Sandakan Airport (IATA: SDK, ICAO: WBKS) is a domestic airport located in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, approximately 14 km (8.7 mi)) west of the town center. It serves as an important gateway for both passenger and cargo traffic, supporting the local economy and regional tourism. In 2022, the airport handled 621,513 passengers and recorded 10,876 flight movements, making it the 12th busiest airport in Malaysia.

The airport was originally built by the Japanese during World War II and was later repurposed for civilian use to aid in the post-war reconstruction of the region. It began commercial operations in the 1950s and has been upgraded over the years to accommodate growing demand. Significant infrastructure improvements have included terminal expansions, runway extensions, and the introduction of modern navigational systems.

In recent years, the airport has seen major developments, including a terminal expansion completed in 2014, which increased the terminal area to 12,500 square meters, with a capacity to handle 750 passengers per hour. In 2022, a runway extension project was completed, lengthening the runway to 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) and enhancing the airport's ability to handle larger aircraft such as the Airbus A330.

The site of Sandakan Airport was first identified by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II as a potential location for a military airfield. However, the project was still in its early stages when Japanese forces invaded Borneo in early 1942. Recognizing the strategic value of the location, the Japanese military completed the airfield as a refueling stop for aircraft traveling between Malaya and the Philippines.

The airfield was constructed under extreme conditions using forced labor. Approximately 1,500 British and Australian prisoners of war (POWs) transported from Singapore to Sandakan, along with local and Javanese laborers, built a 1,400-meter (4,593 feet) runway on challenging tufa soil. The construction was marked by severe abuse, malnutrition and disease among the workers.

The airfield became operational in December 1942, with the landing of Japanese General Yamawaki Masataka. However, as the tide of the war turned against Japan, the airfield’s strategic importance diminished. By 1945, it was abandoned by Japanese forces, and the remaining POWs were evacuated, many of whom perished during the infamous Sandakan Death Marches.

Following World War II, the airfield, originally constructed by the Japanese, was repurposed for civilian use to aid in the post-war reconstruction of Sandakan and the wider North Borneo region, later known as Sabah. In the 1950s, Sandakan Airport began establishing itself as a key hub for commercial aviation.

Malayan Airways commenced regular flights to Sandakan, connecting the town with Singapore with stopovers in Kuching, Sibu, Labuan and Jesselton. The airline initially operated Douglas DC-3 aircraft, and the airport became the terminus for eastbound flights across British Borneo, integrating Sandakan into the regional air transport network.