Kigali International Airport

Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali is served by Kigali International Airport, formerly known as Kanombe International Airport. Located in the suburb of Kanombe Sector in Kigali’s eastern outskirts, the airport is roughly five kilometres east of the city’s central business centre.

This airport has always been one of the best in the area, but recent renovations and upgrades have made it one of the best in Africa. This is primarily because it complies with ICAO standards and upholds fire and safety regulations through the fire department.

Kigali International Airport is one of the few African Airports that will take your breath away and was surprisingly ranked the second-best in the Continent in 2017 and so far the best in the East African region by Sleeping Airports, a well thought Canadian Travel and Hospitality firm.

Formerly located in Kigali’s Centennial House, the national airline, Rwandan Airlines, now has its head office on the top floor of the airport’s main structure. Additionally, the airport has offices for Akagera Aviation and the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority. Travellers using Kigali International Airport are entitled to a variety of amenities, such as complimentary Wi-Fi in the airport waiting area, luggage wrapping, ATMs and cash machines (with fees), a café serving food and beverages, and mobile charging points. Airport lounges are available on a pay-per-use, single visit pass, and lounge membership basis. However, travellers who do not want to stay overnight at the airport may reserve accommodations in the vicinity of the airport.

Located at 1491 meters above sea level, its terminal is one of the highest in the world among international airports. Its 3500 meter runway allows landing of all types of aircraft and has allowed the continuous increase of passenger traffic to the 800 000 passengers who passed through it in 2017.

There are two heliports and three terminals at Kigali Airport. The smaller structure, which is currently used as a VIP terminal, was meant to be replaced by the larger terminal. Because of Rwanda’s isolation, the freight port, which occupies the third terminal, is quite busy. The airport’s most recent updates and modifications allowed it to be ranked second in Africa for ICAO compliance and seventh among the top regional airports in Africa for fire and safety standards in 2017.

A new airport is currently being built in Bugesera, 40 km south of Kigali, with the intention of serving the capital and replacing the airport of Kanombe. This is because the topography of Kigali prevents the current airport from being expanded to its full potential, and because passenger traffic in Rwanda is constantly growing. Although the new airport will only have one runway, a second one may be added in the future. One of the most popular ways to get from Kigali Airport is by taxi or moto-taxi, which are easily rented inside the airport’s ground transportation area.