Airports in Borneo: everything you need to know
Borneo is about three times the size of the United Kingdom. If you’re doing a round trip, you will therefore have to travel significant distances on multiple occasions. However, as there is almost no rail network to speak of and only a few well-developed overland roads, air travel is essential. In this article you will discover:
- the most popular national and international airports
- the most relevant flight connections
- what there is to discover near the airports
If you want to know the best way to travel to Borneo from UK, USA or Australia and New Zealand, we recommend our article on flights to Borneo.
Kota Kinabalu International Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | BKI |
| ICAO code: | WBKK |
| Distance to city centre: | 4.5 mi / 7 km, 10-15 minutes |
| Distance to Jesselton Point Ferry: | 5.5 mi / 9 km, 15-20 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 430 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) |
| Airports served: | approx. 24 |
| Countries served: | approx. 9 |
General information
Kota Kinabalu International Airport is the busiest airport in Borneo and the second busiest in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur. It also has the most international flights of all airports in Borneo.
Many destinations in the Malaysian part of Borneo are served by BKI. There are also some flights to West Malaysia. First and foremost, of course, to the capital Kuala Lumpur, but also Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Bharu. Internationally, the most frequently served destination is Singapore. Other international connections include Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Seoul, Manila and Bangkok.
Reasons to come here
Visit Kota Kinabalu if you want to explore the beautiful islands off the coast, dive in the waters of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, discover the botanical diversity of Kinabalu National Park or climb Mount Kinabalu. On the other hand, Kota Kinabalu is less worth a visit if you mainly want to see Borneo’s wildlife.
Kuching International Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | KCH |
| ICAO code: | WBGG |
| Distance to city centre: | 6 mi / 10 km, 15-20 minutes |
| Distance to Waterfront: | 7 mi / 11 km, 15-20 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 400 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) |
| Airports served: | approx. 17 |
| Countries served: | approx. 4 |
General information
Kuching International Airport is the second-largest airport in the Malaysian part of Borneo and serves many regional airports in Sarawak. However, there are only few connections to Sabah: only Kota Kinabalu features on the flight schedule several times a day. Besides Kuala Lumpur, flights are also available to Penang and Johor Bahru in West Malaysia. International connections to Singapore and Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) are also offered.
Reasons to come here
In the area around Kuching, you can experience many natural highlights through various day trips: semi-wild orangutans at the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park, beautiful rainforest landscapes in the Kuching Wetlands and the impressive Fairy Cave. You can also visit a longhouse of the Iban people, one of the island’s indigenous ethnic groups. However, you won’t find many beautiful beaches for a relaxing beach holiday or unmissable diving areas around Kuching.
Brunei International Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | BWN |
| ICAO code: | WBSB |
| Distance to city centre: | 5 mi / 8 km, 10-15 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 70 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) |
| Airports served: | approx. 16 |
| Countries served: | approx. 13 |
General information
Brunei International Airport is located in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, and is mainly used by the domestic airline, Royal Brunei. Most international connections in Borneo depart from BWN, including long-haul flights to Melbourne and Dubai with onward flights to London. There are about two flights a day to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Within Borneo, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu are served by Brunei several times a week. In addition, several weekly flights to cities such as Jakarta, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo are available.
Reasons to come here
Would you like to experience Brunei on your Borneo tour? While there is comparatively little to discover in this small country, the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, provides a point of contrast to the larger cities in the Malaysian and Indonesian parts of the island. You won’t find many natural highlights here, but you can visit a few historical and architectural sights.
Sandakan Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | SDK |
| ICAO code: | WBKS |
| Distance to city centre: | 8 mi / 13 km, 15-20 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 70 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kota Kinabalu (BKI) |
| Airports served: | approx. 4 |
| Countries served: | approx. 1 |
General information
Sandakan Airport is a small airport on the east coast of the island. There are only about ten flights a day, most of which are to Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur. Beyond that, the only other flights are to the nearby towns of Tawau and Lahad Datu. No international connections are available.
Reasons to come here
The area around Sandakan is one of the most exciting regions in Borneo. There is an orangutan sanctuary and a sun bear sanctuary in Sepilok. Nearby you will find a facility for proboscis monkeys, and if you want to go to the Kinabatangan River, you can also travel via Sandakan. Another highlight is Turtle Island, where turtles lay their eggs and hatchlings make their way into the sea almost daily. If you’re looking to have a beach or diving holiday, though, Sandakan is not the ideal destination for you.
Miri Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | MYY |
| ICAO code: | WBGR |
| Distance to city centre: | 7 mi / 11 km, 10-15 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 280 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) |
| Airports served: | approx. 17 |
| Countries served: | approx. 2 |
General information
Miri Airport is a medium-sized airport in the north, close to the border with Brunei. The airport offers regular flights to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. Small propeller planes also fly to the remote airports in the hinterland of Sarawak, including Mulu Airport near Mulu National Park. In West Malaysia, only the capital airport, KLIA, is on the flight schedule, while internationally, Singapore Changi Airport is the only destination served.
