Pyatigorsk Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons and strategic consolidation. The nearby Mineralnye Vody Airport (IATA: MRV), located just 20 km away, was expanded and modernized to handle larger jet aircraft (like the Tu-154 and Il-86). It became the single, primary aviation hub for the entire Caucasus Mineral Waters region (which includes Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Essentuki, and Zheleznovodsk). Maintaining a separate, smaller airport for short-haul flights in Pyatigorsk became economically unviable and redundant.

The site is not abandoned; it has been repurposed and remains active as a general aviation airfield. It is currently home to the Pyatigorsk Aeroclub (Аэроклуб 'Пятигорск'). The club uses the runway and some of the remaining infrastructure for sports and recreational aviation activities, including parachute jumping (skydiving), pilot training on light aircraft, and sightseeing flights over the region, often using the venerable An-2 aircraft.

Historically known as Pyatigorsk Yuzhny (Southern) Airport, it was a significant regional airfield serving the popular Soviet-era health resorts. It primarily handled local and regional passenger traffic, connecting Pyatigorsk with other cities in the North Caucasus and Southern Russia. The operations were conducted using smaller, short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) capable aircraft suitable for its runway, such as the Antonov An-2, Yakovlev Yak-40, and Let L-410 Turbolet. Beyond passenger services, the airport was a crucial base for 'aviatsiya spetsialnogo primeneniya' (special application aviation), which included agricultural flights (crop dusting), medical aviation (sanaviatsiya) for the numerous sanatoriums, and aerial patrols.

There are no concrete or official plans to reopen Pyatigorsk Airport for commercial passenger service. The idea has been occasionally floated in local discussions over the years, typically suggesting a role in business or small-scale regional aviation. However, the prospects are extremely low due to two main factors: 1) The prohibitive cost of rebuilding the runway, terminal, and navigation systems to meet modern safety and operational standards. 2) The close proximity and high capacity of the modern Mineralnye Vody International Airport, which continues to serve the region effectively.