Sleeping in Airports

Chișinău Airport Guide

Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Chișinău Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit.  Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.

The airport has been refurbished extensively, but they forgot to refurbish the staff.  -.SCOTT

From the Chișinău Airport Web Site:
“Messages concerning the potential abuse of official capacity, corruption acts and other offences witnessed by you while passing through customs or border control can be left on the HOTLINE NUMBER: (+373-22 ) 525-939, after the beep and by e-mail: hotline@airport.md”

KIV Airport Overview

To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Chișinău International Airport.

What to Expect

Chișinău Airport (code: KIV) has a small, renovated terminal primarily serving European destinations. Older traveller reviews describe a significant language barrier with airport staff and shakedowns for bribes from security staff.

Facilities include a few shops and eateries, which are open 24 hours. WiFi is free for five hours across a 3-day span. For added comfort while you wait. Economy class passengers can pay to enter two airport lounges. See Airport Lounges in the guide below for location and access information.

Chisinau Airport guide
(Photo courtesy of a Guest Reviewer / October 2019)

Sleeping in Chișinău Airport

A reader tells us there are many benches without armrests on the first floor above departures. For uninterrupted sleep, nearby hotels offer shuttle service for a fee. See the Airport Hotels section below for more info, or read some traveller airport reviews for more tips.

To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s website for current information. For more airport information, continue scrolling down to explore more in our Chișinău Airport Guide.

In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security.  For more information on Europe’s Schengen Area, click here.

Airport Hours

The airport is open 24 hours.

Rest & Relaxation Zones

There are no dedicated sleeping areas, quiet areas or rest zones. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.

Airport Hotels

If sleeping in the airport sounds like a nightmare, there are hotels near Chișinău Airport:

  • Prezident Hotel – Airport transfers are available upon request for a fee.  » Check Rates

For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Chișinău Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.

Airport Lounges

Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships

Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there is a lounge you can enter by paying at the door. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and learn how to gain access with just an economy class ticket!

  • Business Lounge – Currently closed for renovations – Location: Airside. Hours: open 24 Hours. Lounge Access: Pay at the door.
  • VIP Lounge – Location: VIP Terminal, Landside. Lounge Access: Pay at the door.

Related Pages: Chișinău Airport Lounges

Drinking Water

Information is unavailable. Does the airport have water fountains or water bottle refill stations? Click here to update this guide.

Luggage Storage & Lockers

Unavailable. If this is incorrect, click here to update this guide.

Food & Drinks

There are 24-hour food concessions available on the 1st and 2nd floors.

Mobile Charging

A reader tells us there are charging points for mobile devices.  (January 2020)

Showers

Unavailable. If this is incorrect, click here to update this guide.

WiFi/Internet

Free WiFi is available at Chișinău Airport for up to five hours within a three-day span.

More Airport Information

More Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover

ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Fees may apply, so check your bank’s fee schedule and daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Location: on the first floor.

Baby Care Facilities – A Mother and Child Room is available free of charge. Location: Two available, landside and airside.

Banking Services – Moldova Agroindbank provides full-service banking and currency exchange services. Locations: 1st floor. Hours: 24 hours.

Children’s Play Area – The play area is a great place for children ages 3 – 10 to have some fun before their flight. Two assistants provide supervision and organize interactive activities while parents shop at Duty-Free stores or relax in quiet places. Location: International Departures. 2nd Floor, Airside.

Duty-Free & Shopping – Location: 1st floor.

Electronic Library – By downloading the Bookmate app on your mobile device, you can access an e-library of over 800 thousand books in over ten languages!

Luggage Wrapping – Available on the 1st Floor of the Terminal. Hours: According to flight schedules. Rates: unknown.

Medical Care – A medical aid unit is located on the first floor in the right wing of the terminal. Hours: 24 hours.

Pharmacy – Farmacia Familie can be found on the 1st floor. Hours: 24 hours.

SIM Cards – A reader has asked us to include where to buy SIM Cards. If you know, click here to update this guide.

Airlines
Chișinău Airport is served by the following airlines: Aeroflot • Air Moldova • Arkia • Air Serbia • Austrian Airlines • Belavia • Fly One • Freebird • Hisky • LOT • Lufthansa • S7 Airlines • Tarom • Turkish Airlines • Ukrainian Airlines • Wizz Air.
Airport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport

Bus and Minibus

The 30 Express Bus Service and the Minibus Taxi No 165 provide connections between the airport and the city centre (with a few stops along the way). At the time of this update, the 30 Trolleybus costs 2 MDL and the Minibus is 3 MDL. For route, fare and schedule information, visit the Chisinau Airport website.

Car Rentals

On-site car rental agencies include Avis • City Auto Rent • Enterprise • Europcar • Good rent • Hertz • Prim-auto • Sixt • VIP Rent

Hotel Shuttles

See also Airport Hotels above.

Taxis

Taxis are available 24 hours a day in the ground transportation area. All taxis are metered, and reservations are not required. Aeroport Taxi company has an office in the Arrivals Hall of the airport, open 24 hours a day. The following estimated one-way standard fares at the time of this update: to/from Botanica (80 – 90 MDL); Centru (100 – 120 MDL); Ciocana (110 – 135 MDL); Rîșcani (110 – 135 MDL); Buiucani (120 – 135 MDL) and Durlești (120 – 135 MDL).

Last updated: 2024-08-26

This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning.  All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice.   The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or  write a review.