Azerbaijan transit flights surge fivefold in four years to over 260,000 annually, deputy minister says
Why It MattersAzerbaijan's expanding transit role and new cargo infrastructure reinforce the Middle Corridor as an alternative air route linking Europe and Asia amid regional airspace disruptions.
Transit flights through Azerbaijan's airspace have grown more than fivefold over four years, exceeding 260,000 flights per year, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Hasanov said at the German-Azerbaijani Strategic Partnership and Connectivity Conference 2026. He said Azerbaijan has kept its airspace open and safe despite closures and restrictions along northern and southern routes caused by ongoing conflicts, positioning the country as a key link in the Middle Corridor's air transport dimension, with the transit traffic including numerous Europe-Asia flights, among them services from German airports.
On passenger connectivity, Hasanov noted 10 direct flights operate between Baku and Germany, with AZAL flying to Berlin and Lufthansa operating a daily service to Frankfurt, a route he described as having room for further growth.
For cargo, Hasanov highlighted Baku-headquartered Silk Way West Airlines as one of Europe's largest commercial cargo carriers, transporting more than 500,000 tons of cargo annually, with more than 15% of air cargo moved between China and Germany carried by Silk Way Airlines. He also announced a new cargo airport under construction in the Alat Free Economic Zone, adjacent to Baku Port, which will add annual cargo capacity of one million tons, concentrating sea, rail, road and air freight handling at a single location.
