# Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin (DRW)

> Darwin, AU · IATA: DRW · ICAO: YPDN · Large Airport · Cargo Hub

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `DRW` |
| ICAO | `YPDN` |
| City | Darwin |
| Country | AU |
| Type | Large Airport |
| Elevation | 31 m |
| Cargo | ✅ |
| GPS | -12.41497, 130.88185 |

## Description

Positioned just 12 degrees south of the equator, Darwin International Airport (DRW, ICAO YPDN) is Australia's northernmost major airport and its closest to Southeast Asian markets. It shares runways with RAAF Darwin air base, serving both civil and military operations. Extensive runway resurfacing work is nearing completion in 2026 and is intended to secure the airport's operational capacity for the long term. For the Northern Territory, air freight is a supply line linking remote communities to goods, mail and urgent shipments. Capacity comes from passenger belly-hold, scheduled cargo services and on-demand charter flights; the regional network has also grown with new carrier Nexus, which began daily services to Kununurra in the Kimberley region in 2026. A niche specialty is live-animal air freight: goats, plus some sheep and cattle, leave Australia by aircraft from here. Heavier or bulk consignments are better routed through the adjacent seaport and road network. The dual civil-military layout also supports defence and disaster-relief logistics across the Top End. Given the proximity to international borders, Australian Border Force customs and biosecurity checks are especially rigorous.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/darwin-international-airport-raaf-darwin-airport-drw](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/darwin-international-airport-raaf-darwin-airport-drw)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/darwin-international-airport-raaf-darwin-airport-drw](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/darwin-international-airport-raaf-darwin-airport-drw)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/darwin-international-airport-raaf-darwin-airport-drw/llm-summary*