Translate
Mandalay International Airport
Mandalay, Myanmar
Mandalay International Airport
Gateway to Myanmar's ancient royal capital.
- ›Located approximately 35 km south of Mandalay city center near Tada-U township.
- ›Opened in 2000 as a purpose-built international airport.
- ›Serves as a gateway for tourists visiting the archaeological sites of Bagan nearby.
- ›International traffic declined sharply following Myanmar's 2021 military coup.
- ›The airport has a runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft.
Mandalay International Airport (IATA: MDL, ICAO: VYMM) is the second busiest airport in Myanmar, serving the country's second-largest city and its surrounding region of temples, palaces, and ancient kingdoms. Opened in 2000 and located approximately 35 kilometres south of Mandalay city centre near Tada-U, it was built to replace the older Mandalay Chanmyathazi Airport and handle growing regional traffic. The airport plays a vital role connecting Mandalay to domestic destinations across Myanmar as well as select international routes throughout Southeast Asia and China.
- Domestic Terminal — Handles all domestic flights connecting Mandalay to Yangon, Nyaung U, Heho, and other Myanmar cities.
- International Terminal — Processes international arrivals and departures serving routes to Bangkok, Singapore, Kunming, and other regional hubs.
- Taxi services available at the arrivals area, with fixed-rate zones into Mandalay city
- Private car hire and pre-booked transfers through hotels and guesthouses
- Shared minivan services operating between the airport and central Mandalay
- Motorcycle taxi (motorbike) for budget travellers heading to nearby towns
- Car rental desks available at the airport for self-drive options
- Hotel Mandalay (Tada-U area)
- Mandalay Hill Resort Hotel
- Sedona Hotel Mandalay
- Rupar Mandalar Resort
- Hotel by the Red Canal
Inside the airport, dining options are limited to a small number of cafés and snack counters offering light meals, local noodle dishes, and beverages in both terminals. The surrounding Tada-U township has roadside eateries serving Burmese staples such as mohinga and shan noodles at very affordable prices. For a wider variety of cuisine, travellers are better served waiting until they reach central Mandalay, which has a vibrant food scene around the night markets and 26th to 83rd Street corridors.
- Allow extra time for the 35–45 km drive to central Mandalay, as road conditions and traffic can significantly extend travel time.
- Negotiate taxi fares before boarding, or ask your hotel to arrange a fixed-price airport transfer in advance.
- Currency exchange counters are available at the airport, but rates may be less favourable than in the city; carry some kyat for the ride.
- Dress modestly when visiting nearby temples and pagodas in Mandalay — shoulders and knees should be covered at sacred sites.
AI-assisted overview, verified against public sources.
Route map (8 destinations)
Airlines serving this airport
Routes
Pick what matters for your layover or early flight, then compare on your favorite booking site.
IndianAirports may receive compensation when you book or purchase through some of the links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Prices and availability are set by the booking provider and may change. We never share your private trip details with partners — only the destination, dates and party size you searched.
City & Place Guide
No guide exists for this place yet — Click to generate a Traveler Pulse guide.
Passport, Visa & Immigration
Flying internationally via MDL? Check entry, transit and customs requirements for Myanmar from official government sources.
Mandalay International Airport, located 35 km south of Mandalay in Tada-U, is one of three international airports in Myanmar. Completed in 1999, it replaced the old Mandalay Chanmyathazi Airport as the city's main airport and it was the largest and most modern airport in the country until the modernization of Yangon International Airport in 2008. The airport connects 11 domestic and seven international destinations. Its 4,267 m (14,000 ft) runway is the longest runway in use in Southeast Asia and has the capacity to handle up to 15 million passengers a year.
Read full article on Wikipedia