Which Monrovia Airport is best to fly or closest to City?

Roberts Airport (ROB) or Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW)

Quick Jump links to Monrovia Airports

Monrovia has two airports, the Roberts Airport (ROB) and Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW). We summarize the airports with the information you need to make your next trip hassle free. Roberts Airport is the main international airport serving the whole of Liberia. It is named after Joseph Jenkins Roberts, Liberia's first president, it is very far from the countries capital Monrovia. The airport handles flights to many destinations in West Africa and Europe. Spriggs Payne Airport is the closest to the capital and second airport serving Monrovia. The airport also handles some international flights to West African countries and is convenient for the political and business district in Monrovia.

Roberts Airport Vs. Spriggs Payne Airport

Roberts Airport (ROB)

Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW)

    Roberts Airport (ROB) Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW)
Airport Maps Roberts Airport (ROB) Map Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) Map

Getting To The Airports From The City Centre

Distance from City Centre 35 miles (56 kilometres) 3 miles (5 kilometres)
Public Transport Operating Hours 24-hours. 24-hours.
Train N/A N/A
Airport Shuttle

Infinity shuttle handles private and shared-ride.

Fare: $52 (Private) and $37 (Shared).

Roberts International Airport Shuttle

N/A
Private Transfer

VIP limousines or minibuses can be pre-arranged to take you from the airport to the city centre in Monrovia or anywhere in the country.
Fare: $10-$20
Journey Time: 60-70 minutes

www.monrovia-airport.com

Private arrangements can be made online before your arrival at the airport to the city centre.
Bus Hotels arrange shuttle buses and minibuses for their guest to Monrovia and other areas, contact your hotel for any info regarding transfers to and from the airport. Hotels arrange transfer services for their guest, contact your hotel to know if they transfer from and to the airport from Monrovia.
Taxi

Around $10 - $50,
Journey time: 60 minutes.

Around $1 - $7,
Journey Time: 7 minutes.

Uber

Not available

Uber fare estimator

Not available

Uber fare estimator

   

Which Airport Is Most Suitable For Me?

How Close to City Centre

Roberts Airport(ROB) is 56 kilometres to Monrovia, and takes about 60-70 minutes to get to the city centre where all the attractions are.

Roberts Airport is main airport serving Liberia, it handles both domestic and international flights to major cities in West Africa and weekly flights to Europe.

The airport has good public transport services to the city centre in Monrovia and other parts of the country. Travellers can also book for shared-rides and car hire services for airport pick-up.

It is always better to negotiate prices before entering any taxi.


Spriggs Payne Airport is the secondary airport to ROB, it serves Monrovia and is located just 7 minutes away by 5 kilometres.

The airport has facilities to handle inbound international flights. It handles mainly domestic flights to other parts of the country and international flights to Accra and Lome. The airport houses the United Nations helicopter and aircraft operations, they have operational offices at the airport.

MLW airport is closer to the city centre and is easier to connect to other parts of Monrovia by buses, private transfers, taxis and car hire services.

Cost Factor

Roberts Airport is the primary airport serving Monrovia and the country at large. The airport currently serves over 228,000 thousand passengers yearly.

The airport is far from the city centre at 56 kilometres, public transportation and taxi services are expensive than at Spriggs Payne Airport.

Hotel cost in both ROB and MLW airports are almost comparable and on the high side. Car hire services not cheap as well. In terms of flight fares, ROB is more expensive than MLW.

Although, Spriggs Payne Airport is cheaper and closer to the city centre in Monrovia, ROB is still the best airport to fly in Liberia. Travellers can fly to Monrovia from ROB to save time.

Spriggs Payne Airport is the secondary airport serving Monrovia.

The airport is only used by ASKY Airlines for trips to Roberts Airport and back. The airport is also used by helicopter and aircraft operations by the United Nations to other parts of Africa.

The airport is 5 km from the city centre and it takes just 7 minutes to get there. MLW is closer to the city centre in Monrovia. Public transportation is cheaper from this airport but travellers should ask the front desk at the airport for information on how to get taxi, and buses to the city centre.

 

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Airport Delays

Avg Security & Immigration Delays: High

Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 30-45 minutes.

Avg Security & Immigration Delays: Low

Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 5 minutes

Flight Fares This is the main airport in Liberia, so flight fares are higher than Spriggs Payne Airport. Spriggs Payne Airport flight fares are lower than ROB.

Hotel Prices Per Day From (01-12-2018 to 02-12-2018) Searched on 23-11-2018

Hotel

The Farmington Hotel (4.5-Stars) -$219

Libassa Ecolodge(4-star) -$213

Executive Inn (3-Stars) - $150.

Corina Hotel (3.5-Stars)- $144

Murex Plaza Hotel & Suites (3.5-Stars) - $135

Bella Casa Hotel (3.5-Star) - $110.

