Airports in Kuwait City

Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is situated approximately 9.5 miles (15.5km) south of Kuwait City. The current building, which houses one terminal for arrivals and departures, handles more than 100 flights per day and 8 million passengers per year. A second terminal, scheduled to open in 2014, is set to increase this figure to 20 million passengers per annum.

Kuwait International does not fare well when compared to other leading Middle Eastern airports such as  Dubai or Bahrain. It is notorious for long queues. However, often described as a shopper’s paradise rather than an airport, one need only set foot in its gigantic mall (also known as the Commercial Center) to see where the airport’s real strengths lie. Flooded with natural light that streams through towering glazed windows, the interior of the multi-level Commercial Center is a pleasure to explore. When viewed from the air, its rooftop resembles the vapor trails of jets blasting away from the main terminal building.