Kirovsk-Apatity Airport Guide

Kirovsk-Apatity Airport, also known as Khibiny Airport, serves the central Kola Peninsula in Russia's far northwest, north of the Arctic Circle. It sits on the edge of the Khibiny mountains, the range that holds the Bolshoi Vudyavr ski resort, and it is the main air gateway for skiers heading there each winter.

The airfield began as a military base and opened to passengers in early 1994. A single concrete runway, 2,500 metres long and 42 metres wide, handles the traffic. Passenger numbers grew from about 20,700 in 2014 to about 197,000 in 2023, driven largely by ski tourism.

The terminal has been rebuilt and now moves about 300 passengers an hour, up from 120, with a waiting area for more than 400 people. The work cost over 1.5 billion roubles. A further 6.7 billion rouble reconstruction of the runway, taxiways and utilities is planned by 2030.

Scheduled flights link the airport with Moscow and Saint Petersburg, with some seasonal routes. The airfield is small and is not served by large public transport networks, so most visitors arrive by pre-booked transfer or taxi.