Car Hire Prices Per Week (01-12-2018 to 07-12-2018)

Car Hire $200-400 $200 - $400
Car Hire Companies

Oragon Rent A Car, Zenith Multipurpose, Flash Vehicles, and Powercabinc.

Oragon Rent A Car, Zenith Multipurpose, Flash Vehicles, and Powercabinc.

Online car hire Car Hire Roberts Airport (ROB) Car Hire Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW)

Airport Facilities

Shopping and Dining Wings Bar & Restaurant, Golden Bar & Restaurant, and a few other duty-free shops selling items from newspapers to perfume to tobacco products. The airport has duty-free zones, some restaurants and shops in and around the airport.
Lounges RIA Lounge. N/A
Wi-Fi Services No free Wi-Fi but travellers can buy 3G and 4G SIM cards and 3G USB sticks for less than a dollar to get cheap and fast internet access. No free Wi-Fi but travellers can buy 3G and 4G SIM cards and 3G USB sticks for less than a dollar to get cheap and fast internet access.
Transfer in and Around The Airport The airport has two Terminal buildings, Terminal A is for departures by commercial carriers and for arrivals, while Terminal B is exclusively for Air France and Delta Air Lines departures. Spriggs Payne Airport has a single terminal building.
Currency Exchange & ATM cash Points GTBank offers currency exchange services with an ATM cash point in the main lobby. N/A
Important phone numbers ROB Airport: (+231) 88 694 2295. OKD Airport:011-785-7871.
Major Operating Airlines

Africa World Airlines, Air Côte d'Ivoire, Arik Air, ASKY Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, Med-View Airline, Royal Air Maroc, and more.

ASKY Airlines.
Major Connecting Destinations

Accra, Freetown, Abidjan, Lagos, Conakry, Brussels, Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta, Amsterdam, and Casablanca.

Accra, Freetown, and Lomé.
Tourist Info Centres For tourist information, travellers can ask the front desk at the airport for information or hotel managers for local tour guides. For tourist information, travellers can ask the front desk at the airport for information or hotel managers for local tour guides.
Official website https://www.monrovia-airport.com/ monrovia_international_airport.php N/A

MONROVIA AIRPORTS

Which Monrovia airport is closest to central Monrovia?

Monrovia is served by two airports; Roberts Airport (ROB) and Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW). Spriggs Payne Airport is the closest to central Monrovia just 3 miles away from the capital of Liberia. It is the second airport serving the countries political and business district with mostly domestic flights and some international fights to West African countries. Using the fast airport taxi, you will be in the city in 7 minutes. Roberts Airport is Liberia's primary airport also serving Monrovia, it is further away from central Monrovia at 35 miles, this makes travel time from the airport to the city centre long and hectic. It takes 60-70 minutes from the airport to central Monrovia by shared-rides, private transfers or taxis.

Compare airport distances and transfer times to the center of Monroviaby public transport below.

Distance to Central Monrovia:

Spriggs Payne Airport: 3 miles / 5 km
Roberts Airport:35 miles / 56 km

Spriggs Payne Airport to Central Monrovia Journey Times:

By Bus: 10 minutes
By Private Transfer: 7 minutes
By Taxi: 7 minutes

Roberts Airport to Central Monrovia Journey Times:

By Private Transfer: 60-70 minutes
By Airport Shuttle: 60-70 minutes
By Taxi: 60 minutes

What is the best airport to fly into in Monrovia?

Spriggs Payne airport is the best airport to fly into in Monrovia in terms of distance between the airport and the city centre. It is the closest to central Monrovia with shorter travel time from the airport to the attractions in the central city. This hub is most suitable for business travellers as well as those travelling for pleasure or adventurous purposes. Spriggs Payne is a small airport which means less crowd, less queues and no flight delays.Although the airport does not have bus services but it is served by taxis, hotel shuttle services for guest and private transfer services available at the airport which takes just 7 minutes to Monrovia, where most of the top attractions are situated such as the abandoned Ducor Intercontinental Hotel overlooking the city's ocean costal lines. Travelling with a lot of luggage can be conveniently carried by taxis, from the airport, budget airlines operate mostly from this airport and only ASKY Airlines serves the airport with flights to Lome, Freetown and Accra.

ROB (Roberts airport) is the primary airport serving Monrovia and the farthest from the airport to Monrovia. Roberts airport is served by more airlines such as Africa World Airlines, Air Côte d'Ivoire, Arik Air, ASKY Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM, Med-View Airline, Royal Air Maroc, etc. It is also bigger than Spriggs Payne airport with 2 terminals A & B, meaning as a traveller, you will experience more queues, crowds and flight delays. ROB is not convenient for business travellers who would like to relax after a long flight before business begins, because of the long and exhausting travel time from the airport to the city centre, though the airport has excellent public transport services such as shared-bus-rides, shuttle and taxi services which will get you to the city centre conveniently for a 60-70 minutes journey.

