Airport taxi desk (ground floor) · About 45–90 min to central Moscow depending on traffic (estimate)
Where they are
One map, pinned from each airport’s published coordinates.
Category scores
Overall is the published weighted sum. A highlighted score is ahead; a tie stays plain.
Ease of use
25% · Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
DME7.0+1.0
ZIA6.0
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
DME7.0+2.5
ZIA4.5
Food & retail
Best for
DME
S7 / Ural domestic connectionsAeroexpress to PaveletskayaPaid Horizon lounge on an international wait
Watch out for
DME
EU / UK / US scheduled passenger flights still suspendedDomestic and international are not an airside walkUnified e-visa is not available to UK, US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passports
Amenities and tips
DME
Free Wi-Fi (DME_free)Aeroexpress to PaveletskayaHorizon / Radius walk-in loungesAtrium chains
DME · Moscow’s southern hub: one roof, T2 check-in, an Aeroexpress to Paveletskaya, and Russian lounge passes — not Priority Pass.
ZIA · Zhukovsky is a compact single-terminal airport with mostly international flights to Central Asia, the Caucasus, Turkey and Israel, but it has no direct rail link, long passport queues at busy times and frequent drone-alert restrictions.
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
DME6.6+2.1
ZIA4.5
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
DME7.6+3.6
ZIA4.0
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
DME6.0+1.5
ZIA4.5
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
DME7.4+2.9
ZIA4.5
ZIA
Direct flights from Moscow to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and KyrgyzstanTravellers living in south-eastern Moscow or Moscow OblastPassengers who want a small terminal with short walks
ZIA
Frequent short-notice restrictions during drone alerts over MoscowNo direct rail link: bus 441 or a train plus shuttle busLong passport-control queues when several international flights arrive together
P6 long-stay parking
Duty & Shops gallery D
International 2–3 hours, desks close at 40 minutes
Build the operator window, not a 90-minute dash.
Check in on T2 floor 1 — then split
One roof. After bag drop, international stays in T2; domestic walks to T1 gallery D.
Atrium food is landside — McDonald’s, KFC, Cinnabon
Eat before security if you want the obvious chains.
ZIA
Pay-in business loungeCafés in international departuresSky Duty Free and shopsMother-and-child roomsFree assistance for reduced mobilityBus 441 to Kotelniki metro
Allow extra time at the entrance and passport control
Screening starts at the terminal door; check-in closes 40 minutes before departure.
One small terminal on two floors
Check-in downstairs; lounge and departure zones upstairs.
Most choice is in international departures
Plov, Shokoladnitsa, a pub and coffee bars airside for international flights.
