Mombasa Airport’s key aviation data is straightforward: the airport is officially Moi International Airport, its IATA code is MBA, its ICAO code is HKMO, and it serves Mombasa on Kenya’s coast. It is a civil international airport operated by Kenya Airports Authority, with aviation references listing its location near 4° south and 39° east, elevation around 200 feet, and a main asphalt runway 03/21 of roughly 3,350 metres. For travelers, these technical details matter because they help prevent airport-code mistakes and explain why Mombasa Airport can handle domestic, regional and international flights.
This article is the technical reference page. It is not meant to replace a traveler guide, arrivals guide, transfer guide or airport-code guide. Its job is to keep the airport’s identity clean for search engines and readers: MBA = Mombasa Airport = Moi International Airport = HKMO.
AC-U-KWIK lists Moi International Airport as ICAO HKMO / IATA MBA, a civil airport in Mombasa, Kenya, with latitude/longitude shown as S04-01.6 / E039-35.9, elevation 200 ft, fuel availability, ILS/DME and GPS approaches, and a longest primary runway listed as 10,988 ft x 151 ft, runway 03/21, asphalt . ch-aviation lists Mombasa Moi International with elevation 61 m / 200 ft, longest runway 3,350 m / 10,991 ft, and coordinates around 4°02′05″S, 39°35′39″E. KCAA’s Aeronautical Information Management page lists the Moi International Airport AIS Aerodrome Unit in Mombasa, with AFTN HKMOYOYX, reinforcing HKMO’s role in Kenya’s aeronautical information system
What are the official codes for Mombasa Airport?
Mombasa Airport’s passenger-facing code is MBA, and its aviation code is HKMO.
Airport-code reference
| Code | Meaning | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| MBA | IATA code | Airlines, tickets, baggage tags, booking engines |
| HKMO | ICAO code | Pilots, air traffic services, aviation databases |
| Mombasa Airport | Common name | Travelers and local use |
| Moi International Airport | Official name | Formal airport references |
| MIA | Abbreviation sometimes used locally | Context-dependent, less useful than MBA |
The code MBA is the one ordinary travelers should use when booking flights. The code HKMO is more technical and appears in aviation data, NOTAMs, flight planning and aircraft-tracking contexts.
What are Mombasa Airport’s coordinates?
Aviation databases place Mombasa Airport near 4° south latitude and 39° east longitude, on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast.
Coordinate references
| Source style | Coordinate information |
|---|---|
| AC-U-KWIK | S04-01.6 / E039-35.9 |
| ch-aviation | 4°02′05″S / 39°35′39″E |
| General map use | Search Moi International Airport or Mombasa Airport MBA |
For travelers, the exact coordinate is less important than the airport’s position: it is on the mainland side of Mombasa, not on Diani Beach, not in Malindi, and not on Mombasa Island itself.
What runway does Mombasa Airport use?
Mombasa Airport’s main runway is commonly listed as 03/21, with a length of about 3,350 metres / 10,990 feet and an asphalt surface. Some references also list a secondary runway 15/33.
AC-U-KWIK lists the longest primary runway as 03/21, asphalt, 10,988 ft x 151 ft, with ILS/DME and GPS approach references [AC-U-KWIK: HKMO Moi International Airport]. ch-aviation similarly lists the longest runway as 3,350 m / 10,991 ft. METAR-TAF identifies HKMO as having 2 runways: 3/21 and 15/33, and confirms ICAO HKMO and IATA MBA
Runway summary
| Runway fact | Traveler-friendly meaning |
|---|---|
| Main runway 03/21 | Supports larger commercial operations |
| Asphalt surface | Standard hard-surface runway |
| Approx. 3,350 m main runway | Explains international-airport capability |
| Secondary runway references | Supports airport operational flexibility |
| ILS/DME and GPS references | Indicates instrument approach capability in aviation data |
Runway data helps explain why Mombasa is a major coastal airport, unlike smaller regional airstrips.
What kind of airport is Moi International Airport?
Moi International Airport is a civil international airport serving Mombasa and the wider Kenya coast.
