Once a gateway to Libya, Tripoli International Airport has spent years as a battlefield.

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Tripoli International Airport, once a bustling hub for Libyan aviation, has been shuttered and severely damaged by recurring civil conflict since 2011. After serving as a strategic military staging ground and suffering near-total destruction, the site is now undergoing a long, complex reconstruction to reclaim its role as a capital gateway.

Originally established as the Italian military airfield Tripoli-Castel Benito in 1934, the site evolved into a civilian international airport by 1938. Following the creation of the Libyan state in 1951, it was renamed Idris el Awal, eventually becoming simply Tripoli International Airport after the 1969 revolution. For decades, it served as the primary hub for national carriers, featuring a five-story terminal capable of handling three million passengers annually. However, the airport's history is also marked by significant aviation tragedies, including the 1992 collision of Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103 and the 2010 crash of Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771.

The airport’s modern decline began with the 2011 civil war, leading to intermittent closures and a shift of commercial traffic to Mitiga International Airport. The situation worsened during the 2014 Battle of Tripoli Airport, where fighting destroyed an estimated 90% of facilities and numerous aircraft. By 2019, the site had become a strategic flashpoint in the conflict between the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army. It was not until June 2020 that the airport was retaken, allowing for a formal recommitment to its rehabilitation.

Reconstruction efforts have been fraught with delays, funding disputes, and shifting contractors. An initial contract with the Italian Aeneas consortium, valued at €78 million, was revoked in 2024 due to delivery failures and payment irregularities. Subsequently, the Airports Authority engaged the OZMEN Group to complete the passenger terminal projects. As of late 2026, the facility is undergoing final readiness testing, including the inauguration of a new Air Traffic Management Centre, with a scheduled reopening expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.

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