Five markets—Turkey, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Egypt—account for 72% of Russia’s international passenger traffic, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
Turkey, Uzbekistan, and the UAE alone represent up to 55% of all nonstop international services from Russia. When China and Egypt are included, the combined share of the top five destinations rises to 72%.
Russian carriers and their foreign counterparts currently operate nonstop services to 43 countries. However, several routes are limited to sporadic frequencies or serve destinations with restricted accessibility, including Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, and Turkmenistan. Tour operators estimate that only about 35 countries are realistically available for routine outbound travel.
International departures are offered from 39 Russian cities. Five primary gateways—Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, and Novosibirsk—account for 81% of total international frequencies. Moscow alone generates 61% of all outbound international traffic.
Foreign airlines hold a 46.3% share of international services, compared with 43.5% for Russian carriers. In 2025, Russian airlines carried 27.4 million international passengers, while foreign operators transported 24.4 million. Following the suspension of multiple routes to Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the United States after 2022, the foreign carrier share increased from 19.2% to 38.5%.
The concentration of international traffic in a limited number of destination markets and departure hubs increases the sector’s exposure to geopolitical and commercial risks. It also intensifies operational pressure on major hubs and requires precise air traffic management and infrastructure coordination.
The growing role of foreign airlines partially offsets the contraction of Russia’s international network. At the same time, it reshapes fleet deployment, schedule structures, and competitive dynamics. This trend may influence pricing strategies, passenger flow distribution, and long-term network planning.
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