When is the Cheapest Time to Fly to Baku?
The best time to visit Baku is during the spring and early autumn when the weather is warm, dry and pleasant. Flights to Baku are cheapest in April and November as well as in August when the capital can get uncomfortably hot. January sees a spike in both the demand for and cost of Baku flights as people flock to Azerbaijan for the ski season.
When is the Best Time to Book your Flight to Baku?
Last-minute flights are available throughout the year; otherwise, the sweet spot for finding cheap flights to Baku is around two months prior to travel. Avoid travelling on Fridays or Mondays to benefit from lower travel costs. Late spring to early summer and again in the snow-sports season are when Baku flights are most in demand, so plan ahead if you want to travel at this time.
Flying to Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport GYD
Situated 20 km northeast of the city centre, Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) came fourth in the 2017 Skytrax ‘World Airports Awards’ for its category. There are no direct flights from the United Kingdom (UK) to Baku presently, but you can compare return flights, indirect and last-minute flights from top airlines, such as Aeroflot (stopover in Moscow), Lufthansa (stopover in Frankfurt), Qatar Airways (stopover in Doha), Turkish Airlines (stopover in Istanbul) and Ukraine International (stopover in Kiev). Check-in at London City, London Gatwick and London Heathrow. Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa offer UK-Baku flights from Birmingham, while Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Qatar Airlines offer return flights from Manchester. Turkish Airlines also flies from Edinburgh. Compare flights to Baku with Netflights to find the best route and rate for you.
On Arrival and Getting Around the Airport
There are two terminals at Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport: the International Terminal 1 and Domestic Terminal 2. The 2010 Terminal 1 has four levels, a tricorn shape, a semi-transparent roof and an interior featuring oak-veneer 'cocoons'. Since it’s a relatively small airport, it’s easy to navigate on foot, and thanks to its modern design and good facilities, it is a pleasant airport to visit.
Getting to the City Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport GYD
You can travel from GYD to the city centre with a dedicated shuttle service called the Aero Express. This operates 24 hours a day every 30 minutes during the day and every hour at night. The shuttle bus’s final stop is the metro station called 28 May, which is connected to three of the city’s four metro lines and is located near the main, national railway station of Baku, Bakı Dəmir Yolu Vağzalı. Tickets are available from ticket machines and the bus driver. The journey to the city centre takes between 30 and 40 minutes. Taxis are also available from outside the arrivals hall.
Why visit Baku?
Take a bit of the glitz of Dubai, mix it with proud European edifices and tree-lined avenues and a bit of Soviet-style grit, then put it next to the waves of the Caspian Sea: Baku. Its UNESCO-protected Old City is a maze of captivating, ancient sites, like the Maiden’s Tower, once a fire beacon, Zoroastrian temple and astronomical observatory. On the other hand, the brazen Flame Towers and beautifully fluid Heydar Әliyev Cultural Centre are symbols of the city’s bright future.
The Baku Boulevard is the place for a seaside stroll or people-watching from a waterside cafe. Fountains Square, a leafy piazza full of bars and restaurants, is another natural gathering spot in the city. Don’t miss the Yarat Contemporary Art Centre for a taste of local, modern art or ‘one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture’, the 15th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs for a trip back through time.
Don't Forget Before you Fly
Travellers entering Azerbaijan on a British passport need a visa. The process was simplified in 2017. You can now apply online via the Asan Visa website or obtain one via the Azerbaijan Embassy-affiliated Visa Service Centre in the UK. Visas should be obtained at least one month prior to travel and are valid for a single entry and up to a 30-day period. The Azerbaijani manat is available at currency exchanges in the airport.
