Kuwait International Airport
Kuwait International Airport

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport remained open on Thursday, May 28, 2026, with commercial flights continuing through its active terminals as the airport moved closer to a fuller recovery from earlier regional disruptions.

The airport's main passenger activity has remained centered on Terminals 4 and 5, with Kuwait Airways operating from Terminal 4 and Jazeera Airways from Terminal 5. The Civil Aviation Authority said this week that flights for Arab and international carriers will begin a gradual return through Terminal 1 starting June 1, marking another step in the airport's phased reopening plan.

The reopening of Terminal 1 follows months of gradual restoration after Kuwait's airspace was reopened on April 23 and passenger flights resumed in stages beginning April 26. Authorities have said the recovery has been handled carefully, with operations expanding only as repairs and readiness checks have been completed.

On Thursday, available flight tracking services and airport information pages showed active arrivals and departures, indicating the airport was functioning normally in the areas that remain open. The phased rollout has allowed Kuwait's national carriers and returning foreign airlines to maintain service while the airport prepares to add more capacity in June.

Kuwait's Civil Aviation Authority announced that Terminal 1 would begin receiving Arab and international airline operations on June 1 under a gradual plan aimed at keeping traffic smooth and maintaining passenger safety. The authority said the reopening follows completion of repairs and technical preparations at the terminal.

The move is significant because Terminal 1 is the airport's main international facility. Its return to service is expected to expand route options and ease pressure on the terminals that have been carrying the bulk of passenger traffic during the recovery period. Officials have framed the June reopening as part of a controlled restoration rather than an immediate full return to pre-disruption operations.

Kuwait International Airport has been operating in phases since late April, when air traffic resumed after a temporary closure that began Feb. 28 amid regional tensions. The reopening began with Terminals 4 and 5, which were brought back online first for selected destinations. Since then, carriers have been adding routes and frequencies gradually, with the airport's activity increasing as recovery work has progressed.

Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways continue to anchor the airport's operations. Kuwait Airways has maintained its route network from Terminal 4, while Jazeera Airways has continued from Terminal 5. Foreign airlines have also resumed or expanded service in stages, with Gulf-based carriers among those tracking the airport's recovery closely.

The airport's reopening has been supported by careful coordination between the Civil Aviation Authority, national airlines and international partners. Authorities have repeatedly emphasized safety, smooth traffic flow and technical readiness as the guiding principles behind each phase of the return. That approach has kept the airport operational while allowing work to continue on the remaining facilities.

For travelers, the current setup means flights are available, but schedules and terminal assignments may continue to shift as the June phase begins. Airport officials have advised passengers to verify flight status with their airlines before traveling and to confirm terminal information in advance. During a phased reopening, airlines often adjust timings and routings as they bring additional service back online.

The June 1 reopening of Terminal 1 is expected to broaden the airport's capacity and improve flow for additional Arab and international flights. The Civil Aviation Authority said the plan is designed to support a stable transition, with operations expanding only as the airport completes the necessary technical and operational steps.

The recovery also has wider economic importance for Kuwait. The airport is a key link for business travel, expatriate traffic, tourism and regional trade, and its gradual return to fuller service helps restore connectivity that was disrupted earlier in the year. With international travel demand rising into the summer season, the expanded terminal schedule is likely to be closely watched by both passengers and airlines.

Kuwait's aviation sector has moved steadily from emergency response toward normalization since the airspace reopened in April. The latest step — preparing Terminal 1 for a phased return on June 1 — signals that the airport is approaching a more complete recovery, though officials have continued to describe the process as gradual rather than finished.

As of Thursday, the airport remained open and active, with ongoing commercial service through Terminals 4 and 5 and a broader expansion now imminent. The June reopening of Terminal 1 is expected to mark the next major milestone in Kuwait International Airport's return to normal operations.