If you have booked flights to Asia, Russian airspace may be part of why the trip takes as long as it does, and on Oct. 27 the Financial Times, quoting unnamed people familiar with the matter, reported that reopening that airspace to US airlines has come up in talks to end the war in Ukraine. The idea is early, but it is worth understanding before you assume your next ticket will get shorter or cheaper.
Where it stands: It is a reported idea, not a change you can book. “Nothing is finalised,” a US official told the paper, and Washington has said more than once that none of these projects would begin before the fighting stops. Moscow did not comment. As of October 28, no airline had announced a schedule change, and other outlets had not confirmed the airspace item.
Why are some flights to Asia longer?
Because US airlines cannot cross Russia, the world’s largest country, which sits between much of North America and much of Asia. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the US banned Russian planes and Russia closed its skies to Western airlines in return.
Stars and Stripes reported at the time that Western airlines would “have to fly longer routes” to some destinations normally reached over the Russian polar region. The Points Guy noted that avoiding Russia “can add considerable flying time” on many Asia-North America routes. United suspended two India routes within days of the invasion.
How much longer depends on the route, and US airlines have not published current figures for specific trips. One data point comes from the other direction: China Eastern Airlines told US regulators in 2025 that a forced detour around Russia would add up to three hours on some of its most important routes.
Which flights to Asia still use Russian airspace?
Some foreign airlines’ flights do. Business Insider reported that dozens of carriers, mostly from Asia and the Middle East, still overfly Russia, including Air India and Emirates on US routes. Washington has not barred foreign carriers from Russian skies, Reuters reported, with one exception: under a 2023 understanding, Chinese flights to the US approved after that point must go around.
| Who flies it | Crosses Russia? |
|---|---|
| US airlines (United, Delta, American) | No, since 2022 |
| Air India, Emirates on US routes | Yes, per Business Insider |
| Older Chinese airline US flights | Some do |
| Chinese flights added since 2023 | No, under a US-China deal |
For travelers this means two flights between the same pair of cities can have different flight times depending on which airline operates them.
Would ending Russian airspace detours on flights to Asia cut fares?
Nobody knows. No sourced estimate of fare savings exists, so treat any number you see with care. The FT said overflights “would significantly reduce fuel costs” for US airlines. Lower costs do not automatically become lower ticket prices.
Fuel prices are weighing on fares right now, according to airline executives. The US Energy Information Administration says jet fuel and diesel prices rose much more than gasoline after Middle East supply disruptions this year. CNBC reported in October that Delta CEO Ed Bastian said fares “appear to be rising further as fuel prices stay high,” and that jet fuel is airlines’ second-largest cost after labor.
There is one clue about competition. Fox Business, citing Reuters, wrote that Chinese airlines’ use of the Russian shortcut lets them offer faster and cheaper flights on key routes. Whether that gap would narrow if US airlines regained the same path is not known.
Why does the China route fight matter to travelers?
Because it limits how many seats exist. According to a September 2026 Reuters story, each country is allowed only about 50 round-trip flights a week on US-China routes. US airlines argue that Chinese carriers’ access to Russian skies gives them a cost edge, and their trade group, Airlines for America, has opposed Air China’s request for extra US flights on those grounds.
In 2025 the Transportation Department proposed barring several Chinese airlines from Russian airspace on US routes, but, according to Airways Magazine in September 2026, no final order had been issued. No published analysis cited here measures how the flight cap affects individual fares.
What would have to happen before routes change?
A peace deal comes first, by Washington’s own account. Then Russia would have to let US carriers back into its skies, and airlines would have to rebuild schedules around the new routings.
None of that has started. No Ukraine peace agreement had been reached as of October 28, and the FT did not report any timetable.
What can travelers do now?
Plan around today’s routes, not a possible future one. A few practical steps:
- Compare total travel time, not just price. A nonstop and a one-stop trip on a different airline can differ more than you expect, in either direction.
- Check which airline actually operates the flight, since routings differ by carrier.
- Track fares rather than waiting for a policy change. Our guide to the Google Flights price tracker explains how.
- Book ahead when you can. See why booking six to eight weeks out often helps.
Fuel costs touch more than airfare. For the same story at the pump, see whether Russia deals would lower gas prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my flight to Asia longer than it used to be?
If you fly a US airline to parts of Asia, it may be routing around Russia. Russian airspace has been closed to US carriers since 2022, and avoiding it can add considerable flying time on some routes between North America and Asia.
Do any airlines fly over Russia between the US and Asia?
Yes. Reporting has named Air India and Emirates, and some older Chinese airline flights to the US still cross Russia. Newer Chinese flights approved since 2023 must avoid it.
Will flights to Asia get cheaper if Russian airspace reopens?
No one has published a sourced estimate. The FT said overflights would significantly reduce fuel costs for US airlines, but fares depend on many things, and no deal has been agreed.
When could US airlines use Russian airspace again?
No date exists. The idea surfaced in reporting on Ukraine peace talks, and Washington links any such project to the fighting stopping first.
Sources
- Washington discusses Russian deals for US oil majors in Ukraine peace talks — Financial Times, October 27, 2026
- FAA bars Russian aircraft from US airspace — Stars and Stripes, March 2, 2022
- United Airlines ends its use of Russian airspace, suspends two India routes — The Points Guy, March 1, 2022
- More than 55 global airlines still fly over Russia, including to and from the US: ‘a crisis in the making’ — Business Insider (via Yahoo News UK), 2023
- Chinese carriers oppose US’s Russia airspace ban — ch-aviation, October 20, 2025
- Chinese airlines face proposed ban over ‘unfair’ Russian airspace advantage — Fox Business, October 10, 2025
- Delta Air Lines Q3 2026 earnings — CNBC, October 9, 2026
- Crude oil and petroleum product prices increased sharply in the first quarter of 2026 — U.S. Energy Information Administration, April 7, 2026
- A4A Opposes Extra Air China Flights As Xi Visit Nears — AirlineGeeks, September 21, 2026
- U.S. Airlines Oppose Extra Air China Flights Over Russian Airspace — Airways Magazine, September 19, 2026
- US airlines oppose China’s bid to add more flights — The Jakarta Post (Reuters), September 25, 2026
This article is general consumer information, not financial advice. Fuel prices and policy are changing week to week; figures are as reported by the sources cited on the dates shown.
