Can you still fly to Russia?
“There are no flights to Russia any more.”
Yes, but not directly from the EU, the UK or North America — you connect through Istanbul, Dubai, Belgrade, Yerevan or Central Asia, and the trip takes a day rather than four hours.
The numbers · Checked September 2026
Daily service
Turkish Airlines flies Istanbul–Moscow multiple times a day; other non-EU carriers serve the route year round
Turkish Airlines timetableClosed airspace
EU, UK, US and Canadian airspace remains mutually closed to Russian carriers, which is why no direct route exists
European Commission sanctions overview3 airports
Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo all handle international arrivals in Moscow
Sheremetyevo airport
Where the impression comes from
European and North American airspace closures in 2022 were widely reported, and the natural reading is that flying stopped. What stopped was the direct route from a specific set of countries.
What this actually means for you
Book the two legs as separate tickets or on a single non-EU carrier, and leave a real buffer at the hub. Istanbul is the workhorse connection; Dubai suits travellers coming from further south; Belgrade and Yerevan are the cheap options that appear and disappear with the season.
Allow a full day door to door and check the visa question separately — the flight existing and you being allowed to board are two different problems.
- •A single ticket through one carrier protects you if the first leg is late.
- •Two separate tickets are usually cheaper and leave you liable for a missed connection.
- •Baggage rules reset between tickets — check before you pack.
What is genuinely harder now
Prices. A journey that used to be a cheap four-hour hop is now a connection with a hub layover, and the fare reflects it. Routes also change often, so a schedule you read six months ago is not a schedule.
What is true in the claim
There is no direct flight from the EU, the UK, the US or Canada, and there has not been since 2022. If that is what someone means, they are right.
Common questions
Can I fly to Moscow from Europe in 2026?
Not directly. You connect through a non-EU hub — Istanbul, Dubai, Belgrade or Yerevan are the common ones — and the whole trip takes about a day.
Which airlines fly to Russia?
Non-EU carriers, Turkish Airlines being the most reliable, plus Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Serbian airlines. Schedules change, so check before booking.
How long does it take to get to Moscow now?
Plan a full day from a Western European city: the flight to the hub, the layover, and roughly three hours onward to Moscow.
