Brunei International Airport BWN

Brunei International Airport is about 8 km from the centre of Bandar Seri Begawan and is the country’s only commercial airport. It opened in 1974 and is the hub of Royal Brunei Airlines, the national carrier, which began operating from here in 1975. After the 2013 upgrades it has capacity for about three million passengers a year; in practice traffic is much lower and the atmosphere is usually calm.

Terminals

There is a single terminal for domestic and international flights, with check-in desks and emigration and immigration checks in the same building. There is no changing terminals and it is easy to cross on foot.

Airlines and destinations

Royal Brunei Airlines connects with Southeast Asia (Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, among others), Australia and the Middle East, and reaches as far as London. Other airlines such as AirAsia, Singapore Airlines and Cebu Pacific complete the regional offer, with routes that can change by season.

Services

Inside the terminal there are duty-free shops, restaurants and fast food (chains such as Burger King, KFC or Jollibee), banking services and a prayer room. There is plenty of parking for those arriving by car. Brunei has strict rules on alcohol, drugs and other items, so check customs requirements before you travel.

Tips

Arrive about two hours before international flights: the airport is small and most formalities are quick, but it is best not to cut it fine. Many travellers use Brunei as a stopover on the way to Borneo or Australia, so if you have a long connection, check with your airline and head out to see Bandar Seri Begawan, which is very close.