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GYD

Heydar Aliyev International Airport

Baku, Azerbaijan

Baku airport is small and simple for a connection. International flights use Terminal 1, a four-level building with 15 gates. On one ticket you follow the TRANSFER signs, pass one security check on Level 2 and go up to Level 3 to your gate. No Azerbaijani passport control or customs on this route. Some flights use Terminal 2 North, reached by a shuttle bus from Gate 16.

Airport staff speak English at every airport in these guides. Showing the help card, or the title of the step you are on, is enough; you do not need the local language.

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Both flights on ONE ticket

Your bags go through. You only change planes.

  1. Leave the plane with all your hand luggage

    Take every bag you carried on board. If your checked bags were sent through to your final airport, you do not collect them in Baku. Look at your bag tag receipts, or ask at the Transfer Counter if you are not sure. If you arrive by jet bridge you come into Terminal 1 on Level 2. If you arrive by bus from the plane, the bus drops you on Level 1 and you take the escalator or elevator up to Level 2.

  2. Follow the TRANSFER signs

    The airport's own transfer guide says to follow the signs marked TRANSFER, in English. Do not follow the signs for PASSPORT CONTROL, VISA or BAGGAGE CLAIM; those are for people entering Azerbaijan. On Level 2 the airport map shows two lines: one for passengers who already have the boarding pass for the next flight, and one for passengers who do not. If you are unsure, ask anyone in a uniform and show your ticket.

  3. No boarding pass for the next flight? Go to the Transfer Counter

    Follow the TRANSFER signs to the Transfer Counter; the airport says it is inside the Terminal 1 transfer area. Join the line for passengers without a connection boarding pass. Show your passport and your ticket or booking, and ask which terminal your next flight leaves from. If you already have both boarding passes, join the other line and go on to security. If you cannot find the counter, ask anyone in a uniform.

  4. Pass the security check on Level 2

    There is one security check for transfer passengers, on Level 2. Put your hand luggage, coat and jacket in a tray, and take laptops and tablets out of your bag. The airport's rule for liquids is 100 ml or less per bottle, all in one clear bag no bigger than 20 by 20 cm. Keep your passport and boarding pass in your hand.

  5. Go up the escalator to Level 3

    After security, take the escalator to Level 3. There is also an elevator if you cannot use the escalator. The airport says there is no Azerbaijani immigration or customs check on this route. Staff may check that you hold a visa for your final destination if that country needs one, so keep your passport ready.

  6. Find your gate on the screens

    Level 3 is the departure hall. Look at the flight screens for your flight number and gate. The airport says no boarding calls are made, so you must watch the screens yourself. Gates 13, 14 and 15 and the bus gates are down on Level 1, so leave extra time if your gate is there. Ask any staff member if you cannot find your gate.

  7. If your next flight leaves from Terminal 2 North

    Some international flights use Terminal 2 North, a separate building. Ask at the Transfer Counter which terminal your next flight uses; the airport says to confirm the departure terminal in advance. If it is Terminal 2 North, go down from Level 3 by escalator or elevator to the bus gates on Level 1 and find Gate 16. An airport shuttle bus runs from Gate 16 to Terminal 2 North at regular intervals. The airport says the timing can change, so tell the agent at the gate if your flight is soon. At Terminal 2 North, walk into the departure hall and find your gate on the screens.

  8. While you wait

    Drinking fountains are in all airside areas of Terminal 1. Prayer rooms are on Level 1 and Level 3 of Terminal 1, airside. Phone charging points are in all areas of Terminal 1, including Level 3. A medical point and pharmacy vending machines with essential medicines are on Level 3. Free Wi-Fi is called 'Baku-Airport-Free-WiFi'. Check the screens again before you walk to the gate, because gates can change.

Flights on SEPARATE tickets

You collect your bags and check in again. Allow much more time.

  1. Get an Azerbaijani e-visa before you travel

    With separate tickets you normally have to collect your bags and enter Azerbaijan, so you need permission to enter. The airport's own pages do not agree about Iranian passports: its arrival procedures page leaves Iran off both the visa-free list and the visa-on-arrival list, while its Information Services page says Iranian citizens are among 14 nationalities who can get a single-entry e-visa at the ASAN Visa devices in Terminal 1, floor 2. We could not read any government page to settle this. The safe way is to apply for the e-visa at evisa.gov.az at home, at least 3 working days before you fly, with help from family if needed, and carry a printed copy. Ask your airline before you travel whether you can instead check in for the second flight airside; do not count on it.

