Airports / Tanzania / MBI
Songwe Airport.
Mbeya, Tanzania · 4,412 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.0/5
Google rating
395 ratings
0
Operators based
4,412
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
72 nm
To the nearest alternate
Karonga Airport (KGJ).
Overview
Songwe Airport (HTGW / MBI) is a mid-sized airport serving Mbeya, Tanzania. The field lies at an elevation of 4,412 feet. The airport supports scheduled airline service as well as private jet and charter movements.
MBI has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Karonga Airport (KGJ, 72 nm), Mzuzu Airport (ZZU, 158 nm), and Iringa Airport (IRI, 165 nm). MBI offers a single 10,925-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of MBI vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from MBI, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
HTGW
IATA
MBI
FAA / Local
HTGW
Elevation
4,412 ft
Coordinates
8.9199° S · 33.2740° 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
Yes
Elevation vs Tanzania fields
state range 54–4,678 ft
At 4,412 ft, MBI sits higher than 75% of the 12 Tanzania fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 10,925 ft
- 09/2710,925 ft × 148 ftAsphaltUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 10,925 ft
MBI's 10,925 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 4,412 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.
- 72nmKGJKaronga AirportKaronga
- 158nmZZUMzuzu AirportMzuzu
- 165nmIRIIringa AirportNduli
- 222nmDODDodoma AirportDodoma
- 222nmDWADwangwa AirportDwangwa
- 272nmMFUMfuwe International AirportMfuwe
Location
Open the full mapHTGW · Songwe Airport · Mbeya, Tanzania
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from MBI on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 6,408 nm | 15h 18m |
| New York (TEB) | 6,539 nm | 15h 36m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 6,705 nm | 16h 0m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 6,894 nm | 16h 26m |
| Miami (MIA) | 6,906 nm | 16h 28m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 7,141 nm | 17h 0m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 7,165 nm | 17h 4m |
| Anchorage (ANC) | 7,666 nm | 18h 14m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use MBI?
- Songwe Airport's longest paved runway is 10,925 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 MBI?
- Songwe Airport has one runway; the longest measures 10,925 ft on a paved surface.
- What is the nearest major airport to MBI?
- The closest alternate is Karonga Airport (KGJ), about 72 nm away, followed by Mzuzu Airport (ZZU) at 158 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from MBI to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 15h 18m (6,408 nm), New York about 15h 36m (6,539 nm), Washington DC about 16h 0m (6,705 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.