El Arish International Airport

El Arish International Airport (Arabic: مطار العريش الدولي) (IATA: AAC, ICAO: HEAR) is an airport south of El Arish, Egypt. Location and size The site of the airport is 160 hectares (400 acres) in area. Its terminal has the capacity for 200 passengers per hour. The tarmac, which is 3,019 metres (9,905 ft) long, fits four aircraft. El Arish is one of the closest airports to the Gaza Strip. El Gora Airport is slightly closer, but smaller. El Arish International Airport is approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the Rafah Border Crossing. Operations Palestinian Airlines relocated to El Arish International Airport after Yasser Arafat International Airport was rendered non-operational when the runway was destroyed by Israeli forces in 2001. All Palestinian Airlines flights were grounded from 2005 to 2012. In 2011 the airport served 5,991 passengers (-45.4% vs. 2010). In May 2012, Palestinian Airlines restarted two weekly flights to Amman, with flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia planned to follow soon after. The airport has been mainly used for Palestinian passengers from the Gaza Strip traveling to Saudi Arabia for hajj and umrah. Palestinian Airlines ceased operations in December 2020. At the time of Palestinian Airlines' closure, its two Fokker 50 planes—both over 30 years old—operated flights between El Arish, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. During the Gaza war, the airport was used as a staging ground for medical flights to the United Arab Emirates. Current operations Egyptair currently serves air transport to Ostend and Cairo. Egyptair uses a Cargo Airbus A330 to operate the route between El Arish and Ostend. Major expansion and development project El Arish International Airport is currently undergoing one of the most significant development projects in North Sinai's history. The Egyptian government has announced a comprehensive expansion plan aimed at transforming the airport into a major aviation, logistics, and economic hub serving El Arish, its seaport, and the large-scale development initiatives taking shape across North Sinai and the areas east of the Suez Canal. The project includes the construction of a new civil aviation complex covering approximately 823 feddans. At the heart of the expansion is a modern passenger terminal spanning 17,500 square metres, designed to accommodate 800 passengers per hour—four times the capacity of the airport's original terminal. The new terminal will feature dedicated departure and arrival halls, a VIP lounge, and a specialized terminal area for Hajj and Umrah travelers, significantly enhancing the airport's ability to serve both domestic and international passengers. Airside infrastructure is also being dramatically expanded. Plans include a new apron and main aircraft parking area capable of accommodating 10 Airbus A320 aircraft simultaneously, a substantial increase from the airport's previous capacity. The project further includes a 3-kilometre-long, 45-metre-wide primary runway, a secondary 3-kilometre taxiway, and extensive upgrades to roads, operational facilities, and support infrastructure throughout the airport complex. Beyond aviation facilities, the development encompasses the construction of 30 administrative and service buildings, meteorological stations, electrical substations, integrated water supply systems, firefighting facilities, sewage networks, telecommunications infrastructure, and other operational support systems. See also Transport in Egypt List of airports in Egypt Six Day War References "Current weather for HEAR". NOAA/NWS. Accident history for AAC at Aviation Safety Network