Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

Overview

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is the main international gateway for Dhaka and the busiest air hub serving Bangladesh’s capital. Identified by IATA code DAC and ICAO code VGHS, it is classified as a large airport and handles the mix of domestic, regional, and long-haul traffic you would expect from the country’s primary aviation entry point. For most visitors, this is the airport where Bangladesh begins: busy, practical, and closely tied to the pace of Dhaka itself.

What Travellers Should Know

• The airport serves Dhaka, so it is the standard arrival point for business trips, city stays, and onward travel across Bangladesh.
• Local time is Asia/Dhaka, which is useful to confirm when planning flight connections, hotel pickups, or late-night arrivals.
• The field elevation is 30 feet (9 m), meaning the airport sits on very low-lying ground typical of the Dhaka region.
• Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport uses a single main runway, 14/32, which is paved and lighted for regular day and night operations.
• The runway length is 11,500 feet, giving the airport the capability to handle large commercial aircraft on international routes.

Airfield And Operations

From an aviation standpoint, DAC is straightforward but important: one long, lighted runway supports the airport’s core operations and keeps traffic moving in and out of one of South Asia’s most densely populated urban areas. That simplicity can be helpful for travellers, because the airport’s role is easy to understand even if the travel experience can feel intense during peak periods. If you are arriving for the first time, it helps to plan patiently, allow extra time, and treat the airport as a functional launch point into Dhaka rather than a place to rush through unprepared.