  2. Follow the signs to PASSPORT CONTROL on Level 2

    Leave the plane with your hand luggage and follow the signs for PASSPORT CONTROL, not TRANSFER. In Terminal 1 the passport counters are on Level 2. If you arrive by bus from the plane, take the escalator or elevator up from Level 1. Go to the counter marked FOREIGN CITIZENS. Have your passport and your printed e-visa ready; the officer may ask questions. Visa desks and self-service kiosks, including the ASAN Visa devices, are on Level 2 before the counters, under signs marked VISA. The airport says they serve nationals of eligible countries; we could not confirm that an Iranian passport can get a visa there, so do not rely on it.

  3. Collect your bags on Level 1

    After passport control follow the BAGGAGE CLAIM signs and go down to Level 1 by escalator or elevator. Look at the screens for your flight's belt number. Trolleys are free. Big or odd-sized bags come to a marked area near the elevators, not on the belt. If a bag is missing, go to the Lost & Found desk inside the baggage hall, behind the elevators, before you leave the hall. Its phone is +994 12 497 26 00, extension 78 to 80.

  4. Go through customs and into the arrival hall

    If you have nothing to declare, walk through the Green Channel. The arrival hall is on Level 1 and has information counters, the Meet & Greet area and the exits. Currency exchange desks of the International Bank of Azerbaijan and Premium Bank, and their ATMs, are on Level 1 of Terminal 1.

  5. Check in again for your next flight

    Go to the check-in hall on the ground level of Terminal 1. Everyone entering the terminal passes a security inspection at the entrance first, so put your bags through the scanner there. Check-in is in Zone A and Zone B. Azerbaijan Airlines checks in at Zone A; Iran Air and Iran Airtour check in at Zone B. Look at the departure screens for your airline's counter numbers. The airport says counters open at least 2 hours before departure and close 60 minutes before departure. Drop your bags there and get your boarding pass.

  6. Security and passport control on Level 3

    Take the escalator or elevator to Level 3. Scan your boarding pass at the E-gate to enter the security area (Zones A and B). Customs inspection happens during this screening. Put coats, hats, laptops and tablets in a tray; liquids must be 100 ml or less in one clear bag. Then go to passport control and use the counter marked FOREIGN CITIZENS; there is also a FAST TRACK counter for passengers with reduced mobility. After that, walk through the duty-free shops to the gates.

  7. Give yourself plenty of time

    The airport asks international passengers to arrive 2 to 3 hours before departure and publishes no minimum connection time. On separate tickets you must pass passport control, collect bags, check in again, and pass security and passport control a second time. As plain advice for an older traveller, plan at least 4 hours between landing and the next flight, and more if the first flight is often late. Nobody has to hold your second plane for you.

  8. If you leave the airport: the Aero Express bus

    The Aero Express bus goes from the stop outside Terminal 1, ground floor, to Baku railway station at the '28 May' metro station, in about 30 minutes, with stops at Surakhani bridge and Koroglu metro. It runs every 20 minutes from 06:00 to 23:15 and every 45 minutes at night. The fare is 1.30 AZN, paid with a BAKU KART card that costs 2 AZN at the BAKU CARD machines near the bus stops outside the terminal exits. For a taxi, the Baku Taxi Service desk in the Meet & Greet area of Terminal 1 sells official rides and takes cash and cards; there are also taxi marshals outside Terminal 1 on the second lane.

  9. If you miss your second flight

    Go to your second airline's check-in desk or ticket office straight away. Azerbaijan Airlines has a ticket sales office on Level 1 of Terminal 1. On separate tickets the second airline may not have to rebook you, so keep its phone number with you. The airport helpdesk is open 24 hours on +994 12 497 27 27 and answers questions about flights and airport services.

