Airports / Afghanistan / KBL
Kabul International Airport.
Kabul, Afghanistan · 5,877 ft elevation. 2 charter operators based here.
OAKB
IATA KBL
2
Operators based
5,877
Elevation ft
Based operators
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
2 operators
Charter fleet based on the field
More resident charter operators than 58% of the 651 US fields with a based fleet on the register.
23 nm
To the nearest alternate
Bagram Airfield (OAI).
Overview
Kabul International Airport, listed as OAKB / KBL, is a large commercial airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. The airport sits 5,877 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
The airport anchors local charter capacity, East Horizon Airlines and Kam Air are based here. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Bagram Airfield (OAI, 23 nm), Jalalabad Airport (JAA, 64 nm), and Khost International Airport (KHT, 82 nm). With a single 11,483-foot paved runway, KBL can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from KBL depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. In directories and search listings it also appears under Hamid Karzai International Airport and Khwaja Rawash Airport. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Kabul.
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Field capability
ICAO
OAKB
IATA
KBL
FAA / Local
OAKB
Elevation
5,877 ft
Coordinates
34.5659° N · 69.2123° 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 Afghanistan fields
state range 1,284–5,877 ft
At 5,877 ft, KBL sits higher than 89% of the 9 Afghanistan fields on the register, a high-elevation field where density altitude can trim aircraft performance on warm days.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 11,483 ft
- 11/2911,483 ft × 164 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 11,483 ft
KBL's 11,483 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 5,877 ft this field's density altitude can extend the runway a jet actually needs on warm days. Confirm performance with the operator.
Based charter operators2
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 23nmOAIBagram AirfieldBagram
- 64nmJAAJalalabad AirportJalalabad
- 82nmKHTKhost International AirportKhost
- 119nmPEWBacha Khan International AirportPeshawar
- 127nmUNDKunduz AirportKunduz
- 140nmOPRSRisalpur Air BaseRisalpur
Location
Open the full mapOAKB · Kabul International Airport · Kabul, Afghanistan
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from KBL on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 4,748 nm | 11h 27m |
| Boston (BED) | 5,699 nm | 13h 39m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 5,844 nm | 13h 59m |
| New York (TEB) | 5,846 nm | 14h 0m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 6,021 nm | 14h 24m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 6,042 nm | 14h 27m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 6,114 nm | 14h 37m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 6,282 nm | 15h 1m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use KBL?
- Kabul International Airport's longest paved runway is 11,483 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 KBL?
- Kabul International Airport has one runway; the longest measures 11,483 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Are there charter operators based at KBL?
- Yes. 2 charter operators list Kabul International Airport as a home base, including East Horizon Airlines, Kam Air . You can also request quotes from operators that reposition aircraft into the field.
- What is the nearest major airport to KBL?
- The closest alternate is Bagram Airfield (OAI), about 23 nm away, followed by Jalalabad Airport (JAA) at 64 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from KBL to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 11h 27m (4,748 nm), Boston about 13h 39m (5,699 nm), Seattle about 13h 59m (5,844 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.