YuSMP Travel Editorial Team
With its switch to the winter schedule on 25 October 2026, S7 Airlines is opening the first-ever direct flights from Novosibirsk's Tolmachevo airport to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Phuket, Thailand, followed on 30 October by a new route to Male, the capital of the Maldives. This matters most for travellers in Siberia, who previously had to connect through Moscow or another hub to reach these countries. Here are the dates, frequency and what's confirmed so far about tickets.
What S7 is launching, and when
According to a press release from S7 Airlines distributed via the AK&M news agency on 16 October 2026, and the industry outlet Aviation21, the airline's winter schedule switch on 25 October brings three new international routes from Tolmachevo: Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city; Male, the Maldivian capital; and Phuket, Thailand's beach resort island. For Colombo and Phuket, these are the airport's first-ever direct flights. The winter schedule also adds routes to Guangzhou and Chengdu in China, along with increased frequency to Shanghai and seasonal flights to Dubai and Bangkok.
The Male route: dates, frequency, the stopover
The most detail is available for the Male route, which was announced separately back in July 2026. Flights start on 30 October 2026 and will run twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, using a narrow-body Airbus A320. Because a direct nonstop flight on that aircraft type can't cover the distance from Novosibirsk to the Maldives, the route makes a technical refuelling stop in Jaipur, India, with passengers staying on board. Total flight time is around 10 hours 30 minutes. Departure from Novosibirsk is scheduled for 04:25, arrival in Male at 13:00 local time; the return flight departs at 14:10 and lands back in Novosibirsk at 02:30.
What's known about Colombo and Phuket
For Colombo and Phuket, the press release and industry coverage available at publication time don't disclose exact flight frequency or aircraft type — only the shared winter-schedule start date of 25 October. That said, tickets for both routes from Novosibirsk are already on sale on S7's own website: a search on s7.ru shows round-trip fares for Novosibirsk–Colombo starting around 90,000 rubles for October–November, with Phuket fares available from lower price points depending on dates. Check the current schedule and connection details directly when booking — for routes announced without full detail, specifics sometimes shift closer to the sales launch.
Who is affected
This concerns travellers from Novosibirsk and neighbouring Siberian regions who previously flew to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Thailand with a mandatory connection through Moscow, St. Petersburg or a third country. A direct flight — even one with a technical refuelling stop, as on the Male route — typically cuts total travel time and connection risk compared with a routing through two hubs.
What to do if you're planning a trip
- Check the current schedule and seat availability on S7's own booking site before buying — at launch, some routes (Colombo, Phuket) were announced without full frequency detail.
- For the Maldives and Sri Lanka, confirm entry rules for Russian citizens on the destination pages — Sri Lanka and the broader Maldives listings in the destination catalog.
- For Phuket, check the current entry rules and tourist fee on the Thailand destination page — terms change from time to time.
- If the Male route's stopover in Jaipur doesn't suit your schedule, compare it against routing through Moscow using the destination match tool.
New S7 routes from Novosibirsk: summary
International destinations S7 Airlines is adding from Tolmachevo in the winter 2026/2027 schedule
| Destination | Flights start | Frequency | Aircraft / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo (Sri Lanka) | from 25 October 2026 | not disclosed | first direct route from Novosibirsk |
| Phuket (Thailand) | from 25 October 2026 | not disclosed | first direct route from Novosibirsk |
| Male (Maldives) | 30 October 2026 | twice a week (Mon, Fri) | Airbus A320, technical stop in Jaipur |
Sources
Schedules and flight frequency may be refined closer to the sales launch — confirm the latest information with the airline before you travel.
- S7 Airlines press release via AK&M, 16 October 2026 — the airline's own statement on new winter-schedule routes.
- Aviation21.ru, 16 October 2026 — detail on the new routes from Novosibirsk and Khabarovsk.
- countryscanner.ru, 6 July 2026 — the Male route's schedule, aircraft type, Jaipur stopover.
* Schedules, flight frequency and fares are approximate and subject to change. Confirm the latest information with the airline before you book.
