Kharkiv is served by Kharkiv International Airport (HRK), formerly one of Ukraine's largest and busiest airports. Due to the ongoing war following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, all Ukrainian airspace is closed to civilian traffic. The airport has suffered severe damage and is completely non-operational for commercial flights into HRK.
Historically, before the war, Kharkiv was a major aviation hub in eastern Ukraine. It offered extensive domestic flights from Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities into HRK, and a wide network of international routes from destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Turkey to Kharkiv, including Istanbul, Warsaw, Vienna, and Tel Aviv.
Prior to 2022, the airport was served by Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), Windrose Airlines, and several European carriers like LOT Polish Airlines and Austrian Airlines flying into HRK. Low-cost carriers such as Wizz Air also had a significant presence in Kharkiv. All operations into HRK are currently suspended, and the infrastructure is damaged.
Critical Current Status: Finding commercial flights to Kharkiv is currently impossible. The city and airport have been a major battleground, and air travel into HRK is suspended indefinitely due to destruction and extreme safety risks. Travel to the region is strongly discouraged by all governments. When peace is restored, the airport will require massive reconstruction. Future booking advice for Kharkiv would involve checking for new routes on Ukrainian and European carriers into HRK, likely connecting through Kyiv or international hubs like Warsaw or Istanbul. For now, this information is for historical and future reference only when considering flights to Kharkiv.