1925
Mongolian Aviation
May 25, 1925 A Ju-13 (Junkers F.13) aircraft landed at the Consulate’s Hill in Ulaanbaatar for the very first time. This day is celebrated as the founding date of aviation in Mongolia.
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May 25, 1925 A Ju-13 (Junkers F.13) aircraft landed at the Consulate’s Hill in Ulaanbaatar for the very first time. This day is celebrated as the founding date of aviation in Mongolia.
July 7, 1956 A significant milestone in the history of MIAT Mongolian Airlines was achieved with the launch of Mongolia’s first civil airmail service. Using an AN-2 aircraft, flights were operated from Bukhug Tsagaan Tolgoi Airport in the Tuul River Valley of Ulaanbaatar to Khovd, Khuvsgul, and Dornod provinces. This pioneering operation laid the foundation for the development of civil aviation in Mongolia, and the date is officially recognized as the birth of civil air transport in the country.
Regular domestic flights were operated, connecting Ulaanbaatar with aimag centers using seven Il-14 and 14 An-2 aircraft. In November of the same year, Mongolia launched its first international flights to Irkutsk and Beijing.
October 8, 1964: MIAT received its first An-24 aircraft and operated the inaugural Ulaanbaatar–Irkutsk flight on October 15. From 1989, regular flights to Beijing began. The An-24 also served special missions to cities including Moscow, Kyiv, Tashkent, Almaty, Hanoi, Pyongyang, Prague, Berlin, Warsaw, and Kabul
November 1, 1987: MIAT began operating international flights to Moscow using its first leased Tu-154-Bjet aircraft. Representative offices were opened in Moscow, Irkutsk, and Beijing. Joined the SITA (Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques) international passenger reservation system. Integrating MIAT’s flight reservations into this global network was a pivotal milestone that laid the foundation for future international operations.
July 10, 1992: Mongolia received a Boeing 727-200 aircraft as a gift from South Korea's Hanjin Group and began utilizing it for international routes.
August 9, 1993: By Decree No. 180 of the Minister of Roads, Transport, and Communications, a decision was made to separate the MIAT conglomerate into two financially independent entities: the Civil Aviation Authority and MIAT Company. Based on this decree, the modern history of MIAT Company officially began on this day with a total of 906 employees.
1994.05.20 MIAT purchased two additional Boeing 727-200 aircrafts using its own funds, expanding its international route network.
1994 MIAT had become the national flag carrier airline operating a fleet of 27 aircraft, including An-24, An-26, An-30, YU-12, Boeing 727-200, and leased Tu-154 aircraft, serving destinations such as Moscow, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Beijing, Hohhot, and Almaty, while operating charter flights to Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam.
MIAT began operating regular flights to Seoul
MIAT joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Opened regular flights to Berlin and Osaka.
In 1998, MIAT leased an Airbus A310-300 from Airbus Finance and partnered with Lufthansa Technik, introducing modern aircraft technology and maintenance standards.
July 9, 2002: Received a Boeing 737- 800 aircraft, owned by Jackson Leasing Limited and brokered by the US-based GATX Corporation, and introduced it into international service.
MIAT successfully passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) with a perfect score, confirming its compliance with international aviation safety standards. MIAT has maintained certification every two years since then.
Received a Boeing 737-800 manufactured by Boeing from the UK-based CIT Capital Aviation and began using it for international flights. Furthermore, in accordance with IATA's mandate to reduce operational costs for airline ticketing, MIAT successfully integrated an electronic ticketing mechanism into its operations.
MIAT introduced online booking system and signed codeshare agreements with Korean Air and Aeroflot. As a result, MIAT became a globally standardized airline meeting modern international requirements, significantly improving its competitiveness in the market and laying the foundation for expanding cooperation with foreign airlines in the future.
MIAT received two wide-body Boeing 767-300 aircraft from Air Lease Corporation and passed the IOSA audit for the third consecutive time. June 2, 2011: Scheduled direct flights to Hong Kong commenced.
