In the first half of 2026, the global aviation sector operated amid the impact of geopolitical developments, restrictions imposed in a number of airspaces, and changes across route networks. Despite these factors, Azerbaijani aviation maintained operational resilience and achieved positive results in passenger traffic, international air connectivity and air navigation services.
From January to June, Heydar Aliyev International Airport served 3.334 million passengers and handled 26,781 flights. Of these, nearly 2.960 million passengers travelled on international routes.
One of the key highlights of the first half of the year was the increase in the number of transfer passengers. During this period, more than 275,000 transfer passengers were carried through the airport, representing an increase of over 40% compared to the same period last year.
Heydar Aliyev International Airport’s route network also continued to expand. Currently, a total of 40 airlines operating under full-service, low-cost and hybrid business models serve the airport, providing passengers with a wide range of travel options. The launch of operations by Air Serbia and FlyOne Asia has further contributed to the expansion of the route network. Regular flights are currently operated from the airport to 76 destinations.
The most in-demand international destinations were Istanbul, Moscow, Tbilisi, Ankara and Dubai. In terms of the number of flights, the leading foreign air carriers included Turkish Airlines, Israir, AJet, Aeroflot and flydubai.
Alongside passenger transportation, flight intensity in Azerbaijan’s airspace also increased. In the first six months of the year, Azerbaijan Air Navigation Services, AZANS, provided air navigation services to more than 180,000 flights in the country’s airspace, which is 11.1% higher than in the same period last year. The number of transit flights increased by 14.4%, exceeding 143,000. The highest daily figure for the period was recorded on May 9, when 1,271 aircraft were served in Azerbaijan’s airspace.
The predominance of leading global airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Thai Airways, Air France, KLM, Korean Air and AeroLogic among transit flights demonstrates growing international confidence in Azerbaijan’s airspace and the air navigation services provided.
The results of the first half of the year show that Azerbaijani aviation continues to develop while adapting flexibly to changing global conditions. The increase in transfer passenger traffic, the expansion of the route network, the entry of new air carriers into the market and the growing intensity of airspace use further strengthen the country’s role as a regional aviation and air navigation hub.