Passport control

On one ticket, connecting between two international flights in Baku, you stay airside. The airport's transfer guides say the route is used without entering Azerbaijan and that immigration and customs clearance are not required, on the Terminal 1 to Terminal 1 route and on the routes to and from Terminal 2 North. The only check is for the visa of your final destination, if that country needs one. With separate tickets, or if you must collect bags or leave the airport, you enter Azerbaijan and need permission to enter. For Iranian passports the airport's own pages conflict: the arrival procedures page leaves Iran off both its visa-free list and its visa-on-arrival list, while the Information Services page lists Iranian citizens among 14 nationalities who can get a single-entry e-visa at the ASAN Visa devices in Terminal 1, floor 2. We could not read the e-visa portal, the foreign ministry or any other government page to confirm which is right. The safe advice is to apply for the e-visa at evisa.gov.az before the trip, at least 3 working days ahead as the airport says, carry a printed copy, and check with the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran before you buy separate tickets.

Getting around

Terminal 1 handles international flights and has four levels. Level 1: arrival bus gate, baggage hall, customs, arrival hall, check-in desks 1 to 40 (Zones A and B), banks, gates 13 to 15 and the bus gates including Gate 16 for the Terminal 2 North shuttle. Level 2: arrivals from jet bridges, the transfer lines, transfer security, visa desks and immigration counters. Level 3: departure security, departure passport control, the departure hall, medical point and shops. Level 4: lounges. Escalators and elevators join every level. No walking times are published, but the terminal has only 15 gates, so walks are short. Terminal 2 North is a separate building used by some international flights; airside you reach it by the shuttle bus from Gate 16.

Wheelchair and special help here

Ask your airline, not the airport. The airport says to request help when you buy the ticket or book, and no later than 48 hours before departure, and that help may not be available if it was not requested in advance. Ask for help on every flight of your trip, including the connection. The help is free. The airport helpdesk on +994 12 497 27 27 (24 hours) answers questions about flights and airport services; it is not where you book assistance.

The airport says passengers who need help should go on their own to the Information Counter, which is the waiting point for assistance; an assistant then escorts you through check-in, security, passport control and boarding. On arrival, ground handling staff meet passengers who asked in advance; passengers with special needs leave the plane last, so if you booked help, stay in your seat until the ground staff come to you. Passengers on remote stands are brought down by an ambulift. You can also ask at the Information Desk or at your airline's check-in desk. For a hidden disability you can ask for a special lanyard at the Salam Service desks at the Zone A and Zone B entrances of Terminal 1, before security.

Help is given inside the terminal only; nobody escorts you from the car park. Passengers with reduced mobility can use the FAST TRACK passport control counter on departure and do not queue at check-in or security. Accessible toilets are on every level of Terminal 1, landside and airside. Accessible parking is in front of Terminal 1. The lanyard does not guarantee priority. Whether wheelchair help carries on automatically between flights on a connection is not stated.

Where to ask for help

Follow the TRANSFER signs to the Transfer Counter; the airport says it is inside the Terminal 1 transfer area. Information counters are in the arrival hall on Level 1. The airport's Information Services page lists mobile information staff on Terminal 1 floor 1 and terminal information touchscreens on Terminal 1 floor 3, where you wait for a connection; its fixed information desks are listed only in Terminal 2 (floors 1 and 2). Salam Service desks are at the Zone A and Zone B entrances of Terminal 1. The Lost & Found desk is in the baggage hall on Level 1 (+994 12 497 26 00, ext. 78 to 80). The airport helpdesk is +994 12 497 27 27, 24 hours, for questions about flights and airport services. The Azerbaijan Airlines ticket office is on Level 1 of Terminal 1. The transfer route signs are in English, and the airport says staff are available along it to help. Persian is not mentioned on any official page.

Rest and comfort

The airport says rest zones in the terminal run continuously and its FAQ lists relaxation areas, but no page says where they are. Paid lounges in Terminal 1: Absheron Lounge on Level 4, airside in the departure zone, open to all passengers and to Priority Pass, Dragon Pass, TAV Passport, Mile on Air and Every Lounge card holders; the AZAL Business Class Lounge on Level 4; Premium Lounge and Salam Lounge on Level 1, landside before security; Baku Club on Level 1 for people waiting for bags. No prices or opening hours are published; the airport says VIP lounges are booked through vipgroup.az. Prayer rooms are on Level 1 and Level 3 of Terminal 1, airside, with ablution rooms on Level 3. Drinking fountains are in all airside areas. Charging stations are in all areas of Terminal 1, including Level 3. Free Wi-Fi: 'Baku-Airport-Free-WiFi'. A medical point on Level 3 of Terminal 1 gives first aid; the FAQ says it is open 24 hours. Pharmacy vending machines with essential medicines are on Level 3 of Terminal 1; other vending machines sell basic items. Toilets are on every level. Money: the currency is the Azerbaijani manat (AZN). Bank branches, currency exchange and ATMs of the International Bank of Azerbaijan and Premium Bank are on Level 1 of Terminal 1, landside; a Kapital Bank exchange is on Level 2; the Premium Bank Exchange on Level 3, airside, is the one a transit passenger can reach. No official page says whether Iranian bank cards are accepted, so bring cash in US dollars or euros to exchange, or a card issued outside Iran.

