Kurdistan Airports to Offer Official Rate Dollars for Travelers

Travelers in Iraq's Kurdistan Region will soon be able to purchase US dollars at the official exchange rate when departing from Erbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah international airports. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has approved the initiative following a request by Iraqi lawmaker Rebwar Karim, who represents Al-Sulaymaniyah in parliament. Karim confirmed that the CBI will open branches at both airports to facilitate the sale of dollars to outbound travelers, with transactions expected to begin in the coming days.

Each traveler will be permitted to buy up to $2,000 at the official rate of 1,320 dinars per dollar. This rate is significantly lower than the parallel market rate, which closed at approximately 1,630 dinars per dollar on Tuesday, according to a Shafaq News market survey. Economists have noted that dollars sold at the official rate for travel, study, and medical treatment often end up being resold on the parallel market for a profit.