Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport

Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport (AYPY) is Papua New Guinea's principal international gateway, located eight kilometres from the capital and serving as the country's largest aviation hub for both scheduled and charter operations across the Pacific region.

Jacksons operates as a single-runway facility at 146 feet elevation in a tropical lowland setting, accessible to the full spectrum of business jets from light singles through ultra-long-range heavies. The airport's role as PNG's primary international airport means it handles scheduled airline traffic alongside charter and private movements, with infrastructure oriented toward supporting both types. For operators planning inbound or outbound charter flights to or from Papua New Guinea, AYPY is the essential point of entry; the airport's position as the national hub provides reliable ground services, fuel availability, and handling for private aircraft, though remote field conditions and limited maintenance facilities beyond line service should inform operational planning.

Port Moresby itself is the political and economic center of Papua New Guinea, and AYPY's traffic reflects the country's resource extraction industries, government operations, and regional business connectivity. The airport serves as a natural alternate and staging point for operators working across the South Pacific, with strong connections to Australia and regional centers via scheduled carriers. Private aviation usage at AYPY tends toward executive charter supporting mining, energy, and government movements, as well as owner-flown international operations connecting to Australia and Southeast Asia.

Tropical weather patterns—including monsoon season variability and occasional cyclone risk—are relevant seasonal considerations for flight planning. The airport's coastal lowland location means standard sea-level performance planning applies, though seasonal wind and moisture conditions can affect scheduling during the local wet season.

Operators using AYPY should anticipate standard international procedures and a mixed-traffic environment typical of a national hub, with local ground handling and FBO services geared toward both commercial and charter operations.

Port Moresby International Airport, also known as Jacksons International Airport, is an international airport located 8 kilometres outside of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. It is the largest and busiest airport in Papua New Guinea, with an estimated 1.6 million passengers using the airport in 2025, and is the main hub for Air Niugini, the national airline of Papua New Guinea, as well as the main hub for PNG Air. It replaced the original Port Moresby airport, in what is now the suburb of Waigani, whose airstrip remained until the 1990s but no trace of which remains, having been built over.