Kuwait International Airport (OKKK/KWI) is the gateway to the State of Kuwait, with five terminals included, along with a military base called Abdullah Al-Mubarak AB, serving the Kuwait Air Force, USAF, and Italian Air Force KC-767s. The airport is being held by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and has had a rich history since the 30s. The airport is a hub for Kuwait Airways and Kuwaiti low-cost airline Jazeera Airways, with 50 other airlines. Lately Kuwait’s aviation sector has had a downfall with all of the European airlines such as British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa dropping operations to the airport as they have been serving for decades. Foster+Partners and Limak is partnering with the DGCA to build a Terminal 2, a brand new terminal with state of the art technology and to expand passenger capacity to 25 million, it is expected to be completed by 2026/2027.

Written by Yousef Esbaitah. Last Update: August 2025

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
15R/33L	3,400 m (11,155 ft) – Concrete
15L/33R	3.500 m (11,483 ft) – Asphalt
16/34	4,810 m (15,780) – Asphalt
Terminals
Terminal 1	All Airlines except Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways
Terminal 2	Brand new large terminal expected to open by 2026/2027
Terminal 3	AKA Sheikh Saad Terminal, serves general aviation and private aircraft
Terminal 4	The main terminal operated for Kuwait Airways, as a temporary replacement to soften operations at T1
Terminal 5	The main terminal operated for Jazeera Airways
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not needed
Car/Public Transport	Highly recommended for all spotting locations to be safe, taxi is risky for spots 2, 3, and 4. Public transportation is only available for Spot 1 with KPTC.
Drinks/Food	There are fast food restaurants available inside the Airport Mall, as well as Caribou Coffee and Starbucks,
Hotels	No hotels available, the Safir airport hotel is mostly used for transit passengers. There is a Hyatt Regency in 360 Mall, which is the closest to the airport.
Season	Autunm and Winter are the best option as Spring and Summer are not easy to handle and heat haze is a problem.
Security	Just like any other airport in the Middle East, planespotting is HIGHLY prohibited and Kuwait is the worst one. There have been reports that National Security and US Army guards have caught local and foreign spotters and have been interrogated for hours. A spotting permit is not easy and can be easily taken once earned. Keep a low profile and hide your camera if possible. Police can either show you away or take you in, most are kind and some are rude, just keep nice to them and keep an ID if you get caught. Spotterguide is not responsible for any problem that occurs during your visit, stay safe!
Runway Usage
15R/33L	The center runway is used for arrivals when 15 is in use, while it’s used for departures when 33 is used.
15L/33R	The easternmost runway is used for arrivals when 33 is in use, while it’s used for departures when 15 is used.
16/34	The westernmost runway is yet to be opened, but it’s highly expected for Cargo City operations and heavies.

	Spot #1 – Terminal 1 Parking Lot – 33L Departures/15R Arrivals
WHERE	This spot is the most common spot in Kuwait Airport, stay in Highway 50 and head to the end, and head for Terminal 1 departures. Then enter the bridge and enter the short-term parking, which is 2 Kuwaiti Dinar. The spot should be in your left by the corner, just park there and you should be good.
WHAT	Taxiway W1 and the cargo apron is visible from the area, along with 33L departures and 15R arrivals. However, you will need at least 300-400mm of focal length.
TIME	From sunrise til noon is the best, anything other than that is going to be backlit.
MISC.	There is a traffic office by the dropoff, keep a low profile when spotting, sometimes they will come and give consequences, try to spot behind the indoor staircase where its mostly not visible. The bridge also has cars passing by where you will be easily visible to traffic, it’s best to stay in your car and keep aware of cameras nearby. Food, drinks, and restrooms are available inside the Airport Mall.
FOCAL LENGTH	744/77W = 300mm / A320 = 200mm

KWI-Spot1

KWI-Spot1

KWI-Spot1

	Spot #2 – Jleeb Park – 15R Arrivals
WHERE	Start from route 60 south and continue until the start of route 500 west, take the second right turn into 85th street, and into the parking of Jleeb Park, park in the far back for best angle and stay in your car between aircraft.
WHAT	You’ll get the best shots for 15R arrivals just over you and by the best angles and a great distance from the approach path. Heat haze can be a problem too.
TIME	It’s best from 2 PM until sunset.
MISC.	There are some local street food and a supermarket if you continue by route 500, there’s a jail infront of the parking lot too, so the security there might be risky, it’s best to park your car and stay in it.
FOCAL LENGTH	737/A320 = 45mm / 777 = 60mm

KWI-Spot2

KWI-Spot2

KWI-Spot2

	Spot #3 – DGCA Headquarters – 33L Arrivals/15R Departures
WHERE	Start from Magwa Road south (51), and on the intersection between Fahad Malik AlSabah road (208), take a right ahead of the construction site for T2, and continue straight for about 3 and a half km (2.2 miles), take a right to the DGCA headquarters and to the parking lot, park your car outside since you cannot enter without a pass, it’s best to go to that spot at low hours where no employees are seen. Head inside the parking lot and to the 6th/7th floor, take a right until the edge of the parking lot where you will have a view of the beginning of Runway 33L and the new Terminal 2.
WHAT	33L arrivals are best in that spot as they are clear from the view. Heat haze might be a problem since it’s a bit far. Same goes for departures as they’re a bit high.
TIME	It’s best from 2 PM until sunset.
MISC.	There’s a Costa Coffee and restrooms inside the HQ, head into the bridge and enter. Security are not often seen here but it’s risky to go there anyway, since it’s a government building.
FOCAL LENGTH	200-600mm

KWI-Spot3

KWI-Spot3

KWI-Spot3

	Spot #4 – Fahad AlMalik AlSabah Road – 33R arrivals
WHERE	Start from Magwa Road south (51), and on the intersection between Fahad Malik AlSabah road (208), take a left and continue for about 1.1 km (0.7) mile and exit the highway into the offroad side. This spot is next to an elevated highway, so you will be going downhill into the spot, still be cautious though.
WHAT	33R arrivals are best for this spot, 15L departures are a bit too steep and uneasy to shoot. Plus heat haze.
TIME	It’s best from sunrise til 9 AM.
MISC.	No restrooms nor restaurants around, you would have to head to the airport or DGCA HQ, which is a 10-15 min drive.
FOCAL LENGTH	A359 = 60mm / 77W = 40mm

KWI-Spot4

KWI-Spot4

KWI-Spot4