Kish International Airport KIH

Kish International Airport (KIH) is the gateway to Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, an Iranian free zone and tourist destination. It handled about 2.9 million passengers in 2017 and is the base of Kish Air. It was built with big ambitions: before the 1979 revolution it was designed to receive Concorde, which is why it has two parallel runways of about 3,650 metres, far more than its current traffic needs. Expansion plans would make it one of the country’s largest.

Terminals

According to the airport listing there is a single passenger terminal, with arrivals and departures in the same building, so you will not have to change terminals.

Airlines and destinations

Domestic traffic is heavy: Kish Air flies to many Iranian cities, and Iran Air, Mahan Air and other Iranian carriers also operate. International flights include flydubai to Dubai and Iraqi Airways to Baghdad. There are also flights from the Emirates aimed at tourists and at people passing through the island.

Services

The airport listing mentions shops and places to eat in the terminal. For hotels, restaurants and shopping, it is best to wait until you reach the island’s main town.

Tips

Foreign visitors arriving from abroad can enter Kish visa-free for up to 14 days, unlike at other Iranian airports, but that permission does not cover travel to the mainland. Check the current conditions before buying your ticket.