Ulaanbaatar's Airport Wins Design Award as World Bank Backs Murun Upgrade Study
Ulaanbaatar's airport has won an international design award, and two regional airports could be next in line for an upgrade. Chinggis Khaan International Airport, Mongolia's main international gateway, won Best Terminal Masterplanning & Adaptive Design for airports under five million passengers at the STE Awards 2026 in Hong Kong, the airport announced on 5 November 2026. The same day, Montsame reported that the World Bank will fund a study on upgrading Murun Airport, the gateway to Khuvsgul Lake.
Key facts
What: Chinggis Khaan International Airport wins STE Awards 2026: Best Terminal Masterplanning & Adaptive Design (under 5 million passengers)
Where and when: Super Terminal Expo 2026, AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong, 3–5 November 2026 (announced 5 Nov)
Murun Airport: World Bank to fund a study on upgrading it for Code 4C aircraft (A320/737 class)
Khovd and Murun: Proposed feasibility studies to make both international airports; no timeline
Roads: Ulaanbaatar–Lun (101.7 km) to six lanes; Ulaanbaatar–Mandalgobi (270 km) to four lanes, USD 2.2 million for studies
Who it affects: Travellers to Khuvsgul Lake, western Mongolia, Kharkhorin and the Gobi; nothing changes for 2026–27 bookings
Source: Chinggis Khaan International Airport, Montsame (Ministry of Road and Transport); read 6 Nov 2026
What award did Ulaanbaatar airport win in 2026?
Chinggis Khaan International Airport won the STE Awards 2026 prize for Best Terminal Masterplanning & Adaptive Design in the under-five-million-passengers category. The airport's announcement of 5 November 2026 says the award was presented at Super Terminal Expo 2026, held from 3 to 5 November at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong and organised by Informa Markets.
The award recognised the terminal's master planning, long-term flexibility, a design suited to local conditions, and layouts that work for both passengers and cargo.
According to Montsame, the other winners in the same award were Guwahati International Airport in India (5 to 20 million passengers) and Kansai International Airport Terminal 1 in Japan (over 20 million).
Who runs Chinggis Khaan International Airport?
The airport is operated by New Ulaanbaatar International Airport LLC (NUBIA), a Mongolian-Japanese joint venture set up in 2019. That Japanese link is growing. On 7 September 2026, NUBIA signed a memorandum with Hokkaido Airports, which runs seven airports including New Chitose, Hakodate and Asahikawa.
It covers staff training and joint marketing for possible Hokkaido–Mongolia routes. No route or start date has been announced.
What is planned for Murun and Khovd airports?
The World Bank will fund a study on upgrading Murun Airport to handle Code 4C aircraft. Montsame reported on 5 November 2026, citing the Ministry of Road and Transport, that Mongolia had proposed grant-funded feasibility studies to turn both Khovd and Murun into international airports, describing them as strategically important for regional development.
In plain terms, Code 4C covers airliners with a wingspan of 24 to under 36 metres that need a runway field length of 1,800 metres or more. The aviation safety reference SKYbrary lists the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-700 as typical code C aircraft.
This is a study, not a construction start: no timeline, cost or international routes have been announced.
Why do Murun and Khovd matter to travellers?
They are the two airports that shorten the longest drives in Mongolia. On our Khuvsgul Lake trips, guests who fly usually land at Murun, the centre of Khuvsgul province. Khovd serves the lakes and mountains of the far west, and our Altai Tavan Bogd route starts there.
For now, both are reached on domestic flights from Ulaanbaatar or by road.
Which roads are being upgraded?
Two of the busiest routes for tourists are on the ministry's list. According to the same Montsame report, the Ulaanbaatar–Lun road (101.7 km), the start of the route west towards Kharkhorin, is planned for expansion to six lanes.
