The Comeback of the Ilyushin Il‑96‑300

When you’re chasing rare airliners, few types are more exciting than the Ilyushin Il-96. Built in limited numbers, largely overlooked in the Western-dominated world of large widebodies, yet still flying with one commercial airline: Cubana de Aviación. The recent news that one of its Il-96-300s has returned from a long overhaul in Belarus sends ripples through the spotting community. It means this unique aircraft may soon be back in regular passenger service — and that’s worth celebrating.

Why the Il 96 Matters

N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Il-96-300 is a Russian-designed, four-engined wide-body jet developed in the late 1980s and introduced in the early 1990s. It was derived from the earlier Il-86, but with a modernised fuselage, updated avionics, super-critical wings and winglets, and, critically, long-range capability.

The type first entered service in 1993 with Aeroflot and was intended to carry passengers long-haul on the Soviet- and post-Soviet era.  However, commercial sales were extremely limited — only around 30 or so units of the Il-96 family were built.

Today, Western twin-engine widebodies (A330, 777, 787, A350) dominate. The Il-96 remains a rare outlier: most of the remaining units serve in Russian government/VIP service, and Cubana de Aviación is the only airline in the world still flying the Il-96 in scheduled commercial passenger service.

Newsflash: Cubana’s Il-96-300 Returns to Service

According to flight-tracking data, Cubana’s Il-96-300 registered CU-T1250, serial number 74393202015, completed a ferry flight from Minsk (MSQ) via St. Petersburg and Reykjavik to Havana (HAV) on 11–12 October 2025, after a long period stored overseas.

This particular airframe was first delivered to Cubana in December 2005. The restoration suggests the aircraft underwent heavy maintenance or overhaul abroad (Belarus/Russia) until October 2025. The return of this jet marks a significant moment: potentially, the Il-96 may once again re-enter Cubana’s schedule.

According to this article, this Il-96 is configured for 262 passengers (18 business + 244 economy) and features four PS-90 turbofans, which are fuel-thirsty by modern standards and limit its range to about 5,400 nm (or roughly 10,000 km) in this configuration.

For the spotting community, this isn’t just a one-off ferry flight — it means the possibility of seeing the world’s rarest wide-body airliner on a scheduled service again.

Why It’s Rare — And What It Means

By Dmitriy Pichugin [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html) or GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

There are several factors that make the Il-96 rare:

• Most commercial airlines never adopted it in meaningful numbers; Western models dominated.

• Production and sales declined sharply in the 1990s and early 2000s; Russian industry even acknowledged that broad commercial use was unviable.

• In Russia, the Il-96 has largely been replaced in airline service; the remaining examples serve VIP/government duties (e.g., the Il-96-300PU presidential transport) rather than scheduled passengers.

• Maintenance, parts supply and sanctions issues have challenged airlines operating Russian-built aircraft — making long-term commercial use problematic.

Yet now, with Cubana’s example returning, the Il-96 has a new lease of life. For spotters, it opens up the thrilling possibility of logging one of aviation’s almost-lost types in active service, not just in government or rare museum flights.

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Where the Il-96 Might Fly for Cubana

Historically, Cubana deployed its Il-96s on its longest routes, notably between Havana and destinations such as Madrid (MAD), Buenos Aires (EZE), and Paris (CDG). Given that other widebodies are in limited supply for Cuba’s flag carrier and resource constraints are high, the returning Il-96 could relieve some of that pressure.

Potential scenarios:

• Resumption of the Havana–Madrid route with CU-T1250, giving spotters in Spain the chance to capture the Il-96.

• Springboard to Latin-American routes such as Buenos Aires or Santiago, depending on demand.

• Special charter or high-profile flights (state visits, Cuban diaspora traffic) where the Il-96’s capacity is leveraged.

The fact that the aircraft’s range is limited compared to modern widebodies means it may be used on medium-long sectors where its performance is sufficient — still a rare sight.

Spotting Opportunities & What to Watch

For aviation enthusiasts, this is a must-target. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Watch Havana (HAV) at José Martí International Airport — this is the home base of the Il-96. Follow ferry flights, re-introductions, and route schedules.

• Europe watchers: Madrid (MAD) could see occasional arrivals — if the Il-96 returns to service on trans-Atlantic flights, Madrid may be a key viewing point.

• Track registration CU-T1250 specifically, which appears to be the active airframe. Track here.

What’s Next for the Il-96 Program?

Rtyu1234, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Interestingly, Russia has announced plans to revive production of the Il-96 due to technological, sanctions and supply chain constraints.

If this comes to fruition, the Il-96 may gain some fresh life — though for commercial operators, the economics remain challenging (four engines, less fuel-efficient than modern twins). But for spotters, it means the Il-96 story is not yet finished.

Why This Moment is Significant

For months, many of Cubana’s Il-96s sat idle, stranded by maintenance issues overseas. The reactivation of CU-T1250 signals a turning point. It means Cuba’s only commercial Il-96 may return to operational service — and when it does, you’ll want to be ready.

Being able to log or photograph this rare wide-body on a scheduled flight would be a highlight for any aviation enthusiast’s collection. The Il-96 is more than just an aircraft: it’s the last commercial bastion of a Soviet-era wide-body design, still flying in the 21st century.

Title image: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons