[4] The first batch of Mongolian flight crew for Antonov An-2 operations were sent to Irkutsk for training in 1955, graduating the next year and paving the way for regular domestic services.

[4] In 1987 it started regular international operations to Moscow, Irkutsk, and Beijing (opening representative offices in the three cities) with its first jet aircraft, a Tupolev Tu-154 on lease from Aeroflot.

[citation needed] In late 2009, MIAT flew charter flights to Hong Kong and Sanya, a popular resort city in Hainan, China.

[10][11] The order marks the first time in two decades that MIAT has chosen to expand its fleet by purchasing new aircraft straight from the manufacturer rather than leasing them.

[14] This was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a modified order of two Boeing 787-9s to be delivered starting in 2023, with flights being planned to Shanghai-Pudong, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore, and San Francisco.

[15] During the COVID-19 pandemic on 21 June 2020, MIAT performed the first non-stop flight (for repatriation and aid purposes) between Mongolia and North America in history with a Boeing 767-300 flown between Ulaanbaatar and Seattle.

[16] It performed similar repatriation and charter services during the pandemic to Sydney[17] and Johannesburg,[18] flying to the continents of Australia and Africa for the first time.

[21][22] In August 2023[23] and April 2024,[24] MIAT announced the arrival of two Boeing 787s, to be used to fly routes to Frankfurt, Istanbul, and Seoul initially.

[26] MIAT Mongolian Airlines plans to transform Mongolia into a major air transit hub, leveraging its strategic geographical location between Europe and Asia.

[29] This initiative involves significant infrastructure upgrades at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, enhanced marketing strategies, and forming strategic partnerships to offer competitive pricing and high service standards, positioning Mongolia as a viable alternative to established transit hubs.