My help card

Print this page, fill in the lines by hand, and keep the card in your pocket.

I am traveling alone. I need help to find my connecting flight. Please show me the way, or call someone who can help me. Thank you.

You can type the details here before printing. They stay on this device only.

Partly checked against official pages.

What we could not confirm (18)
  • We could not confirm the visa rule for Iranian citizens. The airport's arrival procedures page leaves Iran off its visa-free and visa-on-arrival lists, while its Information Services page lists Iranian citizens among the 14 nationalities served by the ASAN Visa devices in Terminal 1, floor 2. The e-visa portal (evisa.gov.az), the foreign ministry (mfa.gov.az), the State Migration Service and the Azerbaijani embassy sites could not be opened from our network, so the fee, the validity and whether an Iranian passport can get a visa at the airport are all unconfirmed.
  • We could not confirm the current status of Azerbaijan Airlines flights between Baku and Iran. The AZAL website is behind a bot check we did not pass. The airport's airline directory lists Azerbaijan Airlines (Zone A), Iran Air (Zone B) and Iran Airtour (Zone B) at Terminal 1, which only shows they operate there, not which routes fly today.
  • We could not confirm whether Iranian bank cards (Shetab) work in Azerbaijan or at the airport's ATMs and exchange desks. The cash advice is plain advice, not an official rule.
  • We could not confirm the opening hours of the Transfer Counter, the Information Counter, the prayer rooms, the currency exchange desks and the lounges; none are published.
  • We could not confirm lounge prices or whether the lounges sell walk-in access; the FAQ only says VIP lounges are booked through vipgroup.az.
  • We could not confirm the exact position of the Transfer Counter. The airport says it is inside the Terminal 1 transfer area and lists it before the Level 2 security check, so it is probably on Level 2 before security, but no page says so in words.
  • We could not confirm where the Information Counter that serves as the assistance waiting point is in Terminal 1; the airport's facilities page lists fixed information desks only in Terminal 2.
  • We could not confirm where the rest zones or relaxation areas are. The airport says rest zones in the terminal run continuously and the FAQ lists relaxation areas, but no page gives a location.
  • We could not confirm whether the Terminal 2 North shuttle bus from Gate 16 is free; the airport only says it runs at regular intervals that may change.
  • We could not confirm that the liquid rules (100 ml, one 20 by 20 cm bag) and the instruction to remove laptops and jackets apply at transfer security; they come from the airport's international departures page, and the transfer guide only says 'security screening on Level 2'.
  • We could not confirm whether a Fast Track or priority lane exists at the transfer security check on Level 2; the Fast Track counter is named only at arrival and departure passport control.
  • We could not confirm any official minimum connection time; none is published. The 4-hour figure for separate tickets is plain advice.
  • We could not confirm whether wheelchair help continues automatically between flights on a connection, or whether staff meet a connecting passenger at the aircraft door.
  • We could not confirm whether a passenger on separate tickets with hand luggage only can get the second boarding pass at the Transfer Counter and stay airside; the transfer guides do not say which tickets qualify.
  • We could not confirm whether the Aero Express bus accepts cash or bank cards; the page names only the BAKU KART.
  • We could not confirm the medical point's hours from its own page; the 24-hour opening comes from the FAQ. The hours of the pharmacy vending machines are not published.
  • We could not confirm whether Persian is spoken at any desk; no official page mentions it.
  • We could not confirm what the 'visa check' on Level 3 of the transfer route involves, what documents are checked or whether it applies to every passenger.

Airports change signs, gates and rules. This guide is general help, not an official instruction. Always follow the staff and the screens, and check with your airline.

Last prepared 5 November 2026.

Where this comes from (37)