Mongolia’s Government has announced plans to resume international flights from May, 2021, following a temporary ban since mid February-2020 due to the outbreak of coronavirus. Therefore, international travellers who have taken the approved vaccines against COVID-19 will be allowed to enter Mongolia. Parallel with this decision, the Mongolian Government had work closely with Japan to begin the operation of its new international airport in Khushig Khundii from July. Tokyo’s role has been connected, primarily, with project finance.

The construction of the new Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Tuv Province – to the south of Ulaanbaatar –  is currently 85 percent complete. The government is focusing on undertaking measures to equip the terminal with COVID-19 safe handling for international services, including the installation of glass barriers at check-in counters and establishing temporary isolation rooms.

Government officials have provided assurance that all air services at the old Buyant-Ukhaa site can be moved to the new international airport overnight without any flight delays. Overnight, the name of  ‘Chinggis Khaan International Airport’ will also be transferred from Buyant-Ukhaa to Khushig Khundii. However, it is expected to cost MNT 60.9 billion for re-allocating airlines and MNT 248 billion for stabilising flights services.

Mongolian airlines transported 1.6 million travellers in 2019; this decreased to 440 thousand, mostly workers from the mining sector in 2020. These were internal flights. The only international flights, have been the charters repatriating Mongolian nationals from foreign countries. These flights are ongoing.