Kigali Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 13 reviews
5/10
No Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"a backwards airport"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | I arrived a good 4hrs early, only to be told that I could not enter the airport (literally). So, I later found out whilst stood outside with the other few hundred misrable people that, this is not operated like any other airport, you literally can not enter (heavy security and rude) until they call you. This can be hours sat outside. Honestly, baffling - for such a forward thinking country - a backwards airport.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitFebruary 2020
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"outrageously expensive prices"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I had an 8 hour layover here. The airport is tiny and has only one restaurant. Bourbon Coffee has terrible food and service with outrageously expensive prices! Half the items on the menu were unavailable. It took almost an hour to complete most orders. We were there observing for about 5 hours as there is nowhere else to go on a long layover there. We paid over $20 for tasteless mini pizza and the worst chicken and rice I have ever eaten. The chicken was dry yet undercooked, the sauce was disgustingly tasteless. There are only 2 shops, a duty free shop with chocolates and liquor, and an artisan shop with very overpriced Rwandan handicrafts that I am not even sure are made in Rwanda. Very similar to items I purchased in Kenya for 10x less. Boarding and takeoff were late. One positive side was the bathrooms were clean and spacious.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitJanuary 2020
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
9/10

"All staff greet you"

(Luxembourg)

Trip Verified | A bit of a confusing lineup for immigration, took a while, 6 lanes open for ~ 80 people - but officers quite friendly - bags already there. ATM and shop for local SIM card just outside. For departure, take some extra time, bags and cars are inspected deeply when arriving in the area. Very small airport, so basically you cannot go wrong anywhere. All staff greet you with a "how are you" - seems they had some training. Check in queues also confusing, takes quite some time to get checked in. Security area check very deeply, shoes out - took my lighters - ok, they are officially forbidden anywhere, but no one really took them - then he showed me even that he dropped them in a box, they really take it seriously with bribery/corruption. Duty-free and cafeteria pretty simple, but it's a small place in the middle of Africa. Then you walk to the airplane, but with the mild weather not a problem. Wifi shall not be an issue any more, as you get local SIM cards for almost nothing (5GB for 5€)
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitSeptember 2019
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
8/10

"experience has been satisfactory"

(Belgium)

Trip Verified | Overall our experience (my wife and myself) in transit (twice) in KGL has been satisfactory (certainly compared with airports in the region) with regard to seating (not very comfortable, but OK), cleanliness (including toilets), signage and announcements, attitude of official personnel, security and boarding procedures. "Free WIFI" did not work. However, we have been ripped off when purchasing goods from the VIVA GLOBAL DUTY FREE SHOP: billed much higher prices than advertised, no receipt received for some goods which we also paid far too much (in USD). We did not have our luggage on arrival at destination (travel with Rwandair to BRU); our suitcases arrived early next day via another company, but we had to collect them from the airport since Rwandair "does not have a policy of sending delayed luggage to the home".
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitJune 2019
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
2/10

"None of the staff are friendly"

(United States)

Not Verified | There are two entries into Kigali Airport - a newer entrance with an automated security screening and an older entrance with screenings done by K9s. Both are slow so expect 30-60 min wait time. You are not allowed into the building terminal unless you can show proof of an itinerary. None of the staff are friendly or helpful, they expect you to know where you are going and are brusque, even rude, in conversation. The other traveler who spoke about the unprofessionalism of the terminal security staff is one I experienced as well. There were 6 security agents, yet one male made the sole female do all of the checking for both of my bags, not even deigning to speak to her, just pointing at things he wanted searched—and even though he knew my flight was at final call. (After the initial boarding announcement, I went to the bathroom and 5 min later it was final call, another issue I have with the airport). He refused to let me inform the ground staff that I was there, when they were just through the checkpoint only 10 meters, not even allowing me to call out to them and making me almost miss my flight with the 20 min search. He pulled out my Emergen-C and Advil packets and accused me of being sick (when I told him I am preventing myself from getting sick!) and told me that my small packets of energy gels and anti malaria pills were not allowed. I was so frustrated with their lack of professionalism and empathy, Kigali Airport needs to train their staff to be gender equal and educated on what exactly what is banned and what is not. I was able to take all my belongings at the end, as a superior staff came and told the man that I was able to take everything he told me I couldn’t. If I could avoid this airport, I would, if not—give yourself an extra 30 min for the in terminal security.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitNovember 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
3/10

"hot and crowded hall with seats"

(Kenya)

Not Verified | This airport is the worst thing about flying Rwandair as it is pretty much just a hot and crowded hall with seats. Pathetic dining options, absolutely nothing to do during a layover, lack of toilets past security screening. The staff could also be more polite and informative.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitAugust 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"Inefficient and poorly trained"

(Australia)

Verified Review | At second security check my carry on bag was selected for thorough checking which was fine. But after checking first pocket of three he pulled out 5 alkaline batteries (which were spares for my torches for upcoming safaris) and said they must be confiscated as not allowed in carry on baggage. I told him that was opposite rule to what applies around the world. He would not listen. He then pointed to a sign with a cross through batteries however sign clearly referred to checked baggage. I do not think he could read or understand the English. His training was appalling and I lost my batteries. This is very disappointing as my opinion of Rwanda which had been very high died then and there. Needless to say after finding the 5 batteries he stopped search. His work was done! And he missed another 3 spare batteries in another pocket. Inefficient and poorly trained.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitSeptember 2017
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
4/10

"airport is newly refurbished and very clean"

(Kenya)

This airport is newly refurbished and very clean. Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing to do here so it's best not to arrive early. My biggest problem with KGL is that the processes are extremely slow, staff seem to lack motivation and sufficient training in customer service. It also took over one hour to clear immigration and collect my luggage yet there was only one flight arriving at the time.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitDecember 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
7/10

"clean, airy, and un-crowded terminal"

(United States)

Small airport on a hilltop, you walk into the terminal and descend down while arriving and you take the escalators up when departing. We walked to and fro from the aircraft, affording a glimpse of the hilly city of Kigali. Visa on arrival meant filling out a short form at a manned counter who gives you a receipt which you present to an official at the adjacent counter who stamps the receipt, gives you a copy, and waves you out into the country. The luggage took a few minutes longer to arrive though. There is a Bank of Kigali counter as you exit the building to exchange your currency. Taxis outside - they take both local Rwanda Francs and US dollars - and the drivers speak English. Very pleasant experience stepping out of the terminal with lots of open spaces and no crowds. Clean, airy, and un-crowded terminal, with friendly airport and airline staff. At departure terminal, there are shops selling handicrafts in addition to the standard stocks of a duty free shop - liquor and chocolates. Multi-levels of security at departure -- had to remove shoes, belts, and the like twice. Procedures were generally quite slow and there was a tendency for people to be brought in front of the line by airport staff, further enhancing the waits.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitAugust 2016
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
6/10

Kigali Airport customer review

(South Africa)

One of the better airports in Africa I made use of the pay lounge (at USD25) where they served snacks and drinks. I had a medical situation was referred to the medical station and received good medical attention.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
1 to 10 of 13 Reviews