Reasons to come here
There is comparatively little to experience in and around Miri. One highlight is the Niah Caves in Niah National Park. Miri also has one or two lovely beaches and some beautiful diving spots in the waters off the coast. Because of its proximity to Brunei, you can also detour from Miri to the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.
Tawau Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | TWU |
| ICAO code: | WBKW |
| Distance to city centre: | 19 mi / 31 km, 35-45 minutes |
| Distance to Semporna Jetty: | 52 mi / 83 km, 75-90 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 100 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) |
| Airports served: | approx. 4 |
| Countries served: | approx. 1 |
General information
Tawau Airport, located in the southeast of Sabah, is one of the medium-sized airports in the Malaysian part of Borneo, with about 15 daily departures. There are only two Bornean destinations: Kota Kinabalu (several times a day) and Sandakan (once a day). West Malaysia is also directly connected: in addition to several flights a day to Kuala Lumpur, there are flights to Johor Bahru several times a week. No international connections are available from Tawau.
Reasons to come here
Tawau Airport is of particular interest to scuba divers. To explore the world-famous diving sites in the waters of Sipadan Island, you can fly into Tawau and then drive to Semporna. If you want to discover Borneo’s flora and fauna, however, there are destinations with more to offer than Tawau.
Mulu Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | MZV |
| ICAO code: | WBMU |
| Distance to Mulu Park Entrance: | 0.5 mi / 1 km, 3 minutes |
| Distance to Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa: | 2 mi / 3 km, 5 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 25 |
| Most frequent destination: | Miri (MYY) |
| Airports served: | approx. 3 |
| Countries served: | approx. 1 |
General information
Mulu Airport is a tiny airport with only three to four daily departures. Three destinations in Borneo are served by this airport: in addition to one daily flight to both Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, there are one or two daily connections to nearby Miri. As you would expect in light of its size, international routes are non-existent. All flights are operated by Malaysia Airlines, using a propeller plane with a capacity of about 70 seats.
Reasons to come here
Mulu Airport is located right next to one of Borneo’s most beautiful nature reserves: Mulu National Park. Since it is almost impossible to get there by land, you will need to travel by plane. Once you do, though, you will experience gigantic caves, the unique Pinnacles and magnificent jungle landscapes – all of which is not to be missed.
Lahad Datu Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | LDU |
| ICAO code: | WBKD |
| Distance to city centre: | 0.5 mi / 1 km, 4 minutes |
| Distance to Danum Valley: | 50 mi / 80 km, 110-120 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 30 |
| Most frequent destination: | Kota Kinabalu (BKI) |
| Airports served: | approx. 2 |
| Countries served: | approx. 1 |
General information
Lahad Datu Airport is located near Lahad Datu city centre on the east coast of Borneo. There are four daily departures, three of which go to Borneo’s biggest airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Additionally, there is one connection per day to Sandakan. All flights are operated by Malaysia Airlines using propeller planes.
Reasons to come here
If you’re interested in million-year-old rainforests in complete isolation, you should travel to Lahad Datu – for that’s exactly what you’ll find in the Danum Valley Conservation Area, about two hours‘ drive away. Another natural highlight is the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, an hour’s drive from the city. Although Lahad Datu is right by the sea, it is not a popular beach destination.
Balikpapan Sepinggan Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | BPN |
| ICAO code: | WALL |
| Distance to city centre: | 6 mi / 10 km, 15-20 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 420 |
| Most frequent destination: | Jakarta (CGK) |
| Airports served: | approx. 16 |
| Countries served: | approx. 2 |
General information
Some flights depart from Balikpapan Sepinggan Airport to other destinations in the Indonesian part of Borneo. There are also flights to some cities in Java and Sulawesi. The most popular connection is to the capital, Jakarta. Denpasar Airport on the island of Bali, well-loved by tourists, also has one or two daily flights to Balikpapan. In addition, a few weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur are available.
Pontianak Supadio Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | PNK |
| ICAO code: | WIOO |
| Distance to city centre: | 11 mi / 17 km, 25-30 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 230 |
| Most frequent destination: | Jakarta (CGK) |
| Airports served: | approx. 8 |
| Countries served: | approx. 1 |
General information
Only a few national destinations are served by Pontianak Supadio Airport; there are no international connections. Besides a few Indonesian cities in Borneo, flights are provided to Jakarta and other cities in Java. There is also a connection to Batam Hang Nadim Airport on the island of Batam, south of Singapore.
Banjarmasin Syamsudin Noor Airport
| IATA 3-letter code: | BDJ |
| ICAO code: | WAOO |
| Distance to city centre: | 19 mi / 30 km, 40-45 minutes |
| Weekly departures: | approx. 245 |
| Most frequent destination: | Jakarta (CGK) |
| Airports served: | approx. 9 |
| Countries served: | approx. 1 |
General information
There are limited travel options from Banjarmasin. You can travel to a few Indonesian cities in Borneo, including Balikpapan, and some cities in Java. The most frequent flights are to Jakarta, followed by Surabaya. There are no international connections from Banjarmasin Syamsudin Noor Airport.