Al Najaf International Airport

Najaf International Airport (IATA: NJF; ICAO: ORNI) is an international airport serving Najaf, Iraq, and is located on the eastern side of the city. Formerly a military airbase, the airport consists of one asphalt runway, measuring 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) long and 45 metres (148 ft) wide. The airport is expanding to provide four departure gates, two arrival gates, immigration and passenger services.

Najaf International Airport
IATA: NJF ICAO: ORNI
Summary
Airport type	Private[1]
Operator	Najaf Airport Authority
Serves	Najaf, Iraq
Hub for	Iraqi Airways UR Airlines
Elevation AMSL	103 ft / 31 m
Coordinates	31°59′23″N 44°24′15″E
Website	www.alnajafairport.net
Maps
NJF Location of airport in Iraq
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 10/28 9,842 3,000 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers 2,686,074 Aircraft operations 23,327
Source: ICAA,[2] COSIT.[3]

History

On 20 July 2008 the Najaf Authorities hosted the ceremonial opening attended by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki who stepped out of the first official plane.^[4]

The Najaf Governorate represented by the Deputy Governor Abd al-Husayn Abtan and Najaf Investment Commission^[5] signed a Memorandum of Agreement dated 24 June 2008 with Al-Aqeelah Holding^[6] authorizing it for one year to finalize the construction of the airport and five years subject to renewal to manage the airport. Currently Aqeeq Aviation Holding a subsidiary of Al-Aqeelah Holding is overseeing this.

The construction phase comprises the construction of the VIP lounge, Arrival and Departure Halls, Taxiway, Air cargo, purchasing all airport equipments including Ground Handling Equipments, technical supplies, Navigation Aids, Dining Facilities and lodging sites for employees.

Since 2009, more airlines have begun service to Najaf, including Gulf Air, Middle East Airlines, Qatar Airways, Syrian Air and Turkish Airlines.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Air Arabia	Sharjah
ATA Airlines	Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz, Tehran–Imam Khomeini, Yazd
AVA Airlines	Mashhad
Caspian Airlines	Isfahan, Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Flydubai	Dubai–International
Flynas	Dammam
Gulf Air	Bahrain[7]
Iran Air	Isfahan, Mashhad[8], Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Iran Airtour	Mashhad, Tabriz, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Iran Aseman Airlines	Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Iraqi Airways	Ahmedabad, Baghdad, Bahrain, Beirut, Copenhagen, Erbil, Isfahan, Islamabad[9], Istanbul, Karachi, Kuwait City, Mashhad, Mumbai, Sulaimaniyah, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Jazeera Airways	Kuwait City
Kam Air	Kabul
Kish Air	Seasonal: Isfahan, Kish Island[10], Shiraz, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Kuwait Airways	Kuwait City
Mahan Air	Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Meraj Airlines	Isfahan, Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Middle East Airlines	Beirut
Pars Air	Kerman,[11] Mashhad, Shiraz
Pouya Air	Seasonal: Rasht
Qatar Airways	Doha
Qeshm Air	Isfahan, Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Royal Jordanian	Amman–Queen Alia
Sepehran Airlines	Mashhad
Taban Air	Kish, Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Turkish Airlines	Istanbul
UR Airlines	Beirut
Varesh Airlines	Isfahan, Mashhad, Sari, Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Yazd Airways	Kerman[12], Tehran–Imam Khomeini, Yazd
Zagros Airlines	Isfahan, Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini Seasonal: Ardabil[13]

Statistics

In 2015 and 2016, Al Najaf International Airport was the busiest airport in Iraq by passenger traffic, but as of 2022 it ranks as the second-busiest, only behind Baghdad International Airport. However, it is still the busiest airport in the country by international passenger traffic.

Year	Passengers		Cargo		Aircraft operations
	Total	%YoY	Tons	%YoY	Movements	%YoY
2015	2,783,444	N.D.	N.D.	N.D.	20,510	N.D.
2016	3,435,783	23.4%	5.2	N.D.	27,652	34.8%
2017	3,198,043	6.9%	7.8	50.0%	27,234	1.5%
2018	2,793,219	12.7%	8.6	10.3%	22,835	16.2%
2019	1,989,680	28.8%	1.6	81.4%	18,346	19.7%
2020	272,770	86.3%	N.D.	100.0%	2,836	84.6%
2021	885,264	224.5%	N.D.	0.0%	8,448	197.9%
2022	2,686,074	203.4%	24,174.7	N.D.	23,327	176.1%

Source: COSIT. Air Transport Activity Statistics, years 2015,^[14] 2016,^[15] 2017,^[16] 2018,^[17] 2019,^[18] 2020,^[19] 2021^[20] and 2022.^[21]

See also

• List of airports in Iraq