Roberta Aguirre
Moscow is a major transport hub, serving as a gateway for Russians travelling domestically or westward, and for Europeans travelling to the Asia-Pacific region. With a metropolitan area of over 20 million people, it is no surprise that the city has three (or more) airports. Sheremetyevo International Airport, Vnukovo International Airport, and Domodedovo Airport are Moscow's three main airports, with Zhukovsky Airport also serving the city.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of airports in Moscow | 4 |
| Names of the airports | Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky |
| The busiest airport in Russia and the post-Soviet states | Sheremetyevo |
| The oldest operating airport in Moscow | Vnukovo |
| The second busiest airport in Russia | Domodedovo |
| The airport with limited growth | Zhukovsky |
| The airport with the most annual passenger traffic in the country | Vnukovo |
| The airport with the most runways | Vnukovo |
| The airport with the least runways | Zhukovsky |
| The airport with the most terminals | Sheremetyevo |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Moscow is a major transport hub
Sheremetyevo International Airport is located 29 km northwest of central Moscow and has six terminals, including four international terminals, one domestic terminal, and one private aviation terminal. The airport was initially built as a military airfield and was inaugurated in 1957. It transitioned to commercial services in 1959.
Vnukovo International Airport is 28 km southwest of the centre of Moscow. It is Moscow's oldest operating airport and was the eleventh busiest airport in Europe in 2021. The airport has undergone significant reconstruction and development, including the opening of new terminals and an express rail link to the city.
Domodedovo Airport is Russia's second-busiest airport, serving close to 30 million people in 2018. It is a hub for S7 Airlines and is the Moscow destination for many international carriers.
Zhukovsky Airport was opened to alleviate passenger buildup from the other three airports. It is limited in its growth due to intersecting airspace with Domodedovo Airport.
In addition to air travel, Moscow also has a well-developed public transportation system, including bus and rail networks, that connects the airports and other areas of the city.
Philippine Airlines: Airport Destinations and Terminals
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Sheremetyevo was initially a military airfield
Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) was initially a military airfield called Sheremetyevsky, serving the Soviet Air Force. On 1 September 1953, the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union issued a decree for the construction of the Central Airdrome of the Air Force near Chashnikovo village on the outskirts of Moscow. The airport became operational on 7 November 1957, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution with the landing of 18 long-haul strategic Tu-95 bombers.
However, Sheremetyevo's use as a military airfield was short-lived. In August 1959, the Council of Ministers terminated its military status, handing it over to the Principal Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet for conversion into a civilian airport. This transition marked the beginning of Sheremetyevo's commercial operations, with the first civilian flight landing on 11 August 1959, carrying 100 passengers and cargo from Leningrad.
Sheremetyevo quickly gained popularity, and by the end of 1964, it handled 822,000 passengers and significant amounts of mail and cargo. The airport's prominence grew further in the early 1970s with the construction of a second runway, solidifying its position as a major hub for international flights to the USSR.
Over the years, Sheremetyevo has undergone continuous expansion and improvements, including the construction of additional terminals and runways. By 2015, it had become Russia's busiest airport, serving over 31 million passengers annually. Today, Sheremetyevo remains a vital aviation hub, serving as the main base for Russian flag carrier Aeroflot and numerous other airlines, connecting Moscow to destinations worldwide.
New Delhi Airport: Free Wi-Fi Access for Travelers
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Airport: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-nvGF8wgL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Zhukovsky's growth is limited by intersecting airspace
Moscow is a city with a metropolitan area of over 20 million people, many of whom are internationally mobile. The city is a major hub for Russians travelling domestically, further westward, and for Europeans travelling to the Asia-Pacific region. As such, it requires more than three airports to support the volume of air traffic.
In 2011, President Vladimir Putin made the decision to turn the airfield at Zhukovsky into a commercial airport, moving much of the low-cost and charter operations there to alleviate passenger buildup from Moscow's other three airports. Zhukovsky International Airport, located in Moscow Oblast, Russia, is situated 36 km southeast of central Moscow, in the city of Zhukovsky.
