In late July this year, one of the world’s rarest international routes quietly returned. Since then, a Nordwind Airlines Airbus A330 once monthly connects Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) with Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport (FNJ), reviving a connection that had been dormant for decades. The next opportunity to follow this unusual route will present itself on October 31st, when Nordwind flight N46107 is scheduled for a Friday evening departure, arriving in the North Korean capital the morning after.
Connecting Moscow and Pyongyang
The resumption of Moscow–Pyongyang flights comes amid a period of deepening political and economic cooperation between Russia and North Korea. With Moscow increasingly isolated from Western airspace and financial systems following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has sought to expand partnerships in Asia—particularly with nations not aligned with Western sanctions.
For North Korea, the reestablishment of a direct link with Moscow offers more than symbolic value. It provides a transport corridor for officials, technical staff, and essential cargo, allowing both countries to coordinate more closely without relying on third parties—in essence a method to avoid sanctions.
From Holiday Charters to Political Corridors
Founded in 2008, Nordwind Airlines (N4/NWS) initially focused on charter and leisure flights between Russia and popular destinations in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Before 2022, its widebody fleet was a common sight across European skies, ferrying primarily Russian sunseekers to beaches around the globe.
That changed dramatically after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The vast majority of the world was appalled by the unprovoked attack, airspace bans and sanctions followed. Cut off from most Western destinations, Nordwind redirected operations eastward, relying on Asia and select routes to maintain a sliver of international activity. The airline’s involvement in the Moscow–Pyongyang route is the latest development in that shift.
Echoes of the Past
This isn’t the first time Moscow and Pyongyang have been linked by air. In fact, flights between the two capitals have been operating intermittently since the late 1950’s. Aircraft such as the Ilyushin Il-12 were initially used, needing frequent stops enroute for refuelling. With the introduction of the mid-range jetliner Tupolev Tu-154B in the 1970’s, the cities finally were linked with non-stop flights by the North Korean flag carrier Air Koryo (JS/KOR). During the Soviet era, Aeroflot (SU/AFL) also regularly operated flights between the two capitals, carrying diplomats, aid workers, and trade delegations. Those flights got increasingly less common in the 1990s, as Russia turned westward after the fall of the Soviet Union and North Korea grew increasingly isolated.
The revival of this route in 2025 marks the first consistent air service between the two capitals in nearly three decades. While limited to one round-trip per month, its symbolism obviously reaches far beyond its schedule.
