Last Thursday, United Airlines (UAL) operated its first flight on the Narita–Ulaanbaatar route. Previously, 81% of flights on this route were operated by MIAT and 19% by Aero Mongolia.

 ✈️ 5 Domestic, 18 Foreign

Currently, 5 domestic and 18 foreign airlines, including United Airlines, operate flights through Mongolian airspace. In 2019, only 8 foreign airlines were flying to Mongolia. Notably, the majority of foreign airlines flying to Mongolia are from South Korea (8), Russia (4), and China (3).

• 🌇 This summer, airlines from these 3 countries, plus Turkish and Thai carriers, are planning to operate a total of 10,116 flights to 22 destinations.

 💹 Air Transport Market

Since the pandemic ended in 2022, Mongolia’s air transport market has expanded rapidly. For example, in 2023, the number of international flight passengers rose 2.8 times compared to 2022, reaching 1.7 million. Of these, 61.5% traveled with domestic airlines. As a result, domestic air carriers recorded revenue exceeding ₮1 trillion for the first time in 2024.

🤼 Key Players

Domestic airlines continue to dominate Mongolia’s aviation market. Three local carriers account for 69% of the market, while nine foreign airlines make up the remaining 31%. As of last March, MIAT TJSC alone held 51% of the market. Hunnu Air, Aero Mongolia, Air China (601111.SS), and Korean Air (003490.KS) each held 9%.

• 💡 Interestingly, if counting the merged share of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, their combined presence in Mongolia’s market would reach 12%.

Finally… $UAL will operate flights on the Ulaanbaatar–Narita route 3 times a week. A meaningful expansion of the skies for landlocked Mongolia.