# Kigali International Airport (KGL)

> Kigali, RW · IATA: KGL · ICAO: HRYR · Large Airport · Cargo Hub

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `KGL` |
| ICAO | `HRYR` |
| City | Kigali |
| Country | RW |
| Type | Large Airport |
| Elevation | 1481 m |
| Cargo | ✅ |
| GPS | -1.96863, 30.13950 |

## Description

Rwanda is betting that a small, landlocked economy can punch above its weight in African air cargo — and Kigali International (KGL) is the wager's centre. RwandAir Cargo has flown a dedicated Boeing 737-800SF freighter since late 2022, serving Dubai, Djibouti and a growing roster of African and Middle Eastern points, while a partnership with Qatar Airways Cargo adds A310 freighter rotations linking Kigali with Lagos and, via Doha, Istanbul. Perched at roughly 1,480 metres on the edge of the capital, the airport blends belly cargo from passenger services with pure freighter traffic. Exports skew perishable: vegetables, cut flowers and fresh produce bound for Europe and the Gulf, alongside minerals such as coltan and tin ore. Because Rwanda has no coastline, trucking corridors to the seaports of Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) underpin every supply chain, with customs and bonded storage handled by the Rwanda Revenue Authority and operator Magerwa. The bigger move is under construction: the new Bugesera International Airport south of the city is set to take over from KGL and lift cargo capacity substantially. For forwarders, Kigali is an import-dependent market with unusual export ambition.

---

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

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

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