Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport

The new Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport construction commenced in October 2017. The Airport facility was meant to replace the old Ndola International Airport serving the Copperbelt, Luapula and Northwestern Provinces.

SMKIA was opened on 7^th August 2021 after the re-location of operations from Ndola International Airport, now Zuze Air Base.

THE GREEN FIELD AIRPORT

The green field Airport aimed at mitigating the challenges associated with the then Ndola International Airport

It also aims at providing equi-distant access to international air transport to the nearby Copperbelt towns which include Chililambombwe, Chingola, Kitwe, Mufulira and Luanshya.

The facility also aims at meeting the needs of the air transport customer in the Copperbelt Province, Northwestern Province and Katanga Province of Congo D.R.

LOCATION

The green field Airport is located 7.78NM/14.41 KM from the city's reference point which is Ndola main post office in town;21.6NM/40 KM from Luanshya Post office and 19.87NM/36.8KM from Kitwe Main post office.

The Airport is surrounded by significant and major landmarks such as the Dag Hammarskjöld memorial site which is one of the world’s heritage sites.

The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site marks the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld, the second and then-sitting Secretary-General of the United Nations was killed on 17 September 1961, while on a mission to the Léopoldville Congo Republic (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The Airport has within its vicinity the renown Girls Stem school alias Ndola Girls Technical school.

FACILITIES AT SMKIA