Airports
1.6
Najaf International
Najaf · NJF · 1.6 out of 5
Abroad
Checked 3 November 2026Secondary sources only
What we could not confirm
- Exact visa rule and any fee for Iranians after Iraq's March 2025 visa changes
- Taxi fares and travel time to the shrine
- Which Iranian carriers currently hold slots
Scores
- Getting there
- Iranians enter Iraq visa-free for pilgrimage stays of up to 30 days, per airline and tour sources. The airport is about 10 km from the shrine; there is no public transport, so pilgrims use tour buses or negotiated taxis paid in dinar or dollars.
- Terminal and queues
- A small terminal that Iran's CAO says cannot handle large aircraft well. Arbaeen and Ashura peaks overwhelm it; in the 2026 Ashura season it handled 30,000 passengers in a month.
- Connections and transit
- No onward connections for Iranians. Flights to and from Iran were suspended on 25 September 2026 over US sanctions and resumed on 4 October under a cap of 40 flights a day, pilgrims only, Mahan excluded.
- Food, rest, SIM, prayer room
- Prayer space, basic food and tea; Iraqi SIM (Asiacell, Zain) sold at the exit. Rial is not accepted; carry dollars or dinar.
- Delays and cancellations
- Charter-heavy and politically exposed: whole weeks of flights have been cancelled at short notice in 2026.
What is good
- Visa-free for Iranian pilgrims
- Close to the shrine
What is not
- Flights can stop overnight for political reasons
- Tiny terminal, no public transport
Tips
- Buy a refundable ticket or book through a tour that holds a bus alternative via Shalamcheh or Mehran
- Agree the taxi fare in dollars before getting in