Today, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin launched the new terminal at Murmansk Airport. He officially opened the first phase of the new airport complex in the Arctic capital via teleconference from the Transport Week 2025 exhibition venue.
"Murmansk, in our northern harbor, will be a comfortable place to receive and travel. Transport infrastructure has a significant impact on all related industries. It provides a powerful impetus for the region"s economic development. We must strengthen the connectivity of our large, beautiful country. And you already know that we plan to completely modernize and rebuild 75 airports in our country by 2030. I want to congratulate all of you, and especially the workforce of those who worked today and dedicated themselves to this wonderful holiday. Today is a holiday for all transport workers. I want to congratulate you all on this holiday and wish you good luck, success, and the fulfillment of all your goals," said Mikhail Mishustin.
The opening of the new terminal in Murmansk was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov, Governor of the Murmansk Region Andrey Chibis, and Deputy General Director of Novaport Holding Alexander Korytny.
"First and foremost, it"s important to see how the terminal is received by residents of the Murmansk Region and visitors to the region. It"s crucial that it"s convenient for passengers, so that as many people as possible want to spend time—relaxing or working—in the Arctic region. It"s clear that the terminal is modern; it better suits the passenger flow that"s already established in Murmansk. I"m confident that the new terminal will bring positive emotions to Murmansk residents. Transport accessibility, the opportunity to interact with residents of other cities, and the opportunity to collaborate more closely with investors will provide additional impetus to the socioeconomic development of the Murmansk Region," noted Yuri Trutnev.
"New airport infrastructure construction projects are making a significant contribution to improving accessibility to the Arctic, which is attracting growing interest from Russian and international tourists. Last year, tourist traffic to the Arctic increased by 7%, reaching 1.3 million people. This year, we expect 1.5 million tourists. Northern tourism is becoming increasingly attractive. The Arctic core population centers development plans, developed at the direction of the President of Russia, include projects to build and modernize airport infrastructure in Khibiny, Naryan-Mar, Tiksi, Chukotka, and Vorkuta. Transportation and logistics are among the priority areas for the renewal and development of Arctic core cities," emphasized Alexey Chekunkov.
Andrey Chibis noted that the new airport terminal is a powerful impetus for economic growth and quality of life in the North, another step toward making the Murmansk Region more modern and comfortable, and encouraging people to live in the North.
"The airport is a powerful driver of development for our region. More and more visitors are coming to the Murmansk Region to experience the Northern Lights, explore Arctic routes, and enjoy its unique natural beauty. The new terminal will significantly increase this interest. The construction of the terminal, the increase in capacity, and the comprehensive modernization of the airport create a solid foundation for the region"s continued economic growth. I would like to sincerely thank the Russian Government and you personally, Mikhail Vladimirovich, for your continued support of our Arctic initiatives. A huge thank you to Yuri Petrovich Trutnev and Alexey Olegovich Chekunkov. Special thanks go to the Federal Ministry of Transport, VEB.RF, the investors, the builders, and our entire team, thanks to whom this crucial facility was built," the regional governor said.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin noted at the International Arctic Forum in March 2025, "Murmansk and the Murmansk Region are setting an example for all Arctic regions of dynamic, progressive development." Thus, the region"s per capita GRP increased 2.3-fold (to 1.7 million rubles per capita), placing it among Russia"s top 10 regions for this indicator.
The Murmansk Region is the gateway to the Russian Arctic. Major infrastructure projects of strategic importance not only for the region but for the entire country are being implemented here. These include the development of the Murmansk Transport Hub and the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, supported by President Vladimir Putin. The commissioning of the new terminal not only provides an opportunity for further economic growth in the region but also creates a comfortable environment for residents, which is crucial for both residents and visitors, whose numbers are growing every year. The Murmansk Region is the closest to the Arctic. Every third tourist who chooses it chooses our region. In 2024, an all-time high of 761,000 visitors was set. Tourism, as Andrey Chibis emphasized, is a driver of the city"s economic development and one of the priority areas of the "Live in the North!" strategic plan.
"Creating and modernizing airports is more than just an engineering task. It"s a contribution to economic development, tourist attractiveness, and social cohesion. This is work that directly impacts people"s quality of life. Therefore, we will continue the progressive development of Murmansk Airport in the coming years. Work on the second phase is already underway," said Evgeny Yankilevich, CEO of Novaport Holding.
The airport"s route network connects Murmansk with Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Arkhangelsk, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Cherepovets, Nizhny Novgorod, Sochi, and Minsk (Belarus).
For reference:
In 2022, Murmansk Airport handled 1,299,000 passengers. In 2023, this figure increased by 10% to 1,435,000, and in 2024, this figure increased to 1,464,000, exceeding the previous year"s figure by 2.2%. In the first half of 2025, Murmansk Airport handled 702,194 passengers.
The existing Murmansk Airport terminal is a historic building constructed in the 1970s. It remains operational, but after the new terminal opens, it is planned to be reconstructed and reoriented to handle international flights. This will ensure a minimum passenger flow of 240 passengers per hour on international routes (the current checkpoint capacity is 150 passengers per hour). The potential for international inbound tourism, including from China, South Korea, and Belarus, suggests that the airport"s international passenger flow will grow to 300,000 by 2030.
/ Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region /
