Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport
Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport is the public international airport serving Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste. It is owned by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and operated by the Air Navigation Administration Timor Leste (ANATL). The airport sits in the Madohi area of Dom Aleixo, in western Dili, near the Ombai Strait. It has one asphalt runway (08/26) that is 1,850 meters long, and the elevation is about 8 meters above sea level.
The airport has a long history, dating from before World War II. It was rebuilt and renamed several times, and during Indonesian rule it was called Comoro Airport. In 1999–2000, after violence in East Timor, international forces helped restore operations and UNTAET oversaw rehabilitation. When Timor-Leste became independent in 2002, the airport was renamed in honor of Nicolau dos Reis Lobato, a national hero.
Today the airport mainly handles international passenger and some cargo traffic, with a facility that includes a three-section terminal (arrival, departure, and VIP areas). The runway’s length and other airside constraints have limited the operation of larger aircraft and night flights. Flooding and other maintenance issues have occurred in the past.
Future plans aim to modernize and expand the airport to handle more passengers and larger aircraft. Key elements include extending the runway to about 2,100 meters, building a new control tower, better taxiways and aprons, improved lighting, and improved road access. Japan has supported the project, and Timor-Leste secured a US$135 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to extend the runway and upgrade facilities. In 2022, Australia provided about A$97.7 million in concessional financing for redevelopment. The first stage of the redevelopment was underway in 2023 and expected to be completed in 2024. In 2025, Wings Air announced plans to operate international flights to Kupang from Timor-Leste.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:46 (CET).