Aeroflot Russian Airlines (ICAO: AFL) is Russia's flag carrier and largest airline, with a rich history and a significant presence in global aviation.
Aeroflot was founded in 1923, making it one of the world's oldest active airlines. Initially, it served as the state-owned airline of the Soviet Union, growing to become the world's largest airline by the late 1980s. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Aeroflot was restructured into an open joint-stock company, and its name was changed to Aeroflot – Russian Airlines in 2000 to reflect its new strategy.
The airline's main operational base and primary hub is Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) in Moscow. Additionally, Aeroflot utilizes secondary hubs at Domodedovo International Airport (DME) in Moscow and Pulkovo Airport (LED) in Saint Petersburg, and has been actively developing regional hubs in Krasnoyarsk (KJA) and Sochi (AER).
As of late 2024, Aeroflot Group's fleet consists of 349 aircraft, comprising a mix of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. The fleet includes Airbus A320 family, Airbus A330, Airbus A350 XWB, Boeing 737, and Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline is also focusing on acquiring Russian-made jets, with plans to make the Yakovlev MC-21 its flagship plane and deliveries expected to commence in 2025 or 2026, as part of an order for over 400 Russian-made aircraft. Historically, Aeroflot served an extensive route network, including 146 destinations in 52 countries. However, due to international sanctions, its international network is currently limited, with a stronger focus on domestic routes and some international flights to countries that maintain open airspace with Russia. Aeroflot was a member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance, having joined in 2006, but its membership was temporarily suspended in April 2022. The airline offers various cabin classes, including Economy, Comfort (Premium Economy), and Business Class. Notably, its Business Class on Boeing 777 aircraft features individual suites with sliding doors and full-flat beds.
Recent traveler reviews for Aeroflot present a mixed but generally positive sentiment, with specific areas of commendation and recurring complaints.
What Travelers Love:
Common Complaints:
Overall, travelers' experiences with Aeroflot are varied. While the airline is often lauded for its modern fleet, comfort, and sometimes excellent value, the inconsistent quality of ground customer service, difficulties with refunds, and occasional baggage and delay issues are notable detractors. Recent geopolitical developments and sanctions have also introduced new concerns regarding service and operational aspects.
Aeroflot has significantly improved its safety record since the Soviet era. While the Soviet period saw a high number of incidents, the airline's safety profile dramatically improved after 1991, with a notable reduction in major incidents. From 1995 to 2025, Aeroflot was involved in only 11 incidents, with fatalities in just three of these. Recent notable incidents include a Sukhoi Superjet emergency landing and fire in 2019, resulting in 41 fatalities, and minor incidents like a ground mishap in 2021 and a bird strike in 2022. In 2024, Aeroflot reported a strong operational safety level with a 99.977% flight safety rate. Despite external restrictions, the number of incidents attributed to technical malfunctions decreased in 2023, even as total flight time increased.
Aeroflot holds several important regulatory certifications, demonstrating its commitment to safety standards. It was the first Russian carrier to be listed on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) register and has consistently renewed this registration. The airline has also successfully passed the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) and is fully compliant with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2004 standards.
The airline operates a relatively young fleet, with an average aircraft age of 4.4 years as of late 2015. Aeroflot has a reputation for modernizing its fleet, largely replacing older Soviet-era aircraft with Western-built Airbus and Boeing models. While some traveler reviews express concerns about maintenance due to sanctions affecting parts availability, official statements from Rosaviatsiya (Russia's aviation authority) indicate that the airworthiness of aircraft operated by Russian airlines has not degraded, with strict adherence to the Air Code of the Russian Federation. Aeroflot also maintains an active flight safety committee that continuously analyzes risks and implements measures to enhance safety.
Based on available data, Aeroflot maintains a strong overall safety assessment, with its operational safety index comparable to global peers. The airline has received safety recognitions, including the maximum possible seven-star safety rating from Airlineratings.com.
| Route | Destination | Flights | Distance | Aircraft | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KUF → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
254 | 536 mi | A321 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| PEE → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
238 | 712 mi | A320 | Dec 8, 2025 |
| CEK → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
215 | 937 mi | A320 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| VVO → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
212 | 3984 mi | A333 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| UFA → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
204 | 732 mi | A320 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| MSQ → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
199 | 400 mi | A320 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KGD → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
192 | 663 mi | A321 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| SVO → AER | Adler-Sochi Int'l | 177 | 873 mi | A321 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| KJA → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
175 | 2069 mi | A321 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| MCX → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
175 | 1018 mi | A320 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| MMK → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
170 | 898 mi | A321 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| REN → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
160 | 787 mi | A321 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| VOG → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
157 | 576 mi | A320 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| SSH → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
128 | 1942 mi | B738 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| SVO → KGD |
Khrabrovo
Kaliningrad
|
121 | 663 mi | A321 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| OMS → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
119 | 1393 mi | A321 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| TJM → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
112 | 1059 mi | A320 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| GYD → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
108 | 1216 mi | A320 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KRR → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
107 | 760 mi | A321 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| UUD → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
84 | 2745 mi | B738 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| MRV → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
80 | 1666 mi | A321 | Nov 3, 2025 |
| ASF → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
78 | 811 mi | B738 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| GRV → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
77 | 945 mi | A320 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| TOF → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
77 | 1803 mi | A320 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| HRG → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
74 | 2000 mi | A21N | Dec 10, 2025 |
Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.