Aeroflot is one of the most historically significant airlines in the world. Founded in 1923, the Russian flag carrier has existed through the Soviet era, the collapse of the USSR, and the transformation of Russian aviation in the decades that followed.
For aviation enthusiasts, Aeroflot is particularly fascinating because its history connects two very different worlds of aviation. For much of the 20th century, its fleet consisted almost entirely of Soviet-designed aircraft from manufacturers such as Ilyushin, Tupolev, Antonov and Yakovlev. Later, Aeroflot transformed itself into a modern international carrier operating aircraft from Airbus, Boeing and Sukhoi.
I had the opportunity to fly with Aeroflot several times between 2014 and 2019, and those flights gave me a surprisingly varied collection of aircraft, including one type that has become particularly special to me: the Ilyushin Il-96.
My First Aeroflot Experience, Brussels to Moscow
My first Aeroflot flight was on 14 March 2014, when I flew from Brussels (BRU) to Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO).
The aircraft was an Airbus A320, VP-BZQ, and the flight lasted approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes.
It was my introduction not only to Aeroflot but also to Sheremetyevo, the airline’s enormous hub on the outskirts of Moscow.
But the real reason this trip became memorable came the following day.
Flying the Ilyushin Il-96
On 15 March 2014, I flew from Moscow Sheremetyevo to Istanbul Atatürk Airport aboard Ilyushin Il-96 RA-96007.
And one flight wasn’t enough.
The following day, 16 March, I flew the same aircraft, RA-96007, from Istanbul back to Moscow.
For an aviation enthusiast, these were easily the highlights of my Aeroflot flying experience.
The four-engined Il-96 was one of the last Soviet-designed long-haul passenger aircraft and represented a very different era of commercial aviation. Seeing four engines beneath the wings and knowing that I was travelling aboard a relatively rare Russian widebody made these short Moscow to Istanbul flights much more interesting than the route itself might suggest.
Today, having flown the Il-96 twice, and both times on RA-96007, is something I particularly appreciate in my flight log.
After returning to Moscow, I continued back to Brussels on another Airbus A320, VP-BWM, completing an unusual weekend that had given me two flights aboard the Il-96.
Across the Atlantic with Aeroflot
My next major Aeroflot experience came in February 2016.
On 22 February 2016, I flew SU101 from New York JFK to Moscow Sheremetyevo.
This time the aircraft was an Airbus A330-300, registration VQ-BQX.
The scheduled flight time was around 8 hours and 55 minutes, giving me the opportunity to experience Aeroflot on a proper long-haul service rather than the shorter European and regional flights I had previously taken.
Flying from New York to Moscow was also an interesting reminder of Aeroflot’s international reach at the time. Sheremetyevo functioned as a major connecting hub between Europe, North America and destinations farther east.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100
The next morning brought another interesting aircraft type.
On 23 February 2016, I flew SU2034 from Moscow to Bucharest, operated by Sukhoi Superjet 100 RA-89047.
After experiencing the enormous four-engined Il-96 and the long-haul Airbus A330, the Superjet represented another side of Russian aviation.
The SSJ100 was designed as a modern Russian regional jet and became an important part of Aeroflot’s short-haul fleet. For me, flying it added yet another aircraft type to an already unusually diverse collection of Aeroflot flights.
Back to Aeroflot in 2019
I returned to Aeroflot in September 2019 for a journey toward Central Asia.
On 12 September 2019, I flew SU2169 from Brussels to Moscow Sheremetyevo aboard Boeing 737-800 VQ-BHR. The flight took approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes.
Later that day, I continued from Moscow to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on SU1882.
This sector was operated by Airbus A321 VP-BFK and lasted approximately 4 hours and 10 minutes, arriving at Bishkek’s Manas Airport in the early hours of the following morning.
It was a good example of the role Moscow played in Aeroflot’s network. From Western Europe, Sheremetyevo provided connections deep into Central Asia and across the former Soviet Union.
My Aeroflot Flights
| Date | Flight | Route | Aircraft | Registration | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2014 | SU | Brussels to Moscow SVO | Airbus A320 | VP-BZQ | 3h15 |
| 15 Mar 2014 | SU | Moscow SVO to Istanbul Atatürk | Ilyushin Il-96 | RA-96007 | 2h39 |
| 16 Mar 2014 | SU | Istanbul Atatürk to Moscow SVO | Ilyushin Il-96 | RA-96007 | 2h39 |
| 16 Mar 2014 | SU | Moscow SVO to Brussels | Airbus A320 | VP-BWM | 3h15 |
| 22 Feb 2016 | SU101 | New York JFK to Moscow SVO | Airbus A330-300 | VQ-BQX | 8h55 |
| 23 Feb 2016 | SU2034 | Moscow SVO to Bucharest | Sukhoi Superjet 100 | RA-89047 | 3h20 |
| 12 Sep 2019 | SU2169 | Brussels to Moscow SVO | Boeing 737-800 | VQ-BHR | 3h25 |
| 12 Sep 2019 | SU1882 | Moscow SVO to Bishkek | Airbus A321 | VP-BFK | 4h10 |
Across these eight flights, I experienced six different aircraft types:
Airbus A320 • Airbus A321 • Airbus A330-300 • Boeing 737-800 • Sukhoi Superjet 100 • Ilyushin Il-96
That variety is what makes Aeroflot stand out in my personal flight history.
Aeroflot Today
Aeroflot’s situation today is very different from when I flew with the airline between 2014 and 2019. Changes in international relations, sanctions and restrictions have significantly altered Aeroflot’s international network and operations.
As a result, the Aeroflot network that existed during my trips, when flying Brussels to Moscow or New York to Moscow was perfectly normal, belongs to a different period in European aviation.
For me, however, Aeroflot remains an interesting part of my personal aviation history.
I experienced the airline on everything from the regional Sukhoi Superjet 100 to the long-haul Airbus A330, while using Moscow as a gateway between Brussels, New York, Istanbul, Bucharest and Bishkek.
But one aircraft stands above all the others.
RA-96007, the Ilyushin Il-96.
Flying the same four-engined Russian widebody from Moscow to Istanbul and back in March 2014 remains my most memorable Aeroflot experience and a particularly special entry in my flight log.