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CEKUSCC

Chelyabinsk Airport

Chelyabinsk, RU

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CEKUSCCNormal

Chelyabinsk Airport (Balandino), named for I. V. Kurchatov

Chelyabinsk, Russia · Europe

Chelyabinsk has a usable 2019 domestic terminal and clearly priced lounges, with the tradeoff that international flights still use the older sector and the city link is a bus or taxi.

Airportist Score

5.5/ 10

Mixed

Ease of use6.2
Comfort & amenities5.8
Food & retail4.6
Ground access5.4
Reliability5.0
Lounges5.2

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

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CEKUSCCNormal

Chelyabinsk Airport (Balandino), named for I. V. Kurchatov

Chelyabinsk, Russia · Europe

Chelyabinsk has a usable 2019 domestic terminal and clearly priced lounges, with the tradeoff that international flights still use the older sector and the city link is a bus or taxi.

Airportist Score

5.5/ 10

Mixed

Ease of use6.2
Comfort & amenities5.8
Food & retail4.6
Ground access5.4
Reliability5.0
Lounges5.2

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare CEK with another airport

Fastest to city
Unpublished
Taxi Metar
Cheapest to city
City buses 1, 41, and 45
$ · 40-90 min
Lounges
3
Terminals
Terminal A domestic (2019); older international sector
Passengers / year
2.160 million (2025)

7 photos

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CEKGuide

CEKGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Use the three-hour lounge window

The domestic business lounge will not take you earlier than three hours before departure, and the published business-lounge fare covers three hours.

From 1 January 2026 the same fare is charged again for every further full or partial three hours.

Terminal

Domestic is Terminal A; international is the older sector

Internal flights use the 2019 terminal. International check-in is still in the existing international sector, not a new building.

The VIP entrance is door A1 on the left side of the domestic terminal, by the Kurchatov monument.

Food

Pay for the business lounge if you want a meal included

Both business lounges include food and non-alcoholic drinks. A shower in the business hall is a separate 1,000 RUB.

The individual departing rate from 1 January 2026 is 4,100 RUB from age 12 and 2,050 RUB from age 2 to 12, VAT included.

Status

Read the live board, not a published punctuality rate

The airport does not publish an on-time percentage or a standard security wait.

In January 2026 the operator said 2025 international traffic was up 31.5%, and local reporting described repeated 2025 delays tied to airspace restrictions. Check cekport.ru before you leave.

Live conditions

Right now at CEK

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Domestic departures through the 2019 terminal
A priced business lounge with food included
Drivers who want a printed parking cap

Watch out for

International flights still use the older sector
No airport railway and no published bus fare
No published on-time rate; 2025 had repeated airspace delays
Business-lounge showers cost 1,000 RUB extra

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

6.2

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

5.8

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

4.6

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

5.4

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

5.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

5.2

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

2.160 million (2025)

Terminals

Terminal A domestic (2019); older international sector

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for CEK.

Updated Oct 2, 2026

Civilian international airport at Balandino, about 18 km northeast of Chelyabinsk. The joint-use military field is the separate Chelyabinsk (Shagol) aerodrome.
Operator: AO Chelyabinskoye aviapredpriyatie. Official site cekport.ru. Open 24 hours, UTC+5.
2025 operator total: 2,160,421 passengers, of which 1,912,999 domestic and more than 247,000 international (+31.5%). About 6,300 transit passengers were reported separately.
Domestic flights use Terminal A, opened 26 November 2019 (16,500 m², four jet bridges, about 900 passengers an hour).
International flights still use the existing international sector. A replacement international terminal was not under construction as of 11 September 2026.
Runway 09/27 is 3,200 × 60 m concrete. AIP elevation 235 m. ARP 55°18′21″N 061°30′13″E, centre of the runway.

4 official sources

https://cekport.ru/airport/info/
https://cekport.ru/transport/parking/tariff/
https://cekport.ru/services/comfort/business_russian/
https://eanews.ru/chelyabinsk/20260115105158/passazhiropotok-chelyabinskogo-aeroporta-na-zarubezhnyh-reysah-vyros-na-tret

Full guide

Explore the CEK guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Chelyabinsk Airport and the Chelyabinsk city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Taxi MetarCheapest: City buses 1, 41, and 45
View Getting There
Lounges
3 lounges with access rules, hours, and verdicts.
International business loungeDomestic business loungeVIP lounge
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Forecourt parking P gives 15 minutes free once in each hour. The first hour, including that free window, is 300 RUB. Another entry inside 60 minutes is also 300 RUB.
12 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
6 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Free Wi-FiBusiness lounges
View Amenities
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

🌙4°C / 39°F

Security wait times

Current security wait information is not available for this airport. Check the airport's official website or app before travel.

Official airport site

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Oct 4, 13:11 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.