4/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“I recommend that you speak to your hotel/accommodation for advice.”
Philip Ian Butler4★ on Google
Airports / Zimbabwe / BUQ
Large airport · BUQ
Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport.
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe · 4,359 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.1/5
Google rating
443 ratings
0
Operators based
4,359
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Bulawayo, ZimbabweELEV 4,359 FTLarge airportScheduled service
4.1
Google rating
443
Google reviews
ratings on Google
4,359
Field elevation
feet above sea level
78
Nearest alternate
nm to GWE
Field standing
#1 / 6
Zimbabwe airports by Google rating
4.1★ across 443 Google ratings , ranked against 6 rated Zimbabwe fields.
78 nm
To the nearest alternate
Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (GWE).
Overview
Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, listed as FVJN / BUQ, is a large commercial airport in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The field lies at an elevation of 4,359 feet. The airport supports scheduled airline service as well as private jet and charter movements.
BUQ has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (GWE, 78 nm), Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport (FRW, 94 nm), and Hwange National Park Airport (HWN, 123 nm). BUQ offers 2 runways, the longest 8,491-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of BUQ vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from BUQ, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
3/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“It seems, in all basic amenities, to be more than adequate.”
Tineyi Chapisa4★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
FVJN
IATA
BUQ
FAA / Local
FVJN
Elevation
4,359 ft
Coordinates
20.0163° S · 28.6229° 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
Large
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Zimbabwe fields
state range 1,421–4,887 ft
At 4,359 ft, BUQ sits higher than 67% of the 9 Zimbabwe fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 8,491 ft
- 13/318,491 ft × 148 ftAsphaltLighted
- 02/204,419 ft × 98 ftAsphaltUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,491 ft
BUQ's 8,491 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, and at 4,359 ft this field's density altitude can extend the runway a jet actually needs on warm days. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 78nmGWEJosiah Tungamirai Air Force BaseGweru
- 94nmFRWPhillip Gaonwe Matante International AirportFrancistown
- 123nmHWNHwange National Park AirportGwayi River Farms
- 126nmMVZMasvingo International AirportMasvingo
- 130nmPKWSelebi Phikwe AirportSelebi Phikwe
- 145nmSXNSua Pan AirportSowa
Location
Open the full mapFVBU · Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport · Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from BUQ on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 6,635 nm | 15h 50m |
| New York (TEB) | 6,744 nm | 16h 5m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 6,885 nm | 16h 25m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 6,907 nm | 16h 28m |
| Miami (MIA) | 6,907 nm | 16h 28m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 7,310 nm | 17h 24m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 7,370 nm | 17h 32m |
| Houston (HOU) | 7,725 nm | 18h 22m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use BUQ?
- Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport's longest paved runway is 8,491 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 BUQ?
- Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 8,491 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to BUQ?
- The closest alternate is Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (GWE), about 78 nm away, followed by Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport (FRW) at 94 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from BUQ to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 15h 50m (6,635 nm), New York about 16h 5m (6,744 nm), Washington DC about 16h 25m (6,885 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.