Modibo Keita International Airport

BKO GABS  Bamako, ML

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BKO at a glance

  • What it is: Modibo Keita International Airport is a regional airport serving Bamako, ML.
  • Codes: BKO on your ticket, GABS on the radar.
  • Size: 1 runway at 1,247 ft above sea level.
  • Local time zone: Africa/Bamako (UTC+0), so every time shown for BKO is local rather than UTC.
1
Runways
1247 ft
Field elevation

About Modibo Keita International Airport

Modibo Keita International Airport lies in the tropics at 12.53° N, 7.95° W, on Africa/Bamako time (UTC+0). Tropical airports contend with heat and humidity, both of which thin the air and lengthen takeoff runs, and with convective storms that build fast in the afternoon.

Modibo Keita International Airport has 1 runway. The longest, 06/24, measures 10,498 ft by 148 ft, which puts the field in the long-haul capable category: widebodies operate comfortably, though the very longest sectors may need a payload trade. The surface is asphalt. It is lit for night operations.

Runway 06/24 is aligned roughly north-east/south-west, which is the clearest hint you get about the prevailing wind here: runways are built to face the wind that blows most often, because aircraft take off and land into it. Every runway here shares that north-east/south-west alignment, so a strong crosswind means a crosswind landing rather than a switch to another strip.

Runways at BKO

RunwayLengthWidthSurfaceLighting
06/24 10,498 ft (3,200 m) 148 ft Asphalt Lit

Runway numbers are the magnetic heading rounded to ten degrees, which is why they change when the magnetic field drifts - runway numbers explained.

Airports near BKO

Great-circle distance from Modibo Keita International Airport, closest first.

AirportCodeDistanceDirectionCity
Bobo Dioulasso BOY 422 km east Bobo Dioulasso
IATA / ICAO
BKO / GABS
Location
Bamako, ML 12.534, -7.950
Time zone
Africa/Bamako
Opened
Website

Nearby and related airports

Geographically close airports and useful alternatives in ML.

More airports and guides connected to BKO

How a field like this runs day to day is covered in how airports work. The codes BKO and GABS are explained in airport codes decoded.

Data sources and review

Reviewed 2026-07-29 by Flight-Tracker.net Editorial Team

This profile is generated from the airport's published coordinates, elevation and runway records. It does not claim live terminal or passenger totals.

Read our airport data sourcing and review process, or inspect the machine-readable reference dataset.

Frequently asked questions about BKO

What is the airport code for Modibo Keita International Airport?

Modibo Keita International Airport uses the IATA code BKO on tickets and baggage tags, and the ICAO code GABS in flight plans and on radar. The leading “G” in GABS is the region marker: ICAO codes are grouped geographically, which is why airports near each other usually share their first letter or two while their IATA codes look unrelated.

How many runways does BKO have?

Modibo Keita International Airport operates 1 runway. The field sits at 1,247 ft above sea level.

What time zone is BKO in?

Modibo Keita International Airport operates on Africa/Bamako local time. Scheduled departure and arrival times for this airport are always published in local time, not UTC.

Can I track flights at BKO live?

Yes. The map on this page shows every aircraft broadcasting its position within about 55 km of Modibo Keita International Airport. The boards split them into departures, arrivals and traffic passing overhead, all timed in Africa/Bamako.