| Heydar Aliyev International Airport | |
| Iata: | GYD |
| Icao: | UBBB |
| Pushpin Map: | Azerbaijan#Caucasus mountains#Eurasia |
| Pushpin Label: | GYD/UBBB |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Azerbaijan |
| Image2-Width: | 250 |
| Type: | Public |
| Owner: | Government of Azerbaijan |
| Operator: | Azerbaijan Airlines |
| City-Served: | Baku |
| Location: | Baku, Azerbaijan |
| Opened: | 1933[1] |
| Hub: | |
| Metric-Elev: | yes |
| Elevation-M: | 3 |
| Elevation-F: | 10 |
| Coordinates: | 40.4675°N 50.0467°W |
| Website: | airport.az |
| Image Map Caption: | Site map of Baku Airport |
| Metric-Rwy: | yes |
| R1-Number: | 16/34 |
| R1-Length-M: | 4,000 |
| R1-Length-F: | 13,107 |
| R1-Surface: | Asphalt/concrete |
| R2-Number: | 17/35 |
| R2-Length-M: | 3,200 |
| R2-Length-F: | 10,499 |
| R2-Surface: | Asphalt/concrete |
| Stat-Year: | 2024 |
| Stat1-Header: | Passengers |
| Stat1-Data: | 7,537,000 |
| Stat2-Header: | Passenger change |
| Stat2-Data: | 31.0% |
| Footnotes: | Source: Azernews.az [2] Azerbaijani AIP at EUROCONTROL,[3] ACI 2014 World Airport Traffic Report |
Heydar Aliyev International Airport (az|Heydar Aliyev adına Beynəlxalq Hava Limanı; IATA: GYD, ICAO: UBBB) is one of the seven international airports serving Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the busiest airport both in Azerbaijan and in the South Caucasus as well as one of the busiest in the post-Soviet countries. Formerly, it was called Bina International Airport, after a suburb of the Azerbaijani capital Baku. The airport is 20 kilometers northeast of Baku, connected to the city by Baku Airport Highway. It serves as the hub for national carrier Azerbaijan Airlines as well as for Azal Avia Cargo and Silk Way West Airlines.
Baku Airport began its operations in 1933, when the first flight to Moscow through the Caucasus Mountains took place. The Baku-Moscow flight route was established 4 years later in 1937, and commenced its operations to carry 15 passengers daily. A year later in 1938, Baku-Rostov and Baku-Grozny flights were introduced as well. After World War II, flights to Ashgabat would be introduced to the public. In 1955, a multi seat Ilyushin Il-14 plane would serve as a new addition to aircraft of the airport, and on 20 June, 1959, first flight of aircraft type Ilyushin Il-18 would take place on Baku-Moscow route. On 9 February 1964, a new passenger terminal complex was opened and put into operation at Baku Airport.[4] [5]
On 31 August 1990, Baku Airport gained international status and opened up for flights outside of the Soviet Union, which would dissolve a year later in 1991. In October 1997, the presentation of a New Passenger Terminal was held, which was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. The newly opened terminal would soon be known as Terminal 2. A year later in 1998, a new runway of Baku airport would be opened. The New Passenger Terminal complex was put into operation in 1999. Its ceremony was attended by Heydar Aliyev, and President of Turkey Suleyman Demirel. The same year, a new Air Traffic Control (ATC) center of Baku Airport was put into operation, and the new Aviation Petrol Complex (TC1) would commence its operations as well.
On 10 March 2004, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the airport was renamed after Heydar Aliyev, the long-standing Soviet party boss in the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and later president of Azerbaijan. On 7 May 2004, a new passenger terminal for domestic flights at Heydar Aliyev International Airport was put into operation. Currently, it serves as a major hub for domestic flights within the country, flying to cities such as Ganja and Nakhchivan. In March of 2005, Baku Cargo Terminal (BCT) was opened. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev would attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a new terminal building at the airport on 17 March 2011, and review the progress of construction later the same year in December. On 20 April 2012, a new runway at the airport would be opened. Opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and would get acquainted with the reconstruction and construction works at existing air terminal complex. A new hangar complex of 'Silk Way Technics' and the International Logistics Centre opened on 6 May 2013.. Ilham Aliyev would observe and review two new Airbus A340-500 passenger liners. In October the same year, new building of the main air traffic control center of the “AZANS” Air Traffic Department under the Azerbaijan Airlines Closed Joint-Stock Company was held.
The opening of Terminal 1 of the Heydar Aliyev International Airport was held on 23 April 2014. The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and members of his family attended this ceremony. The first flight from Terminal 1 took place the same day, with the plane departing for Istanbul (Sabiha). The airport would gain a direct link to North America when Azerbaijan Airlines began flying to New York City in September 2014.[6] In November of 2014, the airport would receive Skytrax "4 STAR" rank. The airport would receive the rank once again on 24 December 2016.
