2/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“I have been in and out of this airport for many years, and it is extremely nice for a regional airport.”
Meer Shwan5★ on Google
Airports / Iraq / ISU
Medium airport · ISU
Jalal Talabani International Airport.
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq · 2,494 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.0/5
Google rating
1,164 ratings
0
Operators based
2,494
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Sulaymaniyah, IraqELEV 2,494 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.0
Google rating
1,164
Google reviews
ratings on Google
2,494
Field elevation
feet above sea level
48
Nearest alternate
nm to KIK
Field standing
48 nm
To the nearest alternate
Kirkuk International Airport (KIK).
Overview
Jalal Talabani International Airport, listed as ORSJ / ISU, is a mid-sized airport in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. The airport sits 2,494 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into ISU for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Kirkuk International Airport (KIK, 48 nm), Tuz Khurmatu Air Base (IQ-0054, 55 nm), and Tal Ashtah New Air Base (IQ-0051, 63 nm). With a single 11,481-foot paved runway, ISU can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from ISU depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. In directories and search listings it also appears under Kurd and Kurdish. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Sulaymaniyah.
Run an FBO at ORSU? Become the preferred FBO
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“The recent renovations done during the COVID-19 era are evident with modern buses and new devices.”
Meer Shwan5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Jalal Talabani International Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
ORSJ
IATA
ISU
FAA / Local
ORSJ
Elevation
2,494 ft
Coordinates
35.5605° N · 45.3151° 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 Iraq fields
state range 11–2,494 ft
At 2,494 ft, ISU sits higher than 95% of the 19 Iraq fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 11,481 ft
- 13/3111,481 ft × 148 ftConcreteLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 11,481 ft
ISU's 11,481 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.
- 48nmKIKKirkuk International AirportKirkuk
- 55nmIQ-0054Tuz Khurmatu Air Base
- 63nmIQ-0051Tal Ashtah New Air Base
- 78nmEBLErbil International AirportArbil
- 85nmSDGSanandaj Airport
- 98nmIQ-0045Samarra East Air Base / Dhuluiya AirportDhuluiya
Location
Open the full mapORSU · Jalal Talabani International Airport · Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from ISU on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 4,951 nm | 11h 55m |
| Boston (BED) | 4,976 nm | 11h 58m |
| New York (TEB) | 5,133 nm | 12h 20m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 5,324 nm | 12h 47m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 5,490 nm | 13h 10m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 5,737 nm | 13h 45m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 5,779 nm | 13h 50m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 5,877 nm | 14h 4m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use ISU?
- Jalal Talabani International Airport's longest paved runway is 11,481 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 ISU?
- Jalal Talabani International Airport has one runway; the longest measures 11,481 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to ISU?
- The closest alternate is Kirkuk International Airport (KIK), about 48 nm away, followed by Tuz Khurmatu Air Base (IQ-0054) at 55 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from ISU to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 11h 55m (4,951 nm), Boston about 11h 58m (4,976 nm), New York about 12h 20m (5,133 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.