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Total 1 airports of Beirut

BEY Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport / Beirut Air Base
Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport / Beirut Air Base (IATA: BEY, ICAO:OLBA) is located in the the city of Beirut, Lebanon. It is the primary international airport serving Beirut and its surrounding metropolitan area.

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IATA Code

BEY

ICAO Code

OLBA

Name

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport / Beirut Air Base

Type

Main Airport

Country / Region

Lebanon (LB)

City

Beirut

Latitude

33.8209000

Longitude

35.4883995

Time Zone

UTC+02:00

Phone Number

Est. Unit Price

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Airport Overview

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport / Beirut Air Base（BEY; ICAO: OLBA）is located in the southern suburbs of Beirut, approximately 9 km from the city centre. It is Lebanon’s principal international gateway and the country’s only operational commercial airport according to the supplied airport baseline. For international freight forwarders, the airport functions primarily as a Beirut gateway for inbound and outbound general cargo, express shipments, temperature-sensitive consignments and regional supply chains. Its proximity to the capital supports city delivery, customs coordination and access to Lebanon’s main commercial market, while carrier capacity, handling acceptance, security procedures and the regional operating environment must be reconfirmed for every shipment. Our service team uses the airport’s exact routing, commodity and document requirements to build an executable booking plan rather than relying on nominal airport schedules.

Airport name	Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport / Beirut Air Base
Location	Beirut, Lebanon
Codes	IATA: BEY · ICAO: OLBA
Coordinates	33.8209000, 35.4883995
Time zone	UTC+02:00
Airport type	International commercial airport with civil aviation and air-base designation in the supplied name

Key Highlights

Capital-city gatewayDirect access to Beirut’s commercial, distribution and diplomatic demand centres reduces the inland leg for local cargo.

International connection pointShipments commonly depend on regional or intercontinental connections; the actual carrier, hub and uplift must be checked at booking.

Capacity-sensitive planningFreighter availability, passenger-aircraft belly capacity, embargoes and seasonal disruption can materially affect acceptance.

Document-led clearanceAccurate consignee, commodity, value, origin and permit information is essential before cargo is tendered.

Special cargo requires pre-clearanceDangerous goods, pharmaceuticals, perishables, valuables and live animals should not be presented without written handling confirmation.

Cargo Facilities & Services

Our service team coordinates with the appointed airline, ground handling agent, customs broker and consignee because facility access, acceptance windows and commodity capabilities can change by operator and shipment type.

Export and import handling: General cargo is normally processed through airline or handling-agent cargo facilities, subject to booking confirmation, security screening, piece and weight limits.
Temperature-sensitive cargo: Pharmaceutical and perishable shipments require advance confirmation of cool-room availability, handover timing, packaging requirements and permissible storage duration. A continuous cold-chain service should not be assumed.
Dangerous goods: Acceptance depends on the airline’s DG approval, shipper’s declaration, packaging, labels, quantity limits and current route restrictions. Our team obtains pre-approval before delivery.
Customs-controlled processing: Import, export and transit cargo may require customs examination or release through the appointed broker. Bonded or duty-suspension treatment is subject to Lebanese customs and shipment-specific eligibility.
Special handling: Oversized pieces, valuables, live animals, human remains, batteries and diplomatic or high-security cargo require separate handling instructions and written acceptance.

Routes & Transit Times

Typical network pattern: Beirut cargo may move on direct scheduled services when available or through an airline hub in the Middle East, Europe or another regional gateway. The selected connection depends on commodity, capacity and destination.
Airline selection: Our team checks current operating status, allotment, interline compatibility, transfer restrictions and special-cargo acceptance instead of treating a published city pair as guaranteed capacity.
Transit planning: Actual transit time is affected by connection availability, terminal cut-off, security screening, customs release, weekend and holiday schedules, weather, operational disruption and rebooking risk.
Delivery commitment: We quote an indicative routing only after confirming the flight plan and handling conditions; final uplift and delivery timing remain subject to airline and airport acceptance.

For urgent cargo, provide the ready time, destination airport, commodity, gross weight, dimensions, pieces and any DG or temperature requirement. This allows our service team to compare direct uplift with hub alternatives before booking.

Hinterland & Key Cargo

Primary hinterland: Beirut and the surrounding Greater Beirut commercial area form the main origin and destination market, with onward domestic distribution arranged by road after customs release.
Commercial shipments: General merchandise, spare parts, electronics, machinery components, apparel, samples and time-critical documents are suitable for air freight subject to airline acceptance.
Healthcare and perishables: Medicines, laboratory materials, fresh food and other temperature-sensitive products require packaging validation, shipment monitoring and an agreed handover sequence.
Humanitarian and project cargo: Relief supplies, replacement equipment and project materials may require consignee verification, import permits, special packing or priority handling.
Last-mile constraints: Delivery planning should account for consignee receiving hours, customs release timing, road access, security instructions and the availability of suitable vehicles.

Operations & Compliance

Cut-off control: Airline booking cut-offs and physical cargo acceptance times vary by flight, handling agent and commodity. Our team confirms the exact tender deadline in writing; late delivery may cause roll-over.
Documents: Prepare a commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill data, exporter and consignee details, HS classification and any required origin, import, health or strategic-goods documents. Values and descriptions must be consistent across documents.
Dangerous goods and batteries: Lithium batteries, chemicals, aerosols, dry ice and other regulated articles must be classified under current IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and accepted by the operating carrier before tender.
Inspection and release: Customs or security examination can extend dwell time. The consignee or licensed broker should be ready to respond to valuation, classification, permit and product-description queries.

Shipping Tips

Send booking instructions at least one working cycle before cargo readiness when the shipment is sensitive to capacity, connection time or delivery date.
Provide final gross weight, dimensions, number of pieces, stackability, commodity description and photographs of unusual packing before the quotation is locked.
For pharmaceuticals and perishables, use qualified packaging, temperature indicators or data loggers where appropriate, and agree the airport handover and contingency process in advance.
Keep a routing alternative through another regional gateway available for urgent cargo. Any alternative must be checked for transit permissions, customs requirements, carrier acceptance and final delivery feasibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can our shipment be booked directly to Beirut?

Sometimes. Direct uplift depends on the destination pair, operating carrier, available capacity and commodity restrictions. Our service team checks the live schedule and compares it with hub routing before confirming the booking.

How early should cargo be delivered to the airport?

The exact cut-off is flight- and handler-specific. We provide the confirmed tender deadline after booking and recommend an earlier delivery buffer for DG, temperature-sensitive, oversized or document-sensitive cargo.

Can the airport handle lithium batteries or dangerous goods?

Acceptance may be possible, but it is never automatic. Classification, packing instruction, labels, shipper’s declaration, battery test documentation where applicable and carrier pre-approval must be completed before delivery.

What documents are normally needed for import cargo?

Common requirements include the air waybill, commercial invoice, packing list, accurate product description, HS information and consignee details. Licences, certificates or permits may apply depending on the goods and the Lebanese import regime.

Is a fixed transit time available for Beirut air freight?

No fixed time should be assumed. Connection capacity, customs, security checks, operating changes and local delivery conditions can alter the result. We provide an indicative plan and update it when the airline confirms uplift.

Data Sources & Provenance

Primary baseline: airport name, codes, city, country, coordinates, address and time zone are taken from the airport data supplied for this page.

Official airport reference: beirutairport.gov.lb

International aviation reference: iata.org

International standards reference: icao.int

Schedules, cargo acceptance, handling arrangements, customs procedures, security measures and service availability are operationally changeable. Our service team verifies these items with the airline, handling agent, broker and consignee before shipment execution.