Diani Airport Code: UKA / HKUK, Ukunda Name & 2019 Renaming
Diani Airport’s passenger code is UKA, and its ICAO aviation code is HKUK. The same airport is also widely listed as Ukunda Airport or Ukunda Airstrip, which is why travellers often see different names when booking flights to Diani Beach.
What is the airport code for Diani Airport?
The airport code for Diani Airport is UKA. That is the IATA code most travellers need when booking flights, checking schedules, or searching for arrivals and departures. The ICAO code is HKUK, which is used more by pilots, charter operators, flight-planning tools, and aviation databases.
Diani Airport, Ukunda Airport and UKA are the same airport
The naming can be confusing because the airport sits at or near Ukunda, while most passengers are travelling to Diani Beach. That is why travellers use the name Diani Airport, while many aviation and booking systems still show Ukunda Airport or Ukunda Airstrip.
Search UKA first. If the booking platform asks for a place name, try Ukunda, Diani / Ukunda, or Diani Beach, Ukunda.
UKA vs HKUK: what each airport code means
Both codes identify Diani / Ukunda Airport, but they are used by different audiences. Passengers mostly need UKA; aviation operators often use HKUK.
UKA IATA code for passengers
UKA is the three-letter airport code used in passenger booking systems, airline searches, fare comparisons, flight-status tools, and baggage or itinerary references. If you are booking a flight to Diani Beach, this is the code to use.
HKUK ICAO code for aviation
HKUK is the four-letter ICAO identifier used in aviation operations, air traffic references, flight planning, aircraft routing, airport charts, and charter documentation.
Is Diani Airport the same as Ukunda Airport?
Yes. Diani Airport and Ukunda Airport are the same airport. The different names come from the airport’s relationship to two entities: Ukunda as the nearby town/locality, and Diani Beach as the destination most passengers are trying to reach.
This is why a hotel guest may say “Diani Airport,” an airline confirmation may say “Ukunda,” and an aviation database may show “HKUK.” They are not three different airports. They are three naming layers around the same airport.
For a wider description of the airport entity, use the Diani Airport complete guide. For distance, map, and position relative to the beach strip, use the Diani Airport location guide.
| Name or code | What it means | Where you may see it |
|---|---|---|
| Diani Airport | Traveller-facing name for the airport serving Diani Beach | Tourism content, hotel instructions, local travel guides |
| Diani Beach Airport | Descriptive visitor name, not a separate airport | Traveller searches and informal travel planning |
| Ukunda Airport | Airport name based on the Ukunda locality | Airline systems, maps, airport databases |
| Ukunda Airstrip | Older/common airstrip-style name | Local references, older reports, aviation history |
| Diani / Ukunda | Hybrid wording used to reduce confusion | Airline or route descriptions |
| UKA | IATA code for passenger booking | Tickets, fare searches, flight status, baggage references |
| HKUK | ICAO airport identifier | Flight planning, pilot charts, aviation databases |
Why flight platforms show Ukunda instead of Diani
Flight platforms often preserve aviation database names, airport records, locality names, and established code systems. Because the airport is associated with Ukunda, many booking engines display Ukunda even when the traveller is going to Diani Beach.
This is not an error. It simply means the platform is using the airport’s locality or aviation identity instead of the destination branding. If the code is UKA, it is the airport serving Diani Beach.
For airline-by-airline booking context, use the airlines flying to Diani / Ukunda guide. For the main route overview, use flights to Diani Airport.
Why Ukunda Airstrip was renamed Diani Airport
Ukunda Airstrip was renamed Diani Airport in 2019 to align the airport more closely with the Diani Beach tourism brand. The renaming followed aviation-safety and infrastructure improvements, including the commissioning of a mobile air traffic control tower, and was connected to a wider effort to strengthen Diani as a globally recognised beach destination.
The change made the airport easier for travellers to understand. “Ukunda Airstrip” described the local airfield setting; “Diani Airport” connected the airport directly to the destination most visitors were trying to reach.
The renaming did not create a second airport, and it did not remove the need to use UKA when booking. It changed the public-facing identity while older aviation and locality-based naming continued to appear across flight systems.
Local airstrip identity
The airport was long known as Ukunda Airstrip because of its position at Ukunda and its small-aircraft coastal role.
Control tower and airport upgrade context
Airport-improvement discussions and air traffic control upgrades helped shift the framing from a basic airstrip to a more visible south-coast airport.
2019 public renaming to Diani Airport
The Diani name connected the airport directly to the internationally recognised beach destination and tourism economy.
Today: one airport, several names
Travellers use Diani Airport, booking platforms often show Ukunda, and aviation sources identify the airport with UKA / HKUK.
UKA is not Mombasa Airport
Diani Airport / Ukunda Airport uses the code UKA. Mombasa Moi International Airport uses the code MBA. Both can serve Kenya’s coast, but they are different airports with different transfer implications.
| Airport | Code | Best for | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diani / Ukunda Airport | UKA | Diani Beach, Galu, Tiwi, Ukunda, south-coast resorts | Shortest airport-to-beach transfer for most Diani stays |
| Mombasa Moi International Airport | MBA | Mombasa, Nyali, Bamburi, wider coast, international arrivals | More flight options, but usually a longer road transfer to Diani |
| Wilson Airport | WIL | Safari-to-beach connections via Nairobi | Important for bush-to-beach routings into UKA |
| JKIA Nairobi | NBO | International arrivals connecting onward to UKA | Useful when connecting from long-haul flights |
To choose between UKA and MBA, read Diani Airport vs Mombasa Airport. For a wider ranking of airport options, see Closest Airport to Diani Beach.
What to tell your hotel, driver or transfer provider
When arranging pickup, use both names and the code. This avoids confusion between Diani, Ukunda and Mombasa, especially when someone else is coordinating your arrival.
Copy-friendly pickup wording
“I am arriving at Diani Airport / Ukunda Airport (UKA) on [airline] flight [flight number] at [arrival time]. My final destination is [hotel / villa / area].”
For pickup planning and transfer timing, use the Diani Airport transfers guide. For departures, check-in timing, and baggage notes, use Diani Airport departures, check-in and baggage.
Ready to search flights to Diani Beach?
Use UKA when searching for flights. If the platform does not recognise “Diani Airport,” search Ukunda and confirm the airport code before booking.
Diani Airport codes and names: common questions
Short answers for travellers confused by Diani, Ukunda, UKA and HKUK.
One south-coast airport, several names
Diani Airport, Ukunda Airport, Ukunda Airstrip, UKA and HKUK all point to the same core airport entity serving Diani Beach and Kenya’s south coast. For travellers, the safest booking habit is simple: search UKA, confirm the airport is Ukunda / Diani, then plan your transfer from there.