# Senai International Airport

Senai International Airport (IATA: JHB, ICAO: WMKJ), formerly known as Sultan Ismail International Airport, is an international airport serving Johor Bahru District, Malaysia's second most populous district and other regions in southern Peninsular Malaysia. Located in Kulai of the Malaysian state of Johor, it is approximately 22 km northwest of the Johor Bahru city centre. The airport is adjacent to Sedenak Tech Park, the largest data centre park in Malaysia.

## History

Opened in 1974, the airport is managed and operated by Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd (SATSSB) which took over the operations from Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) in 2003 under a 50-year concession to develop the airport. SATSSB is currently wholly owned by MMC Corporation Berhad. Senai International Airport is currently the only privately managed public airport in Malaysia. SATSSB also operates Kerteh Airport for Petronas.
Plans for expanding the airport were announced in 1978.
The federal government planned to upgrade the airport in 1990, costing RM 100 million. It was approved in April 1990.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines' planned to reroute its international flights to the airport instead of Singapore Changi as it is cheaper. The plan was approved in August 1991.
In September 1990, Malaysia Airlines began adding direct flights from the airport to Kuala Terengganu attract tourists to Terengganu and Kelantan.
In April 1992, Malaysia Airlines began weekly flights from Senai to Hong Kong, marking "a new era" for the airport.
In 1993, Senai Airport was upgraded, costing RM 93 million. The upgrade works include expansions to the terminal and runway, and the construction of an aerobridge. The upgrade would enable the airport to carry more McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft than before, with traffic increased to 100 flights weekly.
Senai International Airport serves as the aviation gateway for Iskandar Malaysia and the southern region, and is dedicated to providing routes and services essential to cater the needs of both tourism and business travelers. Equipped with a 3,800-metre Category 4E runway, Senai International Airport can handle aircraft up to large jets such as the Airbus A350 XWB, the Boeing 777 and even the Antonov An-124 Ruslan freighter.
In 2019, Senai International Airport handled a total of 4,254,922 passengers and 15,010 tons of freight with a combination of 52,030 scheduled and non-scheduled commercial aircraft movements. Currently the terminal is being expanded to handle 5 million passengers by 2023.

## Airlines and destinations
### Passenger

| Airlines | Destinations |
| AirAsia | Alor Setar, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Ipoh, Kota Bharu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur–International, Kuching, Langkawi, Miri, Penang, Sibu, Tawau |
| Batik Air Malaysia | Bangkok–Don Mueang, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Kuala Lumpur–International Charter: Kunming |
| Firefly | Kuala Lumpur–Subang, Penang |
| Indonesia AirAsia | Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Surabaya |
| Malaysia Airlines | Kuala Lumpur–International Charter: Medina |
| Thai AirAsia | Bangkok–Don Mueang |

### Traffic and statistics

Busiest domestic flights out of Senai International Airport by frequency as of September 2023 :
| Rank | Destinations | Frequency (weekly) | Airlines |
| 1 | Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur | 76 | AK, MH, OD |
| 2 | Penang, Pulau Pinang | 29 | AK, FY |
| 3 | Subang, Selangor | 26 | FY, OD |
| 4 | Kuching, Sarawak | 21 | AK |
| 5 | Kota Kinabalu, Sabah | 18 | AK |
| 6 | Sibu, Sarawak | 7 | AK |
| 7 | Ipoh, Perak | 7 | AK |
| 8 | Langkawi, Kedah | 4 | AK |
| 9 | Alor Setar, Kedah | 4 | AK |
| 10 | Tawau, Sabah | 4 | AK |
| 11 | Kota Bharu, Kelantan | 3 | AK |
| 12 | Miri, Sarawak | 3 | AK |
Busiest international flights out of Senai International Airport by frequency as of September 2023 :
| Rank | Destinations | Frequency (weekly) | Airlines |
| 1 | Jakarta-Soekarno Hatta, Indonesia | 18 | QZ, 8B |
| 2 | Bangkok-Don Mueang, Thailand | 18 | FD, OD |
| 3 | Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam | 7 | AK |
| 4 | Guangzhou, China | 7 | AK |
| 5 | Surabaya, Indonesia | 4 | QZ |
| 6 | Kunming, China | 2 | OD |
| 7 | Medina, Saudi Arabian | 1 | MH |

## Ground transportation

Senai International Airport is connected to PLUS Highway, Senai–Desaru Expressway and Second Link Expressway, which are directly linked to Port of Tanjung Pelepas, the 15th busiest port in the world. The nearest train station is the Kulai railway station, connecting to the rest of Malaysia. Taxis are available outside the airport. Additionally, public and private buses are available to the Johor Bahru city centre with the option to transit to Singapore.
Causeway Link also provides the commuters a shuttle bus route to JB Sentral.
| Bus no. | Destinations |
| AA1 | JB Sentral |

## Senai Business Aviation Terminal (SBAT)

SATSSB also operates SBAT, a private aviation terminal located just beside the airport's main terminal building and sharing the same infrastructure. True to its name, SBAT features business facilities including meeting and conference rooms, and dining and private rest facilities.

## Senai Airport Free Industrial Zone (SAFIZ)

SAFIZ forms part of Senai International Airport's total land area and operates as a free industrial zone with factories and distribution hubs for many multinational corporations, including Mercedes-Benz, Pokka, Dyson, Celestica and BMW.