Flights directly from Chita to Novokuzneck, Barnaul, and Tomsk are set for 2026 launch
The Chita airport, located in the eastern part of Russia, has recently undergone a significant modernization with the completion of a new terminal. Top officials are scheduled to inspect the facility in July 2025, marking a new era for the airport [3].
In a move to further enhance the airport's infrastructure, airlines are expected to contribute towards the modernization efforts at Chita and several other regional airports in Russia. This contribution will come via a new infrastructure levy, as announced in August 2025 [2].
However, when it comes to direct flight routes from Chita, there have been no explicit new route announcements for connections to Rostov-on-Don, Makhachkala, Mineralnye Vody, Simferopol, Kaliningrad, or Kazan. Similarly, no direct flight information was found for Redichoy to Irkutsk [1].
Despite this, the governor of the Zabaykalsky Krai, Alexander Osipov, has emphasized the need to consider the route Chita to Redichoy. The government has also approved direct flights from Chita to Novokuznetsk, Barnaul, and Tomsk, with services scheduled to start on January 1, 2026 [4].
The new routes will see flights to Novokuznetsk and Kemerovo operating once a week, while flights from Chita to Tomsk and Barnaul will run twice a week [5]. The airline "Red Wings" has confirmed its 2026 program but has not mentioned these new potential routes as yet [6].
The calculations for the Redichoy to Irkutsk route are currently being made using the "L-410" aircraft, although no start date or frequency for this route has been announced [1].
It's important to note that the new routes under consideration do not include the previously announced flights from Chita to Novokuznetsk, Barnaul, Tomsk, Novokuznetsk, and Kemerovo, which are scheduled to start in 2026 [1].
The discussion also focuses on potential new routes, including Chita to Rostov-on-Don, Chita to Makhachkala, Chita to Mineralnye Vody, Chita to Simferopol, Chita to Kaliningrad, and Chita to Kazan [7].
The construction of a new terminal at the Chita airport is set to cost approximately 8 billion rubles, an ambitious project that underscores the region's commitment to improving its air travel infrastructure [8]. Mikhail Zaichenko, acting deputy chairman of the government of the Zabaykalsky Krai, made this announcement [8].
As always, further specific route announcements may depend on future airline scheduling and regulatory approvals not yet documented in the cited sources. Stay tuned for more updates on the expanding air travel options from Chita.
In the ongoing plan to bolster the air travel infrastructure in Russia, the finance industry may play a significant role in sponsoring the modernization efforts at Chita airport and other regional airports, as a new infrastructure levy is being implemented [2]. The industry could also contribute to financing potential new direct flight routes from Chita, such as those to Rostov-on-Don, Makhachkala, Mineralnye Vody, Simferopol, Kaliningrad, or Kazan, which are currently under discussion [7].