The 270 km Ulaanbaatar–Mandalgobi road, the main road south towards the Gobi, is to become a four-lane highway. USD 2.2 million in grant funding has been secured for studies, and a consultant is being chosen for the feasibility study and preliminary design. A separate World Bank project will upgrade 368 km of paved roads and 876 metres of bridges at seven locations. No completion dates were given.
What this means for your trip
Nothing changes for 2026–27 bookings yet. The award, the Murun study and the road plans do not affect current flights or routes. Plan winter and summer 2027 trips on today's network.
Getting into the city. The airport lists 24-hour public bus services to Ulaanbaatar, with tickets sold at a kiosk on the west side of the terminal's first floor; route ШҮ:4 also runs at night to Sukhbaatar Square. On a short stopover, our Ulaanbaatar City Tour (1 day) fits in a single day.
Going to Khuvsgul or the west? Our Pearl of Mongolia (10 days) covers Khuvsgul Lake, and the Altai Tavan Bogd 10-Day Experience starts from Khovd. We choose flight or road case by case.
Booked a domestic charter? The airport said on 3 November 2026 that it would restrict some paid services for Aero Mongolia's domestic and international charter flights from 4 November, over unpaid obligations. The notice does not mention scheduled flights; check with whoever sold you the seat.
Planning from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Japan? Mongolia's Consular Department lists 30 days visa-free for Singapore, Malaysia and Japan and 14 days for Hong Kong SAR (read 6 November 2026). See our winter flights to Ulaanbaatar roundup and the Japan to Mongolia travel guide.
How Enza Tours can help
We meet guests at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and book the domestic legs to Murun and Khovd, or plan the drive when the road makes more sense. When the Murun study or the road projects move to a real timetable, we will report it here. For winter ideas, see our winter tourism guide for 2026–27.
Frequently asked questions
What award did Ulaanbaatar's Chinggis Khaan International Airport win in 2026?
It won Best Terminal Masterplanning & Adaptive Design for airports under five million passengers at the STE Awards 2026, presented at Super Terminal Expo in Hong Kong (3–5 November 2026), the airport announced on 5 November 2026.
Will Murun Airport get international flights?
Not yet. On 5 November 2026 Montsame reported that the World Bank will fund a study on upgrading Murun Airport, the gateway to Khuvsgul Lake, for Code 4C aircraft. No international routes or dates have been announced.
How do I get from Chinggis Khaan International Airport to Ulaanbaatar?
The airport lists 24-hour public bus services to the city, with tickets from a kiosk on the west side of the terminal's first floor, and a night service on route ШҮ:4 to Sukhbaatar Square. The airport website also lists a VIP taxi service.
Is there a direct flight from Hokkaido to Ulaanbaatar?
Not announced. Chinggis Khaan International Airport and Hokkaido Airports signed a memorandum on 7 September 2026 to work towards new Hokkaido–Mongolia routes, but no flights or dates have been published (as of 6 November 2026).
Tours that fit this story
Hand-picked from our current programmes. See all of them on our Mongolia travel services page.
Ulaanbaatar City Tour (1 day): For short stopovers: Gandan Monastery, the central square and Zaisan Hill.
Pearl of Mongolia (10 days): Amarbayasgalant, Khuvsgul Lake and Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake.
Altai Tavan Bogd 10-Day Experience: Khovd, the western lakes, Altai Tavan Bogd National Park and Uvs Lake.
Sources
About this article
Written by the Enza Tours News Desk in Ulaanbaatar and checked by our team before publishing. Every date, number and rule in this post comes from the sources listed above, which we read on 6 November 2026. Last updated: 6 November 2026.
About Enza Tours LLC. We are a Mongolian inbound tour operator, founded in 2018 by Enkhzaya (Enza), and a member of the Mongolia Tourism Organization (MTO) and the Mongolian Tourism Association (MTA). Office: Room 39, Building 33, 4th Khoroo, Baga Toiruu Street, Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar 15141, Mongolia. Phone +976 8911 2100 · info@mongoliantour.guide · Meet our team · Contact us
