38 days of Iran war cost Kurdistan airports an estimated over $400 million
According to estimates, the losses caused by 40 days of closing the Kurdistan Region’s airspace to domestic and international flights—due to the US-Israel war against Iran—exceed $400 million. This estimate is based on flight data from March-April 2024, when the total number of annual flights exceeded 21,000 and more than 2.4 million passengers were transported.
Year by year, the number of air flights in the Kurdistan Region changes, mostly increasing. However, since 2011, when data became available, the Region’s airspace has handled between 20,000 and 30,000 flights annually, with international flights exceeding domestic ones.
For example, according to statistics regarding Erbil and Sulaimani airports, provided by the Kurdistan Region’s Statistics Office, the total number of flights in 2024 was 21,764, including 17,285 international flights and 4,479 domestic flights between the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi cities.
Most international and domestic flights are carried out through Erbil International Airport. Of the total 21,764 flights in 2024, about 83 percent (18,198 flights) were through the airport.
Airport revenues from each arriving and departing flight vary and consist of landing fees, passenger service charges (for domestic and international travelers), cargo loading and unloading fees, transportation of goods, etc.
If we calculate based on the minimum revenue estimates of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for Middle Eastern countries, the financial losses from these 40 days of suspended flights are approximately $416 million. This is because, based on 2024 data, the estimated average monthly revenue of airports and airline companies in the Kurdistan Region was $386 million.
Number of flights to/from Kurdistan Region’s airports
The number of passengers traveling annually through the two airports of the Kurdistan Region exceeds 2.5 million, most of whom are international travelers, and the majority of them use Erbil International Airport.
For example, in 2024, the total number of passengers (domestic and international) using the two airports was 2.4 million. Of these, more than 2 million were international travelers, 343,000 were domestic travelers, and 2.1 million used Erbil International Airport.
Another important function of the Kurdistan Region’s airports is cargo transportation. In one year alone, 19,112 tons of cargo were transported by air through Erbil International Airport, most of which consisted of imports rather than exports. In that year, 17,852 tons were unloaded (imports), while 1,260 tons were loaded (exports).
Cargo transportation at Jalal Talabani International Airport, formerly known as Sulaimani International Airport, is about four times less than at Erbil. In one year, the total cargo (loaded and unloaded) was 5,812 tons, most of which—5,556 tons—were imports. Notably, in March 2024, cargo imports at Sulaimani airport reached 1,679 tons, significantly different from the months before and after.
On average, the total cargo handled (loaded and unloaded) at both airports reaches about 25,000 tons annually, with 93 percent consisting of imports rather than exports. This reflects the economic reality of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, which depend heavily on imports.
Losses from 38 days of war
In March 2024, the total number of flights (arrivals and departures) at both airports was 1,564, and in April of the same year it was also 1,564 flights. Cargo volume was 3,118 tons in March and 2,195 tons in April.
The number of passengers using Erbil and Sulaimani airports was 151,147 in March and 174,853 in April 2024.
For estimation purposes:
- Landing fee per aircraft: $1,000
- International passenger fee: $30
- Domestic passenger fee: $6
- Cargo handling fee: $70
- Average airline ticket revenue per passenger: about $1,200
Based on these minimum revenue assumptions for airports and airline ticket revenues, the estimated income for March 2024 was $290 million, and for April it was $365 million.
Passenger and flight numbers through the Kurdistan Region have been increasing. For instance, total passenger traffic (arrivals and departures) rose from 2.2 million in 2022 to 2.6 million in 2024.
Ultimately, if March and April 2024 figures are used as a baseline for the 38-day closure of the Kurdistan Region’s airspace in 2026, the estimated revenue loss amounts to $290 million for March and $121 million for the first 10 days of April—bringing the total estimated loss to over $416 million.
As of Wednesday, a ceasefire has been announced and the Kurdistan Region’s airspace is expected to reopen to flights, allowing air traffic to resume. However, returning to pre-war conditions—like many other sectors—will take time.