Airport operations to restart at Gelendzhik, as per Transport Ministry's announcement
After a prolonged suspension, two airports in southern Russia are preparing to reopen for domestic flights. While Gelendzhik Airport is officially scheduled to reopen on July 9, 2025, with commercial flights resuming from July 18, 2025, the exact date for Elista Airport's reopening has yet to be announced.
Gelendzhik Airport, a popular gateway to the Black Sea resort region, has been closed for an unspecified period due to security reasons. However, it is set to reopen on July 9, 2025, marking the first time the airport will serve commercial flights since early 2022. Aeroflot will be the first airline to operate from Gelendzhik, launching a twice-daily daytime service between Moscow Sheremetyevo and Gelendzhik. Flights will operate during daylight hours, roughly from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM local time, as a precautionary safety measure.
Ticket sales for flights starting July 18 have already begun, with Aeroflot offering seats on flights departing initially on July 23 and continuing on subsequent Tuesdays throughout August. The reopening of Gelendzhik Airport is expected to restore an important air link to the region, offering a much-anticipated boost to tourism.
Meanwhile, Elista Airport, which was among the airports that stopped accepting flights after the start of the special operation in Ukraine, resumed operations in May 2024. The Ministry of Transport has assured that the airport is safe for flights to resume, but no official notice has been issued regarding ticket sales for the reopened flights.
It is worth noting that apart from Gelendzhik and Elista, several other airports in southern Russia, including Anapa, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Krasnodar, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov-on-Don, Simferopol, and several others, have not accepted aircraft since February 2022 for security reasons.
As the situation continues to evolve, travellers can keep an eye on updates regarding the reopening of these airports and the resumption of flights. The safety and convenience of air travel are paramount, and the gradual reopening of these airports is a positive step towards restoring connectivity in the region.
The reopening of Gelendzhik Airport, a vital transportation link, will reunite the Black Sea resort region with the finance industry as commercial flights resume from July 18, 2025, following Aeroflot's daily services. Despite Elista Airport resuming operations in 2024, the finance sector remains uncertain, waiting for official announcements regarding ticket sales and the exact reopening date.
