Flights to Russia

Highlights of Russia

Russia is the world's biggest country, even after its total area was considerably reduced following the end of the Cold War in 1991; it is still so large that it takes up well over a tenth of the world's total land mass. Straddling two continents, it is almost 100 times the size of Great Britain, and is nearly twice the size of the world's second largest country, Canada. Another indicator of its sheer size can be had from the fact that it has a mind-boggling 11 time zones. Russia is still somewhat a mystery to most. A really exciting vacation destination, Russia still manages to convey to the world that they are a 'straight-laced', 'all joking aside' nation. St. Petersburg, the ancient capital of Russia, is a must-see city. Peter the Great built it on a swamp and all of Russia was laughing behind their hands. But this forward thinking tsar knew what he was doing and St. Petersburg is now often referred to as 'the window to the west'. St. Petersburg is riddled with a network of romantic canals, a suitable backdrop for the neoclassical and baroque architecture here. Novgorod is one of the country's gems. Tree-lined streets, old churches and a peaceful ambiance, combined with its proximity to the Russian countryside and its sociable residents make this a welcome break from the rush of most vacations. And then there is Moscow! Walk through Red Square, viewing its awe-inspiring capital, and frequent the amazing number of museums, shops, restaurants and clubs. The Trans-Siberian Railway offers the opportunity to traverse all or part of the more than 5,000 miles of track. What a way to see the country!

Getting to Russia

Getting cheap flights to Russia is never an issue, since the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) lists well over a hundred airports in this country. Among these, the country's capital, Moscow, has four well-built, well-equipped modern airports. From here, you can connect to just about every place, large or small, within the country, through any of the 117 carriers that operate here.

Airports

Russia, due to its extreme size, is best divided into areas for traveling. Rather than looking for an airport to fly to, concentrate on where you would like to start your Russian adventure, and then locate an airport. Moscow alone has four international airports and is considered the most centralized location. Far eastern Russia has one, Vladivostok International Airport in the city of the same name. Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg and Talagi Airport in Arkhangelsk are international airports in the Northwestern area of the country. The Siberian area has Irkutsk International and Ulan-Ude Airport, both international airports in their namesake cities. The Southern area of the country has Sochi International in the city of Sochi and the Urals have Koltsovo International in Yekaterinburg and Roschino International in Tyumen. Careful pre-planning is so important when traveling to Russia. You could probably spend a month in Moscow alone, and not see everything!

Airlines

Cheap flights to Russia can be had from over 2600 flights that operate on a weekly basis and have nearly 300, 000 seats between them. The choices are so endless that you may be overwhelmed by the pure magnitude. In this event, you might want to enlist the help of a travel agent. At the least, frequent travel blogs for Russia. Depend upon people that have traveled here to tell you how to obtain the cheapest fares and be able to see everything that you want to see.

More Money-Saving Tips

Tours are probably going to be your best bet to save the most amount of money, as well as to aid you in the decision on what sites to see while in Russia. Tours will have specific destinations and are mostly all-inclusive, which means your lodging, at least one meal a day, your transportation costs and any fees for entrance into sites along the way will be included in the total cost. A guide that speaks your own language is invaluable!

In Closing

Russia cannot be seen in one or even two trips...it is just too big! Once you've been here, you will most likely want to go back. Its development since the cold war has been amazing and its people are proud to show their Russian to you!