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Airport HistoryEst. 1961
Kuwait International Airport traces its roots to a small 1920s airfield in Dasma that served as an Imperial Airways refueling stop, but the modern airport opened at its current Mugwa site in 1961, shortly after Kuwait's independence. It grew into a multi-terminal hub, was heavily damaged during the 1990-91 Gulf War, and has since expanded with dedicated single-airline terminals and a major new terminal designed by Foster + Partners.
Kuwait's first airport opens in the Dasma area, serving as a refueling stop for Imperial Airways flights on the Britain-India route.
Following independence, Phase One of the new airport begins operation with a passenger terminal, runway and control tower; it is soon served by BOAC, Lufthansa, KLM and Air India.
The airport's iconic main passenger terminal, designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, opens and serves as the primary facility for decades.
Hours after Iraq's invasion begins on August 2, British Airways Flight 149 lands at Kuwait International, leading to the capture of its passengers and crew; the airport is subsequently looted and damaged, and Kuwait Airways aircraft are seized.
On February 27, coalition forces retake the airport in one of the final engagements of the Gulf War, after which commercial operations gradually resume.
Jazeera Airways' Terminal 5 opens in May and Kuwait Airways' Terminal 4 opens on August 8, giving Kuwait's two home carriers dedicated single-airline terminals.
A new Foster + Partners-designed Terminal 2, under construction since 2017 and delayed multiple times, is targeted to add 25-50 million passengers of annual capacity with 28 gates.
General encyclopedic sources (Wikipedia) and Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation official history page (dgca.gov.kw). Terminal 2's opening date has slipped repeatedly (originally 2016, then 2024, then Q4 2026 per 2025 reporting) — treat as subject to further change. Regional security conditions in the Gulf can affect airport operations at short notice; this entry describes only documented historical events.