Erbil International Airport, International airport in Erbil District, Iraq.
Erbil International Airport is a commercial airport in Erbil District in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. The facility has three runways, with the longest spanning 4800 meters (15,748 feet) and ranking among the most extended runways in the Middle East.
During the seventies, a military base was established here, later opened for civilian traffic after the United Nations set up a no-fly zone. The transformation into an international airport occurred gradually during the nineties and accelerated after 2003.
The terminal halls show a mix of contemporary construction and Kurdish elements that appear in the arches and patterns on walls and ceilings. Visitors often notice the bilingual signs in Kurdish and Arabic, reflecting the regional autonomy of the Kurdistan Region.
The facility operates around the clock and offers several daily connections to Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai, Istanbul, and Baghdad. Travelers should allow enough time for security checks, as these can vary depending on the time of day.
In 2010, the facility attracted many regional airlines through particularly low fuel prices, which stood at around 83 cents per liter at the time. This strategy helped the airport strengthen its role as a regional hub.
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