Russia's Far East and Arctic Aviation Plan Targets 13.5 Million Passengers

The development of air services in Russia’s Far East and Arctic is a matter of strategic importance.

This was stated by Yury Trutnev, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District. The goal is to make airports convenient for visitors [cite: Input Context]. This will encourage people to come, stay, and develop the territories [cite: Input Context].

Ambitious Passenger Targets

The government plans a significant expansion of regional air travel. By 2036, the total number of passengers is planned to reach 13.5 million [cite: Input Context, 19]. Crucially, more than 5 million of these passengers are expected to fly within the region itself [cite: Input Context, 19].

Achieving this target relies on a three-pronged strategy [cite: Input Context, 19]:

• Extensive upgrade and reconstruction of airports.
• Renewal of the regional aircraft fleet.
• Expansion of the network of subsidized flights.

Deputy Prime Minister Trutnev noted that 45 airfields require reconstruction to support this vision.

Key Airport Infrastructure Milestones

The year 2025 marked the opening of several major new airport terminals. These projects significantly boost the region's overall capacity.

Khabarovsk International Airport

The new terminal at Khabarovsk International Airport was opened following the Eastern Economic Forum [cite: Input Context]. It is now the biggest terminal complex in the Far East [cite: Input Context, 7, 11]. The facility spans more than 48,000 square meters [cite: Input Context, 7]. Its capacity is rated at 1,800 passengers per hour [cite: Input Context, 7]. The airport has already served 2.5 million passengers since the beginning of 2025 [cite: Input Context].

Yelizovo Airport, Kamchatka

In Kamchatka, a new terminal at the Yelizovo Airport was commissioned in spring 2025 [cite: Input Context, 8, 9]. The facility, designed with a volcano-inspired shape, has a capacity of 1,145 passengers per hour [cite: Input Context, 10, 13]. Its area is five times larger than the old building [cite: Input Context]. The new infrastructure is expected to be a major growth point for the region’s tourism cluster.

Arctic Hub Development

The Murmansk Airport, a key Arctic transport hub, began operating its new terminal in November 2025 [cite: Input Context]. The airport reported serving over 1.2 million people in the first 11 months of 2025 [cite: Input Context]. This demonstrates strong demand in the Arctic zone.

Further modernization is underway across the Arctic. For example, the new terminal at Salekhard Airport is reported to open on schedule in 2028 [cite: Input Context]. Additionally, seven airfields in the Arctic zone are slated for reconstruction between 2025 and 2030. This is part of a wider national project to upgrade 16 airfields.

Industry Impact and Future Focus

These infrastructure investments are crucial for commercial aviation news and regional connectivity. The upgrade of facilities and fleet renewal is essential for improving air travel safety and efficiency.

Increased capacity at hubs like Khabarovsk and Yelizovo will help expand flight routes. This includes new routes within the Far Eastern Federal District and connections to other regional centers. The overall plan aims to support economic projects and development in these remote territories [cite: Input Context]. Cargo handling has also seen a boost, with Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Air Terminal reporting an approximate 27% year-on-year growth in 2025 [cite: Input Context].