The opening ceremony of the Azerbaijan Efficiency, Strategy, and Development Center (ASEC) took place at Heydar Aliyev International Airport on 8 November 2018. In March, the airport would be recognized as the "Best Airport of the Countries of CIS." The airport was named the "Best Airport among Airports in Russia and the CIS Countries" for the second time at Skytrax World Airport Awards 2018. On 7 May 2018, Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded a 5-star Regional Airport title by Skytrax.
On 11 May 2020, Heydar Aliyev International Airport's status of the "Best Airport among Airports in Russia and the CIS Countries" was confirmed and assigned by Skytrax. On 12 April 2021, the airport would receive the highest rating for safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Heydar Aliyev International Airport would top the ranking of the best airports in Central Asia and the CIS for the fifth time in a row according to Skytrax World Airport Awards 2022. It would win an award for the "Best Airport Staff in Central Asia and the CIS" the same year. On 16 March 2023, the airport would be recognized as the “Best Regional Airport in Central Asia and the CIS” for the second time in a row. It would also win the “Best Airport Staff in Central Asia and the CIS” category as well.[7]
On 26 October 2023, Heydar Aliyev International Airport made history and officially become the first airport in the world to completely switch to cloud technologies. April 2024 saw the airport once again win the prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024. It won the “Best Airport in Central Asia and the CIS” and “Best Airport Staff in Central Asia and the CIS" categories. On 19 April 2024, the airport would join the ranks of Airports Council International (ACI Europe), the only global organization of airport operators.[8] [9]
The airport consists of two passenger terminals, Terminal 1 being the newer one, and two cargo terminals.
Terminal 1 was commissioned in April 2014. Its total area is 65000m2. The terminal is designed for 6 million passengers per year. It currently serves up to 3 million passengers annually. The total parking area is 20000m2 for 600 vehicles. The airport has a wide range of shops, restaurants, cafés, and duty-free stores in both the departures and arrivals areas. Terminal 1 contains five lounges and a spa.[10] Terminal 1 operates jet bridges capable of receiving 12 aircraft simultaneously. Two jet bridges are intended for accommodating the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380.
Terminal 1’s four-level engineering concept was developed in 2010 by Arup Group with a tricorn shape and semi-transparent roof. The interior, designed by Turkish company AUTOBAN, has a series of oak-veneer “cocoons”.[11]
Architect Viktor Denisov is the author of the project of Terminal 2, which currently serves both domestic flights (South entrance) and international flights of low-cost airlines (North entrance). The project was awarded the first prize in a competition in 1981 and was implemented in 1989.
The cargo terminal was opened on March 23, 2005. The terminal building houses companies such as Silk Way Airlines, Imair Air Company, Euroasian Air Services, Lufthansa Cargo and Panalpina. The terminal claims to be able to serve nine Boeing 747, Antonov An-124 fifteen Ilyushin Il-76 or two Boeing 777 - type aircraft simultaneously.[12]
The airport has two near-parallel runways; Runway 16/34 is NaNNaN, while runway 17/35 is NaNNaN.[13]
| Passengers | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2016[14] | 3,260,000 | |
| 2017[15] | 4,060,000 | |
| 2018[16] | 4,430,000 | |
| 2019[17] | 4,730,000 | |
| 2020[18] | 1,030,700 | |
| 2021[19] | 3,000,000 | |
| 2022[20] | 4,400,000 | |
| 2023[21] | 5,700,000 | |
| 2024[22] | 7,537,000 |
BakuBus H1 buses run 24 hours a day from 28 May Metro Station to Baku Airport. The traffic interval is 30 minutes in the afternoon and hourly at night. The airport is reached from Baku (and back) by private taxi in about 20 minutes.
The airport can be reached by car from the capital either on the airport highway via Heydar Aliyev Avenue, or on Zikh highway via Nobel Avenue. Parking is available in lots at each terminal, with a total capacity of 1,600 vehicles.
Baku International Airport will be eventually linked by Azerbaijan Railways to the Baku Suburban Railway.
Westward of Baku Metro stations are able for fast Transfer to Baku Suburban Railway at 28 May and Jafar Jabbarli Metro Stations.
Also Eastward Stations on Koroglu and future Bakikhanov as well as M-11 stations.
Boyuk Shor Highway, is a highway in Baku, Azerbaijan. It begins at the Koroglu Metro station at the intersection of Heydar Aliyev Avenue with the Darnagul Highway. It continues east towards to the Airport and as well as to the Mardakan. The alternative road is Zikh, Baku Airport Highway.