Bandar Seri Begawan Airport

✅ Verified Review | In 2014 I wrote a review which reflected very badly on Bandar Seri Begawan Airport. However in December 2016 I transited in this airport for the first time since because Royal Brunei Airlines were by far the cheapest for flying from Surabaya to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. This time I was pleasantly surprised. The renovations are now finished and although dining and shopping options are still not great, they have improved considerably since 2014. Now you have shops in which you can buy snacks and other ones that sell cosmetics and souvenirs. However this airport lacks a bar or a proper duty free shop that sells wine, liquour and cigarettes. I do realise Brunei is a Sharia Law country but airports should be treated as international zones like many in the Middle East are. If they made these improvements, then Brunei Airport would be even more competitive in the international air travel market. Away from shopping and dining, one plus to transiting in Brunei is its small size, which makes short transfer times feasible. Also one negative is that only one security check point was open. I was lucky because I was almost at the front of the queue but I could see a large queue forming behind me. Overall this airport has improved and provided a satisfactory transit experience for myself. Hence I would recommend it especially if someone is desperate to save money on their plane ticket However it still has a long way to go if it is to compete with other hubs like Singapore Changi, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and even Jakarta Soekarno Hatta.

My whole journey was fine to London but I had to wait in Bandar Seri Begawan airport for around 2-3 hours in transit. It was really boring. I wanted to get a Power Plug because I forgot to buy it in Melbourne but they had nothing. For a small airport it is alright but for me I would personally not travel through this airport again. All the food stores were closed and only had a coffee shop and a buger king. It was a very small terminal which meant that it was very easy to find the gate.

I travel extensively and without doubt Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan) is the most depressing airport I have encountered. A miserable selection of food and drink, no choice but to drink second rate coffee and dry, souless food in the only cafe upstairs. It's like going back to the 1980's ! If you are hoping to use the Internet to break the tedium, forget that too, slow or non-existent WiFi. It's best, if you have time, to go out and have a look around the slightly less depressing city. You can't even buy a beer in the airport, which I find particularly insulting. These days I try to avoid this airport at all costs.

Bandar Seri Begawan airport is dull and bland, the only decent vocab I could use for such so-called "international" airport. It felt like a scene from the walking dead because not one footstep can be heard. No staff, no security and no facilities. Boring place, the only place that can cheer me up is Burger King, other than that, there is an overpriced coffee shop and also a useless airport shop. Signs were everywhere, and as mentioned, no staff to ask around. Pathetic but very clean tho. WiFi also very slow.

Bandar seri Begawan (Brunei) is a small airport and therefore has limited shops and places to eat. However it is clean and comfortable. Being small there are not the crowds that you get in airports like Dubai. I for one like this quieter ambiance.

Much better than the last time I visited. Three times as big and four more bathroom stalls. Although the bathrooms are now new there are still huge lines for them and they are still constantly covered in water. Only one food option and of course there is a long line. Limited internet access I couldn't connect at all. No real shopping options or TV's extra. Take everything you need with you and consider taking a proper stopover if you transit time is a long one. The city is lovely and worth a visit.

Freezing cold a/c running too cold. Currently wearing 5 layers and an airline blanket but got frozen nose. Need some better food options (to warm me up!) oh and all the withheld weapons from security were available on a help yourself basis at (unstaffed) security before you board your flight.

Nothing more than a shed in Jan 2015 still undergoing renovations. No duty free to speak of (a small perfume counter and some t-shirts and destination trinkets) - definitely no cigarettes but then no smoking room either!! Coffee shop is tiny and despite other information here on this website there was no "free wireless" at the coffee shop and thus there is no Internet connection at the airport at all. Do all you can to minimise your transit here better still don't stop here.

While this airport is being renovated I wouldn't recommend spending too much time here. The check in area is lovely and spacious but then you travel to an older section to go through immigration and get to the gates. The bathrooms were awful I even contemplated just waiting until we got onto the plane. There is only one cafe which isn't great - expensive and ordinary food cash only. Once the renovations are finished I think this will be a nice airport but for the moment spend as little time here as possible.

Disgraceful. That's the best way to describe this airport. Only thing going for it is transit times are short. Everything else is appalling. Renovations are along way from completion but apart from a sorry excuse for a coffee house and little "shop" that doesn't even sell obvious things like confectionery there are literally no facilities here. The cafe doesn't even sell coke or sprite. Overall a sorry excuse for an airport and a complete embarrassment to Brunei. The Sultan needs to get his act together and order the airport authorities to get their act together. Only transit here if you have serious financial troubles and can save a fortune by flying Royal Brunei otherwise avoid at all costs.