Is Spriggs Payne airport better than ROB?

Spriggs Payne airport is better than ROB because it is closer to the city centre and all the major attractions. It takes a shorter time to reach central Monrovia from Spriggs Payne airport than at Roberts airport which is father with longer transfer journey time. Spriggs Payne airport has a single terminal building which also means that it handles less crowd, has less queues and fewer flight delays. Moving around the airport is also effortless compared to ROB airports 2 terminals which can be exhausting when travelling with children or lots of luggage. Although only low budget airlines serve this airport to a few destinations within the Liberia and some parts of West Africa, it is faster and closer to central Monrovia and most business travellers will prefer this airport to ROB which handles more crowds with longer queues at immigration and more flight delays.

Which airport is closest to the top attractions in Monrovia, Liberia?

Spriggs Payne airport is closer to all the major attractions in Monrovia just 3 miles (5 km) away to places like the Liberian National Museum, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Providence Island, Sacred Heart Cathedral Church, the abandoned Ducor Intercontinental Hotel overlooking the city's coastal lines and many more. From the airport, it will take you 7 minutes to these top attractions from $1-$10.

How much does it Cost from Spriggs Payne or Roberts to Central Monrovia?

From Spriggs Payne Airport by:

Taxi (Yellow Airport Taxi): $1 - $7 - Available 24/7 at the airport.

Uber: Not Available- Uber Fare estimator/.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at

From Roberts Airport by:

Shuttle (Infinity Shuttle): $52 (Private) and $37 (Shared)https://infinityshuttle.com/destination/roberts-international-airport/ Available on demand.

Private Transfers:$10-$20 https://www.monrovia-airport.com/int/booking/airport_business_registration.php?lg=en Available on demand.

Taxi (Yellow Airport Taxi): $10 - $50 - Available 24/7 at the airport.

Uber: Not Available- Uber Fare estimator/.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at

How much are Hotels at Spriggs Payne and Roberts Airports?

Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on how far in advance you book, the demand for rooms, and which hotel you book but the prices below will give you a rough idea and you can do further research and hotel booking at https://www.tripindicator.com/hotel.html

Spriggs Payne Airport Hotels: From $110 per night
Roberts Airport Hotels: From $150 per night

How much does car hire cost at Spriggs Payne or Roberts Airports?

All of the airports mentioned offer competitive prices and a range of cars to suit your needs. Prices are based on the type of car, driver age, length of hire, and demand but you can get a rough idea for each airport below.

Spriggs Payne Airport Car Rental:

Car rental services at the airport are run by the indigenous companies and it starts from $200-$400 depending in the car type and model. You can book for cars from the airport on arrival.
Compare prices here - https://www.tripindicator.com//

Roberts Airport Car Rental::

Car rental services at the airport are run by the indigenous companies and it starts from $200-$400 depending in the car type and model. You can book for car rental services from the airport's website.
Compare Prices here - https://www.tripindicator.com/

How Many Airports In Monrovia, Liberia?

Only two airports serve Monrovia, the Roberts Airport and Spriggs Payne Airport. ROB is the primary international hub for transportation into and out of Liberia, it is 56 km from the city centre with public transportation to the capital Monrovia. Spriggs Payne Airport is the second airport which handles mainly domestic flights and some international flights to other parts of West Africa, it houses the UN aircraft operations office in the country and helicopters.

How Do I Get From Airports To City Centre?

Travellers can get to the Monrovia by using the Infinity shuttle, hotel shuttle buses, VIP limousines and minibuses to travel to the city centre, or alternatively fly to Spriggs Payne Airport from ROB which is faster.

What Best Hotels Are Near Monrovia Airports?

At ROB, the following hotels are the best for travellers, The Farmington Hotel (4.5-Stars) -$219, Libassa Ecolodge(4-star) -$213, and Executive Inn (3-Stars) - $150.At MLW, the Corina Hotel (3.5-Stars)- $144, Murex Plaza Hotel & Suites (3.5-Stars) - $135, and Bella Casa Hotel (3.5-Star) - $110.

What Things To Do Near Monrovia Airports?

Travvelers can explore Monrovia with visits to the Ce Ce Beach, Antoinette Tubman Stadium, National Museum of Liberia, TM Mall, Masonic Temple and many more.

Roberts Airport (ROB), Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) Terminal Maps

For Roberts Airport (ROB) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/rob-roberts-airport-terminal-map.html

For Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/mlw-spriggs-payne-airport-terminal-map.html

 

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