daily bus that appear on travel blogs are not on the plate, so they are not stored.
There is no railway in the AIP, and none is claimed here. Hotels are "in town."
The road distance on the plate is 31 km. No journey time is published.
No parking tariff is on the AIP or in the 2024 transport statistics. A car park is visible in front of the terminal in photographs. A space count and an hourly rate are not taken from those photographs.
Car rental desks are not named on the AIP.

Ride to Tawau

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

To city center

Tawau

~26 km

Typical fare

See app

Live quotes open in the ride app

On-demand apps

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

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

FastestBest for luggage

Airport taxi

The AIP lists a taxi service and does not print a coupon fare or a desk.

Time to city

31 km by road; no published ride time

Cost

Not published

Tip: Travel-blog ringgit fares are not on the plate.

Cheapest

Airport bus

The AIP lists a bus and does not name the operator, the stop, or the fare.

Time to city

31 km by road; no published ride time

Cost

Not published

Tip: Do not store a four-times-daily timetable that is not on the AIP.

Terminal car park

A car park sits in front of the terminal. The AIP prints no tariff and no space count.

Time to city

At the terminal

Cost

Not published

Tip: The 2024 facilities table also omits a parking price.

Lounge & amenity notes

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

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

Priority Pass's Malaysia list names Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, and Subang. Tawau is not on it. Plaza Premium's location list does not name Tawau either. No lounge row is stored.
Pages that advertise a Plaza Premium Lounge, a Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge, and a paid VIP lounge at Tawau do not match those programme lists. They are not used here.
The only food line on the AIP is "Airport restaurant." No brand, hour, or price is printed. Shops are not listed. Water fountains are not listed.
A July 2023 Malaysia Airports allocation of RM11 million was described as extra toilets, a larger check-in area, a larger departure lounge, more retail, and more air-conditioning. That was a facelift budget, not a published menu or a lounge.
The terminal upgrade announced by Transport Minister Anthony Loke on 26 September 2025 is RM120.9 million, 36 months, aimed at 2028, lifting capacity from 1.5 million to 2.5 million passengers a year. He named new aerobridges, apron work, air-conditioning, more check-in counters, and toilets. Pembinaan Azam Jaya holds the design-and-build contract. An August 2025 company note gives completion on 17 August 2028. The AIP airside stages end on 28 February 2028. Both dates are published. Neither says the new bridges are open now.

basic

Airport restaurant

Food

The AIP names an airport restaurant and does not name a brand, an hour, or a price.

basic

ATM

Shopping

An auto teller machine is in the terminal. Banks are in town.

basic

Customs and immigration

Accessibility

Published 2300–1400 UTC, the same window as the airport operator, which is 07:00–22:00 Malaysian time.

basic

Bus and taxi

Easy Transport

The AIP lists bus and taxi service and prints no operator, fare, or timetable.

basic

No listed lounge

Has Lounge

Priority Pass does not list Tawau. No lounge row is stored.

Editorial guide tricks

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

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Treat the airport as a domestic east-Sabah field that happens to have one scheduled China flight. Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur are the connections. In 2024 there were zero scheduled international movements.
If you are on AK1618, the filed pattern from 25 October 2026 is 23:10 local, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, Airbus A321neo, valid to 25 March 2027, arriving Guangzhou terminal 3. The 1 November 2026 departure left Tawau and landed in Guangzhou. Times before 25 October 2026 were 22:00. Do not quote the older time.
During Stage 2A, expect a bus or stairs even if a bridge used to serve your airline. Stands 3 to 6 are closed until 30 March 2027. The supplement allows only one of the temporary bay 5 or bay 6 positions at a time.
Boeing 767-200 aircraft, when they appear, may use only taxiway A to enter and leave the apron. Taxiway B is limited to an outer main-gear wheel span of 8.9 m or less. The plate also says no simultaneous power-in, pushback, or power-out on the main apron.
The AIP says pilots must not backtrack on the runway and must not do a wheel-lock turn. Birds are a published hazard on landing and takeoff. Neither note is a passenger delay statistic.
The old town airstrip on Jalan Airport Lama is not this airport. It opened in 1953 and was replaced by the Balung field, which began operations in December 2001. Commons files titled "OldAirport" are that earlier site.

01

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Match the clock to UTC+8

Operator, customs, and immigration are 2300–1400 UTC.

That is 07:00–22:00 in Sabah. AirAsia files AK1618 to Guangzhou at 23:10 local. Confirm the flight before you assume the published window has been extended.

02

NavigationTraveler Tips & Hacks

Expect a remote stand

Bays 3, 4, 5, and 6 are closed through 30 March 2027.

AIRAC supplement 43/26 is installing passenger boarding bridges. Temporary marks sit behind the hoarding, and bays 5 and 6 cannot be occupied together.

03

LayoverTraveler Tips & Hacks

Guangzhou is the scheduled international flight

Four evenings a week, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, through 25 March 2027.

In 2024 every one of the 547 international movements was non-scheduled. Do not plan on a charter that was announced and then ended.

04

FoodTraveler Tips & Hacks

Eat before you rely on the terminal

The only published food line is an unnamed airport restaurant.

No menu, hour, or price is on the AIP. There is no stored lounge.

Lounges, Food & Amenities

Hydration notes pulled from the editorial guide.

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

The only food line on the AIP is "Airport restaurant." No brand, hour, or price is printed. Shops are not listed. Water fountains are not listed.

Entry requirements

Malaysia (MY)

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

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 1, 2026.

Minor

Stands 3 to 6 are closed from 1 October 2026 to 30 March 2027 for boarding-bridge works. Stands 1 and 2 are scheduled for the same kind of work from 1 April 2027 to 28 February 2028.The delay figures on this badge are not a measured wait.

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

Typical departure delays0 min · 0%

Typical arrival delays0 min · 0%

Typical cancellations0 min · 0%

Live operations

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

Traveler reviews

What travelers say

Write a review

Alternatives

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TMGTomanggong Airport
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NNXNunukan Airport
Nunukan
54 km
SMMSemporna Airport
Semporna
56 km
LDULahad Datu Airport
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BYQBunyu Airport
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99 km
TRKJuwata Airport
Truckee
125 km
TMGTomanggong Airport
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