Key Facts
• July 27, Russia announced direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang.
• First flight departed Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport at 7:00 PM local time.
• Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER, capacity of 440 passengers, 8-hour flight duration.
• Ticket price starts at 44,700 rubles ($563); first flight sold out immediately.
• Regular flights between capitals resume for the first time since the mid-1990s.
• Russia authorized Nordwind Airlines for two weekly flights but limited to one per month initially.
• Previous direct flights only connected Pyongyang to Vladivostok via Air Koryo.
• June 2025: 10-day passenger rail service between Moscow and Pyongyang resumed.
• Strengthened ties between Russia and North Korea since 2022 Ukraine conflict.
Summary
Russia and North Korea have resumed direct flights between their capitals, Moscow and Pyongyang, for the first time since the mid-1990s. The inaugural flight, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER with a capacity of 440 passengers, departed Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on July 27. Tickets, priced from 44,700 rubles ($563), sold out immediately. While Russia has approved Nordwind Airlines for two weekly flights, operations will initially be limited to one flight per month to ensure stable demand. This development follows the resumption of a 10-day passenger rail service between the two cities in June 2025. The move reflects deepening ties between the two nations, particularly since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Previously, direct air travel between the countries was limited to Air Koryo’s three weekly flights connecting Pyongyang and Vladivostok.
