Tshimpi Airport (MAT)

Tshimpi Airport is the main air gateway serving Matadi, the principal port city of Kongo Central province in south-western Democratic Republic of the Congo. The small regional airport supports domestic flights connecting the city with the national capital, Kinshasa, and serves business and government travel linked to the port and the surrounding Congo River region.

The airport was constructed between 1952 and 1954 and inaugurated in 1955. It has a single runway measuring about 1,570 metres in length and a compact passenger terminal, and it handles a small number of scheduled domestic flights each week, typically operated with Embraer 120 aircraft.

Located to the north of Matadi across the Congo River, roughly 10 kilometres from the city centre, the airport is reached by road; the access road has long been a focus of improvement plans. Passengers generally continue into Matadi by taxi or pre-arranged vehicle.

Facilities at the airport are modest, with a basic waiting area and limited refreshment options, so most services including hotels, restaurants and banking are found in Matadi. The airport nonetheless serves as an important regional connection point for the port city and nearby destinations such as the Inga Falls area and the historic town of Boma.