Russia Sets Out Its Airport Upgrade Programme

Russia plans to modernise at least 75 aerodrome complexes by 2030. Mikhail Mishustin outlined the programme during a July 21 visit to Blagoveshchensk, Vzglyad reported. The programme brings together projects at different stages, from facilities already operating to construction and preparations for further work.

New terminals are serving passengers

The prime minister said four new terminals had begun operating since the start of 2025: in Novokuznetsk, Tyumen, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Mineralnye Vody. He emphasised the importance of air connections in the Far East, where settlements are separated by large distances.

An airport upgrade affects several distinct parts of a journey. Runways and taxiways support aircraft movements, the terminal handles people and baggage, and the access road connects the site with the city. One completed component can improve operations before the others are finished.

Construction continues in Blagoveshchensk

The Transport Ministry's July 21 update sets out the local project's position. A new 3 km runway is already in use, having received its first flight in December 2023. Installation of the new passenger building's facade, internal partitions and engineering systems is still under way.

The Blagoveshchensk–Bibikovo road linking the city and airport is also being reconstructed, with widening to four lanes planned. An operating runway therefore sits alongside continuing work on the terminal and its ground connection.

What changes for local businesses

• Passenger transport operators need to understand terminal access and stopping arrangements.
• Food businesses need clear arrangements for operating in passenger areas.
• Hotels and trip organisers need to know where to meet arriving guests.

These are everyday service questions. A single date for an airport's modernisation cannot answer all of them: businesses need information about the particular area, entrance or road section used by their staff and customers.

Mineralnye Vody reaches a different stage

In Mineralnye Vody, the new domestic terminal opened on May 14. Rosaviatsia reported that it first served an Aeroflot flight from Moscow. The 28,500-square-metre building provides 28 check-in counters, 11 boarding gates and five passenger boarding bridges.

The July announcement sets the scale of the programme through 2030. The two airports illustrate its gradual delivery: new facilities enter service as they become ready, while work on neighbouring parts of the site can continue.