Kuwait Airport in 2026: Terminal 1 Reopening, Sahel App and Biometrics

Kuwait International Airport is preparing to reopen Terminal 1 ahead of the Saudi Super Cup in December 2026, and the Sahel app now sends entry and exit alerts. Learn more about the terminals, biometric registration rules, Terminal 2 plans and border arrangements for football fans

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Several changes are under way at once for anyone flying to or from Kuwait this autumn. Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is preparing to bring Terminal 1 back into service in November 2026, the tender for running the new Terminal 2 is moving forward, biometric fingerprinting has been taken away from border posts, and the Sahel government app has started sending entry and exit travel notifications.

According to Travel And Tour World, the timing is tied to a major sporting event: Kuwait hosts the Saudi Super Cup in December 2026. Below is where each service stands for international visitors, residents and business travellers.

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When will Terminal 1 at Kuwait International Airport reopen?

Terminal 1 (T1) is expected to resume operations during November 2026 after repair and rehabilitation work. The announcement came on 13 October from Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who linked the reopening to Kuwait's hosting of the Saudi Super Cup in December.

This is not the first attempt to return the terminal to service. The history so far:

• 1 June 2026 — Terminal 1 reopened after infrastructure rehabilitation, and Arab and international airlines began gradually returning to it;
• 3 June 2026 — operations were suspended again after an incident, and the building needed further assessments and repairs;
• November 2026 — the planned new reopening, described as another stage in restoring the terminal's place in Kuwait's international network.

No confirmed reopening date has been published, and the full list of airlines that will operate from Terminal 1 has not been announced. Passengers should not assume their flight will use T1 and should check the departure terminal with their airline.

Which terminals are in use now?

While Terminal 1 remains in transition, the airport's other buildings carry the passenger traffic:

• Terminal 4 — Kuwait Airways;
• Terminal 5 — Jazeera Airways;
• foreign airlines — the available terminals under revised operating arrangements.

About business visas to Kuwait and what business travellers should do — read more at the link.

What is happening with the new Terminal 2 at Kuwait airport?

Terminal 2 is Kuwait's main project to expand future passenger capacity. It is designed to handle up to 25 million passengers a year and includes a large passenger building, aircraft parking areas and supporting airport infrastructure.

In October 2026, international airport operators submitted commercial bids for the contract to operate, manage and maintain Terminal 2. Procurement information reported on 19 October showed DAA International as the lowest bidder. The Central Agency for Public Tenders then scheduled a further negotiation session for 4 November.

The proposed contract covers:

• terminal operations;
• maintenance;
• staff training;
• apron management;
• wider coordination of airport operations.

These talks are a step in preparing the building, not a launch date. The November negotiations do not mean that Terminal 2 has received final operational clearance or that it will start handling passengers in the fourth quarter of 2026. The opening date, the airlines assigned to the terminal and its passenger services depend on further official announcements.

Large Gulf hubs are growing fast: we have written about how Dubai is building the world's largest airport for 260 million passengers.

Where do residents and citizens complete biometric registration in Kuwait now?

Biometric identification is already an established part of Kuwait's immigration and identity checks. The system uses facial recognition, iris scans and fingerprints. Mandatory biometric registration for citizens and residents was introduced in 2024, and the Ministry of Interior set up dedicated facilities for it.

The government later moved registration away from airports and other border facilities to ease congestion. In a notice dated 2 November, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that biometric fingerprinting is no longer carried out at air, land or sea border posts.

Where to register under the new arrangements:

• Kuwaiti citizens — designated Personal Identification Department centres or National Identity Centres;
• residents — designated Personal Identification Department centres in the country's governorates.

The aim is to prevent departure delays caused by passengers trying to enrol at checkpoints. Anyone subject to the requirement should complete registration before the travel date. The change concerns enrolment only: immigration officers at airport borders continue to use biometric identification.

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What travel notifications does the Sahel app send?

On 11 November 2026, the Ministry of Interior activated entry and exit travel notifications in the Sahel government app. Citizens and expatriate residents can now see their recorded movements through Kuwait's land, sea and air border crossings.

The notifications also give access to several travel-related services:

• before or during departure — requesting emergency travel documents and contacting consular assistance;
• after arrival — filing a customs declaration and reporting lost baggage;
• at any time — reporting errors in recorded travel information.

For residents, this means travel records can be checked online rather than only through visits to government offices. International visitors should still keep their travel documents with them and follow the instructions of immigration and airport staff.

How is Kuwait preparing for the Saudi Super Cup in December 2026?

Kuwait will host the 13th edition of the Saudi Super Cup at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium from 19 to 23 December 2026. Four clubs take part: Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, Al-Qadsiah and Al-Kholood.

• 19 and 20 December — semi-finals;
• 23 December — final.

To handle the arrival of fans from Saudi Arabia, the authorities are raising capacity at the Nuwaiseeb land border crossing to 20 dedicated counters. Players and team officials will receive special identification cards and will be exempt from airport biometric fingerprinting.

These exemptions apply only to tournament participants. They are not a general relaxation of the rules for other visitors.

What travellers to Kuwait should do now

• Check the departure terminal with your airline shortly before the flight: Terminal 1 has no confirmed reopening date or final airline list.
• Remember the current split: Kuwait Airways at Terminal 4, Jazeera Airways at Terminal 5.
• Do not plan around Terminal 2: no opening date has been set.
• If you are a resident or citizen required to register biometrics, do it at a designated centre before departure — fingerprinting is no longer done at borders.
• Residents can review entry and exit records in the Sahel app and report any errors there.
• Fans driving from Saudi Arabia for the December matches should expect heavier traffic at Nuwaiseeb and plan accommodation and transport in advance.

Terminal changes, crowded border crossings and match days all add risk to a short trip. Choose Travel insurance on Visit World for your dates in Kuwait — buy your policy online in a few minutes.

We remind you! In our previous article, we wrote about the world's busiest airports in 2026 and how Incheon took the top spot for the first time.

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