Skytrax officially recognized MIAT as a Three-Star Airline for service quality. It was officially announced in January, 2013.
MIAT purchased a Boeing 767-300ER directly from Boeing and successfully completed its fourth IOSA audit.
Parliament adopted the State Policy on Civil Aviation until 2020 and granted MIAT official status as the national flag carrier of Mongolia. This was a landmark event that opened the door to its development as the leading airline of Mongolia.
MIAT received a Boeing 737-800NG from Ireland’s Navigator Aviation Limited. MIAT launched direct flights to Frankfurt, Germany
MIAT Mongolian airlines celebrated its 60th anniversary.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines received a Boeing 737-700 from Oman Air for international services. Scheduled flights to Busan and Bangkok were opened.
As part of its strategy to expand its international network, MIAT Mongolian Airlines has signed a codeshare agreement with Cathay Pacific. This partnership provides passengers with enhanced travel flexibility, seamless connections, and convenient access to codeshare flights to Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Singapore, offering a wider range of travel options throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines successfully implemented the Amadeus Altea Passenger Service System (PSS), provided by Amadeus IT Group S.A., to streamline and strengthen its flight operations, passenger services, and commercial sales activities.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Mongolia’s national carrier, has successfully implemented the newly introduced IATA ISAGO Combined Program and has been officially accredited as an ISAGO Accredited Ground Handler, marking a significant achievement both for Mongolia and the global aviation industry.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines received a brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, produced in the U.S
During the COVID-19 pandemic, MIAT operated transit cargo flights connecting Asia and Europe using its own Boeing 767- 300ER aircraft. The airline also carried out special mission flights to Australia, Africa, and the Americas under requests from the governments of Mongolia and other countries, as well as international organizations.
June 5, 2022: MIAT began operating scheduled direct flights to Istanbul, Türkiye. September 2022: MIAT leased a Boeing 757-200 freighter from Aquila Air Capital to develop international transit cargo operations, and launched cargo services to Beijing, Seoul, and Aktobe. December 16, 2022: MIAT Mongolian Airlines entered into a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance, with the aim of enhancing travel convenience and providing passengers with greater connectivity and more seamless travel options across the two carriers’ networks.
June 30, 2023: As part of the “Years to Visit Mongolia” initiative, MIAT resumed domestic services after a 15-year hiatus using Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft leased from South Africa’s CemAir (Pty) Ltd, serving seven provincial destinations; Khovd, Ulgii, Ulaangom, Murun, Dalanzadgad, Uliastai and Altai.
August 11, 2023: In accordance with its vision, business objectives, and phased fleet modernization plan, MIAT received a Boeing 787-9 aircraft from AerCap, a global leader in aviation leasing. April 25, 2024: MIAT received its second Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner equipped with the latest technology.
April 28, 2024: The Mazaalai CRJ-700 aircraft operated its inaugural domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar to Khovd. November 2024, MIAT signed a codeshare agreement with Air China, increasing travel options between Mongolia and China and improving network connectivity. November 2024: MIAT Mongolian Airlines successfully completed and passed the certification audit of its Aircraft Maintenance Organization under the FAA FAR Part 145 regulatory framework, demonstrating compliance with the standards established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States. December 10, 2024: MIAT launched direct scheduled flights to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
June 6, 2025: MIAT launched its first scheduled direct flight to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
July 2, 2025: MIAT commenced scheduled direct flights on the Ulaanbaatar–Shanghai–Ulaanbaatar route. MIAT expanded its international flight network, increasing flight accessibility to key regional hubs. July 30, 2025, MIAT added another Canadian Bombardier aircraft to its fleet. The aircraft arrived in Mongolia after flying 12,265 km from Johannesburg, South Africa.
November 4, 2025: MIAT successfully inaugurated scheduled direct flights to Singapore.
May 2024, 2026 In commemoration of its 70th anniversary, MIAT Mongolian Airlines was awarded the Order of Sukhbaatar by Presidential Decree of Mongolia in recognition of its outstanding contribution to the development of the country's civil aviation industry.
