Airports / British Indian Ocean Territory / NKW
Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia.
Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory · 9 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
FJDG
IATA NKW
0
Operators based
9
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
400 nm
To the nearest alternate
Gan International Airport (GAN).
Overview
Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, listed as FJDG / NKW, is a mid-sized airport in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. The airport sits 9 feet above sea level. With no scheduled airline service, it caters to private, charter, and general aviation traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into NKW for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Gan International Airport (GAN, 400 nm), Kaadedhdhoo Airport (KDM, 470 nm), and Kadhdhoo Airport (KDO, 555 nm). With a single 12,003-foot paved runway, NKW can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from NKW depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. In directories and search listings it also appears under Chagos and NSF Diego Garcia. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Diego Garcia.
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Field capability
ICAO
FJDG
IATA
NKW
FAA / Local
FJDG
Elevation
9 ft
Coordinates
7.3133° S · 72.4111° E
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 12,003 ft
- 13/3112,003 ft × 200 ftConcreteLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 12,003 ft
NKW's 12,003 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 400nmGANGan International AirportGan
- 470nmKDMKaadedhdhoo AirportHuvadhu Atoll
- 555nmKDOKadhdhoo AirportKadhdhoo
- 648nmVAMVilla International Airport MaamigiliMaamigili
- 694nmMLEVelana International AirportMalé
- 791nmNMFMaafaru International AirportNoonu Atoll
Location
Open the full mapFJDG · Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia · Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from NKW on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 7,066 nm | 16h 50m |
| Honolulu (HNL) | 7,775 nm | 18h 29m |
| Boston (BED) | 7,955 nm | 18h 54m |
| New York (TEB) | 8,113 nm | 19h 16m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 8,282 nm | 19h 40m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 8,306 nm | 19h 43m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 8,478 nm | 20h 7m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 8,622 nm | 20h 27m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use NKW?
- Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia's longest paved runway is 12,003 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at NKW?
- Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia has one runway; the longest measures 12,003 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to NKW?
- The closest alternate is Gan International Airport (GAN), about 400 nm away, followed by Kaadedhdhoo Airport (KDM) at 470 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from NKW to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 16h 50m (7,066 nm), Honolulu about 18h 29m (7,775 nm), Boston about 18h 54m (7,955 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.