However, Zhukovsky's growth is limited by intersecting airspace with Domodedovo Airport, Russia's second-busiest airport. In 2018, Domodedovo served close to 30 million people, and it is a hub for S7 Airlines. The intersecting airspace limits the potential expansion of Zhukovsky, as both airports cannot accommodate a large volume of air traffic simultaneously.
Despite the intersecting airspace, there are plans to expand Zhukovsky Airport. According to the development project, there were plans to build two passenger terminals with a combined capacity of 7 million passengers per year, a hotel, office buildings, and parking spaces. The first phase of the airport, which opened in 2016, was expected to serve 1.7 million people, with a projected increase to 10.8 million by 2020. However, in 2019, the number of passengers served remained just below the initial 2-million mark.
Vaping in Dubai Airport: What's the Deal?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Vnukovo is Moscow's oldest airport
Moscow is a major transport hub with a metropolitan area of over 20 million people. It is a key destination for Russians travelling domestically or westward and Europeans travelling to the Asia-Pacific region. The city has four commercial airports: Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky, and Vnukovo.
Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) is Moscow's oldest airport. It is located 18 miles south of Moscow and is the third busiest airport in Russia. It was opened during the Second World War and used for military operations. In 1937, the Soviet government approved its construction because the older Khodynka Aerodrome, located closer to the city centre, was becoming overloaded. After the war, Vnukovo transitioned to civilian use. The first passenger flight from the airport was in 1956, and the airport has since undergone several expansions and reconstructions.
Vnukovo Airport has two intersecting runways and is the highest of Moscow's airports at 204 metres above sea level. This elevation makes it a frequent alternative airport during foggy conditions. The airport has two passenger terminals, with Terminal A being the only one used for both domestic and international flights. Terminals B and D have been out of service since 2017. The airport can handle a maximum of 10,100 passengers per hour and approximately 24 million passengers per year.
Vnukovo is Europe's busiest airport for international flights by larger private planes. It serves over 170,000 flights annually, operated by domestic and international carriers. The airport offers connections to various destinations, including neighbouring countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Hamburg Airport: Chaos and Confusion
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Moscow's airports are well-connected to the city
Moscow is a city of over 20 million people, many of whom are internationally mobile. The city serves as a major hub for Russians travelling domestically or westward and for Europeans travelling to the Asia-Pacific region. As such, it requires multiple airports to accommodate the large volume of air traffic.
Vnukovo International Airport, Moscow's oldest operating airport, is accessible via the municipal Mosgortrans bus lines 611 and 611k, which connect to the Moscow Metro Sokolnicheskaya Line. The journey typically takes 20-35 minutes, but it can take up to an hour due to heavy traffic in Moscow. Taxi services, such as Uber, Gett, Yandex.Taxi, and local transportation network companies, also offer flat-rate trips to and from the airport.
Domodedovo Airport, Russia's second-busiest airport, serves as a hub for S7 Airlines and Ural Airlines. It is also the Moscow destination for many international carriers, including British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Ethiopian, and ANA.
Zhukovsky Airport, the newest of Moscow's airports, was opened in 2011 to alleviate passenger buildup from the other airports. It is primarily used for low-cost and charter operations, with airlines such as Ural Airlines operating flights to and from the airport.
Airport Catchment Areas: Defining Factors and Strategies
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Moscow has four international airports – Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky – to serve its large metropolitan area of over 20 million people. It is a major hub for Russians travelling domestically or westward and for Europeans travelling to the Asia-Pacific region.
Sheremetyevo International Airport is the busiest airport in Russia and the post-Soviet states, as well as the ninth-busiest airport in Europe. It has six terminals and served close to 30 million people in 2018.
Vnukovo International Airport is Moscow's oldest operating airport. It handled 24.01 million passengers in 2019 and was the eleventh-busiest airport in Europe that year.
Aeroflot is joined at Sheremetyevo by its Skyteam alliance partners, including Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Korean Air, and China Eastern. Other airlines serving the airport include LOT, Rossiya Russian Airlines, and Air India.
Aeroexpress, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, operates a nonstop line connecting Sheremetyevo to Belorussky station in downtown Moscow. The one-way journey takes 35 minutes.
