🇮🇩 Douw Aturure Airport

Douw Aturure Airport (IATA: NBX, ICAO: WABI) is a public domestic airport located in Wanggar District, Nabire Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia, approximately 12 km (7.5 miles) from the city center. It replaced the old Nabire Airport, which was situated closer to the city center and had a runway that could not be extended due to geographical conditions. The airport is named after Isaias Douw, a former regent of Nabire Regency.

Construction of the new airport took two years, from 2020 to 2022, at a cost of approximately Rp 671.54 billion from the state budget. It began operations in 2023 and was officially inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on November 23, 2023. Full operations commenced on February 22, 2024, at which point the old Nabire Airport officially closed.

Initially, the airport featured a single runway measuring 1,600 meters, a 23 m × 165 m taxiway, and a 367.5 m × 100 m apron, capable of accommodating ATR 72-type aircraft. Its 6,320 m² terminal was designed to serve 289,700 passengers annually, incorporating a local wisdom concept inspired by Papua's tropical rainforests.

As of April 2026, the airport's runway has been extended from 1,600 meters to 2,500 meters, allowing it to accommodate Boeing aircraft. However, some airport facilities, including the terminal, still meet ATR standards and require further development such as runway widening, apron expansion, terminal development, and upgraded supporting facilities like fire trucks to meet Boeing standards. The development aims to support increased demand for air transportation as Nabire grows into a provincial capital.

Douw Aturure Airport serves as the main gateway to Nabire and the surrounding regions, including Teluk Cenderawasih National Park. It offers flights to major cities like Makassar, Jayapura, and Timika, as well as pioneer routes to rural areas in the interior. Smart Aviation operates pioneer flights to destinations such as Nabire-Enarotali, Nabire-Illu, and Nabire-Mulia, while Wings Air serves routes like Nabire-Rendani, Nabire-Timika, and Nabire-Sentani. The airport is operated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and is an operating base for Smart Aviation.

*Sources researched: en.wikipedia.org, idxchannel.com, en.antaranews.com, menpan.go.id, centreforaviation.com*