Can Russians fly internationally?

Although the bulk of international flights departing Russia have been limited, Russian citizens can fly abroad on the national carriers of a few countries that have not sanctioned Russia and do not require visas for Russians to enter.



In 2026, Russians can still fly internationally, but their travel options are significantly restricted compared to the pre-2022 era. Most Western airspace (including the EU, USA, Canada, and UK) remains closed to Russian-owned and operated aircraft. However, major global hubs in Turkey (Istanbul), the UAE (Dubai/Abu Dhabi), Serbia (Belgrade), and China remain open, serving as the primary "transit points" for Russian citizens traveling to the West. Visas are also more difficult to obtain for some regions, particularly within the Schengen Area, though many countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East offer visa-free entry. Domestically, Russian airlines continue to operate a mix of Russian-made jets and older Western planes, though international safety certifications for the latter remain a subject of international debate due to maintenance and parts-sourcing challenges under ongoing sanctions.

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But for now, Russian airlines have been kept alive with the help of international shipments and the use of hundreds of foreign jets that were stranded there after the war began. Tens of thousands of flights are expected to crisscross Russia this month, according to schedules published by Cirium.

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Yes, Russian passport holders must obtain a Schengen visa to enter any European country in the Schengen Zone. However, there are some categories of people residing in Russia that are exempt from the visa requirement, as follows: Nationals of Schengen countries living in Russia.

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The Mexico Electronic Authorization System (ETA, or SAE in Spanish) is a travel document that is part of the New Mexico visa policy which allows nationals of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and Brazil to travel to Mexico for a period of up to 180 days without having to obtain a Mexico Visa from their corresponding Mexican ...

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Most of the carriers still overflying Russia, however, are based in Asia and the Middle East — many of which are household names like Qatar Airways, Air China, Etihad Airways, and Emirates. And, some of these routes are even flying to and from the US.

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Regulation (EU) 833/2014 prohibits any non-Russian-registered aircraft which is owned or chartered, or otherwise controlled by any Russian natural to land in, take off from or overfly the territory of the Union, except in case of an emergency landing or emergency overflight.

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Aeroflot operates direct flights from Moscow to four destinations in the USA: New York (duration: 10h 30m), Los Angeles (13h), Washington (11h) and Miami (13h).

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UPDATE APRIL 17, 2023: Estonia is not issuing digital nomad visas for Russian and Belarussian citizens. UPDATE SEPTEMBER 9, 2022: Under a common regional approach, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland will restrict entry to Russian citizens holding Schengen visas issued by any country starting September 19.

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