A Flight With Special Visa Privileges

I know that Chinese citizens taking a specific Myanmar Airways International flight from Guangzhou to Yangon can get visa on arrival tho.

The visa fee is actually $160, also there is a Park Hyatt in Baku as well

If flying to UAE on Emirates and/or Etihad could be like a sponsor and gives you a discounted fee on your visa.

I remember reading an article on AZAL flight. It said whenever the author tried snap a picture of the cabin or the in-flight meal (she said she didn't try to take a picture of flight attendants. the camera wasn't even facing them), flight attendants would "order" her not to do it and demanded her to delete the picture. This doesn't sound really awesome for you I guess
While most of CIS airlines doesn't care much about passengers snapping picture on board, AZAL seems to be quite strict about its no-photo policy.

btw I would love to visit Baku some day... They hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012...

@ SamFromQueens -- Hmmm, did the Park Hyatt close, or something else? Can't find it...

@ Raccoon -- Whoa, that could be a problem. Do you by chance remember where you read that? If I can't take pictures then I'm definitely not taking the trip...

The likes of EK, EY, QR, BG, RJ, UL, MH, BI all facilitate visas to their homes if you fly them. Of course it applies to people from certain countries, which you as an ignorant American would have no clue about.

The story of why there's no longer a Park Hyatt Baku is one of the most bizarre rebranding stories: renovate the Park Hyatt in order to transform it into the Regency.

http://en.trend.az/business/economy/2218326.html

@Raccoon could you be thinking of Matthew Klint's story of being removed from United Airlines for taking photos, since he was traveling to Baku on that trip?

I see a few video trip reports on YouTube even and don't see any references to folks having issues with this.

@ Gary -- OMG, how weird!

Some two or three photos here on baku:
http://flight-report.com/fr/report/14717/Azerbaidjan_Airlines_J2239_Baku_GYD_Ganja_KVD

And here, the crew even took a picture of the passenger:
http://flight-report.com/fr/report/14702/Azerbaidjan_Airlines_J2011_Baku_GYD_Dubai_DXB

I went to Baku couple of weekends ago flying on J2 from IST to GYD and had no problems taking photos of the meal, legroom etc.

Suite review of the Park Hyatt Baku, which is apparently the Hyatt Regency Baku now. Very odd indeed:

http://upgrd.com/matthew/review-park-hyatt-baku.html

@lucky

I just looked stuff up and it seems like AZAL has changed a lot. I believe the article I mentioned was from 2010 (it was on a Korean website, written in Korean) or sometime around that. It could be that particular team of cabin crew that were being super strict about photos... who knows

sorry to trouble you with some out-dated information 🙁

I've been wanted to go to Baku for a while, but I'd definitely stay in the Fairmont. The Towers of Flame are so iconic, and I see nights for only $137.

Lucky. Beware. I believe you need to book first class to get those lie flat seats. Business class is more like premium economy

I seem to remember Sam Choi having written an AZAL DXB to GYD trip report that included lots of pics; so, the airline can't be all that concerned about onboard photography these days.

I hope Ben is able to make this trip happen. The trip report would make for some fascinating reading.

It's been mentioned before on other OMAAT posts, but Uzbekistan Airways would be another relatively unheard of carrier with a single route to the US (JFK to Tashkent via Riga). Riga is a great destination for a long weekend!

Oh wow, that is great info. That is one of places I would like to see, but getting the visa ahead of time does not really work well since I am usually unsure of when exactly I will get off. Thanks for writing about it, even if you do not fly the route.

@Ryan.

If booking fare class J it will be the lie-flat seats called VIP club.
The Eco+ with recliners is called Comfort Club and costs about 700$ o/w.

baku is a boring destination and city-- focus on flying into Iran and do a trip report. go to kish and fly an old f100.

I've been to Baku, I got the visa online via email through a travel agent there.

Yes I have been to Baku. I stayed at the Four Seasons. The drive in to town made me think I had landed in Italy perhaps! The area around the Four Seasons has a number of excellent historical sites worth visiting. The food, heavy on the meat and salads was good but somewhat repetitive. The Zoroastrian Towers also blew me away.

In the early eighties I think it was when Ethiopian Airlines had the ability to give you a Chinese visa on arrival though I have never made use of that facility. Incidentally Baku is quite close to the Iranian border though articles in the press suggesting the Israeli Air Force might use Azerbaijan to land after bombing missions in Iran suggest the relationships might be testy.

If you go to Kieve I would absolutely suggest visiting Odessa too. Both are Amazing cities!

I haven't checked recently but when I flew AZAL last year it is also listed on their website that visa upon arrival is possible for those flying AZAL's nonstop flight from JFK.
I've been to Baku and the nice parts are grand and clean. Caspian Sea is beautiful.

Yup the special visa privilege is still listed on AZAL's website.

https://www.azal.az/en/information/passengers-travelling-to-from-usa

Four Seasons Baku - MUCH better choice!

I have been twice to Baku; in 2008 to monitor their elections and in 2015 for the 4th Global Baku Forum.

I stayed at the JW Marriott in 2015 and can easily recommend it. There are terrific food buffets for breakfast and cocktails. Plus a nice pool and reasonably priced massages.

Wow, AZAL has gorgeous livery!

Wow, blowing $2.5k+ in a weekend. May as well just go to Vegas

I went to Baku last October. It's a nice city to visit for a long weekend and the local dishes are quite nice. If you get a chance to go outside the city there are some nice day trips but definitely avoid the conflict areas. We stayed at the Fairmont Baku and received a suite which was sweet 🙂 I wrote a review on the hotel with some tips on Baku: http://globetrotterhq.com/2015/10/21/gthq-jaunt-journal-hotel-fairmont-baku-baku-azerbaijan/

I'm dying to go to Baku. Anyone know how to get this letter of invitation if you don't know anyone or don't want to go on a "tour"? I will be going in 2017. Please someone review this flight and let me know how Baku is. I've heard its amazing!

@ RC -- A hotel should be able to write you a letter.

@Lucky- Thank you! First time you wrote back to me! I'm happy!

@ Anyone- I don't seem to see any flights available in May 2017. I looked on their website and on expedia and don't see anything. A 1 way booking in Y was about $542 and J about $1432 in August 2016. That is very good! I am ready to go!

By the way, no visa whatsoever is needed for US citizens to visit Ukraine for up to 90 days.

I was in Baku a few weekends ago for the Formula One race. The food is great, and some of the architecture is amazing. Fun place for a weekend. Its worth a couple days but not too much more. Knocked Georgia and Armenia off the list afterwards. Tbilisi is definitely worth a visit!

I'd suggest the Four Seasons. Much better hotel than the Hyatt and usually pretty reasonably priced for a Four Seasons.

Yes, been to Baku several times, but no recently. The visa on arrival for AZAL pax looks similar to the VOA they had in place for all pax - but which was discontinuted, unfortunately. Just make sure you have the two passport photos handy, otherwise you are paying a lot of money for two photos ...

The Baku Hyatt is nice, used to be the first address in town. I have not stayed there recently, but I know the Azeries are faster in building new hotels than in renovating existing ones ...

Re Baku itself: Visit the old town, which is a real gem!