Alykel International Airport (Russian: Международный аэропорт Алыкель) (IATA: NSK, ICAO: UOOO) is a large international airport in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located 35 kilometres (22 mi) west of Norilsk. Alykel is the only functional airfield near Norilsk. It handles medium-sized aircraft and is serviced by 24-hour operations. Since it is capable of handling wide-body jets, it is a diversion airport on Polar route 1. Since Norilsk does not have road or railroad connections to the rest of the country, the airport is the main gateway to the city.
It was constructed in 1964, when US reconnaissance satellites reported a new airfield with a 6,000 by 150 foot (1,829 m × 46 m) runway 16 nautical miles (30 km) west of Norilsk. This allowed the use of Norilsk as a staging base for Soviet bombers to reach the United States. This role continues to this day, with caretaker status provided by the Russian Air Force's OGA (Arctic Control Group). Norilsk also was served by interceptor aircraft under the 57 IAP (57th Guards Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO), which in 1991 had 24 Sukhoi Su-15TM aircraft.
The airport received international status on 1 February 2023.
Airlines and destinations
As of August 2025, the airport serves following destinations:
Accidents and incidents
On 16 November 1981, Aeroflot Flight 3603, a Tupolev Tu-154, crashed while attempting to land at Norilsk Airport. Ninety-nine of the 167 passengers and crew on board were killed in the accident.
On 9 January 2024, NordStar Airlines Flight 207, a 737-800, experienced a runway excursion upon landing on runway 19. None of the occupants on board were injured.
Rail link to airport
An electrified rail link Norilsk-Oktyabrskaya - Airport was operated from 1967-11-22 to 1998.
