← Home / Airports / Afghanistan

Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport

Kandahar, Kandahar Province (Afghanistan)

IATA: KDH ICAO: OAKN

Longest Active Runway

10,532 ft

3,210 meters

Field Elevation

3,337 ft

1,017 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

31.5058°, 65.8480°

LARGE AIRPORT

🏆

Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#442 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#709 of 7558

Top 9.4% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Afghanistan)

#2 in AF

#3 of 13 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+5.3%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport's longest active runway measures 10,532 ft (3,210 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #442. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #709 worldwide (Top 9.4%) and #2 nationally in Afghanistan.

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

⛰️

Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Mid-Altitude Plateau / Valley Facility

Operating at 3,337 ft (1,017 m MSL), true airspeed (TAS) on approach and takeoff roll is moderately higher than indicated airspeed (IAS). Engines experience slight thrust lapse under elevated summer temperatures, necessitating conservative density-altitude dispatch calculations for fully laden twin-engine commercial transports.

🧭

Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Within its 100 NM cluster of 1 neighboring aerodromes, Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport is supported by major regional alternatives. Notably, Quetta International Airport (UET) lies just 93.9 NM away with a 12,001 ft runway, offering reliable operational redundancy for commercial diversions and congested airspace rerouting.

✈️

Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 10,532 ft (3,210 m)

With its longest runway exceeding 10,500 ft (3,210 m) and paved surface engineering, Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport meets the operational runway criteria for unrestricted long-haul operations by Code 4E and 4F heavy widebody aircraft, including the Airbus A380-800, Boeing 747-8, Airbus A350-1000, and Boeing 777-300ER at high operational weights.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
05/23	10,532 ft (3210m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Quetta International Airport (Quetta)	`UET`	93.9 NM (173.9 km)	12,001 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/kdh.json ↗