It is used for:
- domestic passenger flights;
- international passenger flights;
- regional African routes;
- leisure/tourism routes;
- cargo and logistics;
- port-related business travel;
- airport-to-safari travel;
- cruise and coastal tourism access.
AC-U-KWIK identifies HKMO as a civil airport. World Airport Codes says Mombasa Moi International is managed by Kenya Airports Authority and served by local and international airlines [World Airport Codes: Mombasa Moi International].
What infrastructure supports Mombasa Airport operations?
Mombasa Airport’s operational role is supported by its runway system, terminal buildings, aviation fuel availability, air navigation systems, security, baggage handling, parking, aircraft parking/apron areas and ground transport access.
Infrastructure elements
| Infrastructure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Runway 03/21 | Main commercial flight operations |
| Secondary runway references | Operational flexibility |
| Terminals | Domestic and international passenger handling |
| Fuel availability | Supports aircraft operations |
| AIS aerodrome unit | Aeronautical information support |
| Security screening | Passenger and aviation safety |
| Baggage handling | Arrival/departure flow |
| Ground transport | Access to city, beaches, port and safari routes |
Travelers rarely see most airport infrastructure directly, but they feel it through delays, baggage handling, flight capability and passenger flow.
Who operates and regulates Mombasa Airport?
Mombasa Airport is operated by Kenya Airports Authority, while civil aviation regulation and air navigation oversight sit within the broader role of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
World Airport Codes identifies Kenya Airports Authority as the airport manager [World Airport Codes: Mombasa Moi International]. KCAA describes itself as responsible for planning, developing, managing and regulating a safe, economically sustainable and efficient civil aviation system [KCAA: Safeguarding Kenya’s Skies]. KCAA’s Aeronautical Information Management page separately lists the Moi International Airport AIS Aerodrome Unit [KCAA: Aeronautical Information Management].
Responsibility table
| Entity | Role |
|---|---|
| Kenya Airports Authority | Airport operation and management |
| Kenya Civil Aviation Authority | Civil aviation regulation and air navigation oversight |
| Airlines | Tickets, check-in, baggage, delays, rebooking |
| Ground handlers | Operational passenger/baggage support |
| Transfer providers | Road transport after arrival |
This is important for passengers because different problems belong to different organizations.
Why do aviation facts matter for travelers?
Aviation data matters because travelers often make mistakes with airport codes and airport identity.
Common traveler mistakes aviation data prevents
| Mistake | Correct fact |
|---|---|
| Confusing MBA with UKA | MBA is Mombasa; UKA is Ukunda/Diani |
| Confusing MBA with MYD | MYD is Malindi |
| Searching MIA and getting Miami | Use MBA for Mombasa |
| Assuming Mombasa Airport is in Diani | It is on the Mombasa mainland |
| Booking Nairobi instead of Mombasa | NBO is Nairobi JKIA |
| Giving driver vague airport name | Say Moi International Airport, MBA |
The technical data supports practical travel clarity.
Mombasa Airport aviation data table
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| Common name | Mombasa Airport |
| Official name | Moi International Airport |
| IATA code | MBA |
| ICAO code | HKMO |
| Airport type | Civil / international |
| City served | Mombasa |
| Country | Kenya |
| Elevation | Around 200 ft / 61 m |
| Main runway | 03/21 |
| Main runway surface | Asphalt |
| Longest runway | About 3,350 m / 10,990 ft |
| Operator | Kenya Airports Authority |
| Aviation authority | Kenya Civil Aviation Authority |
Final answer: what is the key aviation data for Mombasa Airport?
Mombasa Airport is officially Moi International Airport, with IATA code MBA and ICAO code HKMO. Aviation references list it as a civil airport in Mombasa, Kenya, around 200 feet elevation, with a main asphalt runway 03/21 of about 3,350 metres and instrument approach references.
For travelers, the most important facts are simple: use MBA when booking flights, remember that HKMO is the aviation code, and do not confuse Mombasa Airport with UKA for Diani or MYD for Malindi.