Qaisumah Airport

Overview

Qaisumah–Hafar Al-Batin International Airport is a large airport serving Qaisumah and the wider Hafar Al-Batin area in northeastern Saudi Arabia. Identified by IATA code AQI and ICAO code OEPA, it functions as an important regional gateway for travellers arriving for business, family visits, and onward journeys across the Eastern Province and nearby inland districts. Its setting at 1,174 feet (358 m) above sea level places it on the kingdom’s higher desert plain, where conditions are typically dry, bright, and warm for much of the year.

At a glance

• Airport codes: AQI (IATA) and OEPA (ICAO)
• Airport type: large airport serving Qaisumah, Saudi Arabia
• Elevation: 1,174 ft (358 m) above sea level
• Runway: 16/34, 10,007 ft long, asphalt surface, fully lighted
• Time zone: Asia/Riyadh

What travellers should know

For passengers, the most practical detail is the airport’s long, lighted asphalt runway, which supports reliable operations and straightforward arrivals at different times of day. Because Saudi Arabia uses the Asia/Riyadh time zone year-round, schedules are easy to follow without seasonal clock changes, which is helpful when coordinating ground transport or domestic connections. As with many airports serving desert regions, it is wise to allow extra time for transfers, keep water handy after landing, and plan road travel in advance, especially if continuing onward to Hafar Al-Batin or surrounding communities.