Yerevan Airport (EVN) Flights & Flight Status

Despite having a rich and ancient history, a delicious cuisine, a lively arts scene and breathtaking natural landscapes, Armenia remains a woefully under-visited destination. Make the journey, though, and you’ll come away feeling like you’ve unearthed a closely guarded secret.

In all likelihood, your gateway to Armenia will be Zvartnots International Airport (EVN), just outside Yerevan, the national capital – it’s often called Yerevan Airport. Zvartnots is a relatively small airport, with just a single terminal and 6 gates.

Zvartnots originally opened in 1961 but got a major makeover in 2011, complete with a sleek new terminal with glass panels in red, blue and yellow – the colors of the Armenian flag. Zvartnots mostly handles flights from Europe and the Middle East, with Moscow being the most common destination by far. Western European destinations include Vienna, Paris and Rome.

Getting to and from EVN by public transportation

Zvartnots International Airport is located on the southwestern edge of Yerevan, only 7 miles from downtown. To get to or from the airport using public transportation, you can catch the N201 Elitebus express bus, which runs between EVN and the city center. At the airport, board the bus outside the arrivals hall.

In the city, the bus stops at Missak Manouchian Park, France Square and Yeritasardakan. The bus runs every half hour from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm and every 45 minutes overnight – the ride takes about 20 minutes. You’ll need some Armenian drams on you as you have to pay in cash, but the fare is exceptionally inexpensive.

Getting to and from the airport by taxi

Your other option is to get a taxi. The journey time is roughly the same as the bus, but the fare will cost you about 10 times as much. Rest assured, though, if you’re a traveler who’s used to US or Western European prices, it’s still super cheap – if you don’t want to deal with figuring out how to get to your hotel after the bus drops you off, a taxi is worth it.

Inside the Zvartnots arrivals hall you’ll find a Yandex taxi kiosk where you can reserve a cab. Yandex is the airport’s official taxi partner, so you won’t have to worry about any dodgy deals here. If you want to keep things green, book an Eco Taxi on the first floor of the arrivals hall. The company runs a completely electric fleet and offers clear pricing.

Outside the airport are independent taxi drivers. A bit bleary-eyed after a latenight arrival, I accidentally stumbled into their world on my first visit to Yerevan and had to do my best to haggle down their quoted prices. It wasn’t ideal, but even if your bargaining skills are as bad as mine, these taxis still won’t bust your budget.

Airport services

Before I flew into Yerevan, I was mildly apprehensive about the airport facilities since Armenia isn’t a common tourist destination. And while Zvartnots is by no means a flashy airport, you’ll find all the essential services you need to get started on your trip.

The first floor of the arrivals hall has 24-hour banks and ATMs where you can exchange money or take out Armenian drams. There’s also a trio of cell service providers that will set you up with local phone service if desired.

If you’re going to be in and out of Yerevan quickly, you can make use of the Zvartnots luggage storage service, also on the arrivals hall first floor. The fee is modest and the airport will hold bags for up to 24 hours.

Hopefully you’ll be sticking around in this fascinating country a bit longer, though. If you are, and if you need help with planning, the tour company Hyur Service has an outlet in the arrivals area. It can arrange hotels, transportation and both group and private tours to monasteries, wineries, the sprawling Lake Sevan and other popular sites.

Lounges

There are just 2 lounges at Yerevan Airport: the Business Lounge and the VIP Lounge. Located on the fourth floor of the departures hall, the Business Lounge only serves departing passengers, but it’s open 24 hours. All passengers traveling in business class have access to the lounge. You’ll also gain entry if you’re a member of Priority Pass, LoungeKey or DragonPass, or if you have a Diners Club International card.

If you don’t tick any of those boxes, you can purchase a pass for 3 hours of entry either on the airport website or, for a bit more, directly at the lounge.

The Business Lounge has large windows that look out over the runway and if you’re a plane buff you’ll probably want to snag one of the chaise lounges that face the taxiway. The lounge also has a few sofas, cafe tables and club chairs, plus showers, a meeting room, a smoking room and complimentary snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages.

All in all, though, the lounge offerings are pretty basic. For a price that’s comparable to what you’d pay for some lounges at JFK or Heathrow (LHR), it’s probably not worth the splurge.

The same goes for the VIP Lounge, which costs double what the Business Lounge does but doesn’t give you double the amenities. You are gifted a bottle of wine – a nice touch, considering the quality of the local vintages and the fact that Armenia has a claim to being the birthplace of wine some 6 millennia ago – but the lounge vibes are more upscale dentist office waiting room than luxe jet-setter space.

The main step up from the Business Lounge comes in terms of service, with the VIP Lounge affording guests a dedicated check-in counter, security check and customs desk, plus baggage porter service. For an additional fee you can get personalized transportation to and from your plane on a minibus.

As with the Business Lounge, you’re able to purchase access to the VIP Lounge in advance on the airport website or in person with credit card or Armenian drams.

Things to do at Zvartnots International Airport

When I flew through Zvartnots, I found it more functional than fun. While I got through check-in and security without a hitch, there wasn’t a whole lot to do between when I arrived at the airport and when my flight departed.

There are a few cafes, including a Lavazza in the departures hall and a Segafredo at the gates. There’s also a restaurant serving burgers, pasta and salads, but all in all, food options are quite limited. You’re better off eating before heading to the airport, especially considering how good Armenian food is and how few places there are to get good lavash (flatbread) and khorovats (shish kebabs) outside the country.

If you need to grab some last-minute souvenirs, there’s of course a duty-free shop. It stocks all the usual suspects, but I recommend skipping the same multinational liquors and candies you can get anywhere. Instead, grab a pakhlava (Armenian baklava) from the town of Gavar and a bottle of the country’s famous brandy or the local pomegranate wine.

Be sure to also stop by the ArtAm Gallery on the second floor of the departures hall. It displays painting and photography by Armenian artists ranging from established creators who’ve displayed internationally to talented youngsters.

Other airports in Armenia

Zvartnots is Armenia’s primary airport and the one you’ll almost certainly fly in and out of during a visit, but the country does have 2 other, much smaller airports. If you’re traveling to visit Harichavank – a church dating to at least the 8th century – Lake Arpi National Park or other sites in the northwest, you might transfer through Zvartnots to Shirak Airport (LWN) in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city.

Besides Yerevan, Shirak also services flights to and from Moscow. In the country’s far southeast, tiny Syunik Airport (YUK) in Kapan only links with Zvartnots. Intrepid travelers who venture this way can explore the 9th-century Tatev Monastery and medieval cave dwellings in the town of Goris.