Kirkuk International Airport KIK

Kirkuk International Airport (ORKK) lies on the outskirts of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, about 290 km north of Baghdad. It is a small airport with a long history: it was built in 1951, gained international status in 1957 and served as a US Air Force base from 2003 to 2011 before returning to the Iraqi army. The civilian side officially opened on 16 October 2022, so commercial traffic is very recent: around 7,200 passengers used it that year.

Terminals

There is a single small terminal, with arrivals and departures under the same roof. The site is still shared with military use.

Airlines and destinations

The offer is small and changes often. Iraqi Airways flies to Baghdad and Istanbul, among other destinations, and Turkish Airlines has also had an Istanbul route, although it is currently suspended. From outside Iraq, the usual way in is a connection in Istanbul or Baghdad.

Tips

Check directly with the airline that your flight is still operating, because with so few flights, cancellations and schedule changes are common. Read your government’s travel advice for the area and find out in good time which visa you need. If a flight does not work out, Kirkuk can also be reached by road from Erbil or Baghdad, once you have checked the security situation.