Astana Expands International Air Routes with China and Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan is expanding its international air connectivity, with new routes and increased flight frequencies to China and Uzbekistan following the Central Asia-China Civil Aviation Cooperation Working Group Conference (C5+1). According to the Ministry of Transport, Kazakhstan and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance bilateral air traffic and broaden the route network. The agreement includes adding a new Chinese destination, Kulja, to the Kazakh airline network and discussing future flights to Kashgar. Kulja (also known as Yining) lies in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, about 100 kilometers from the Kazakh border. Kashgar (Kashi), also in Xinjiang, is located approximately 455 kilometers from the border. While launch dates for flights to these cities have not yet been announced, the total number of flights between Kazakhstan and China is set to increase to 124 per week starting in 2025. SCAT Airlines has already opened three new routes this year: Shymkent-Shanghai (since May, two flights per week) Shymkent-Xi’an (since July, two flights per week) Shymkent-Ürümqi (since July, two flights per week) In addition, China Eastern Airlines began operating flights from Almaty to Guangzhou in July, with three flights per week. On August 13, a COMAC C909 aircraft flew from Urumqi to Karaganda and back, marking the first landing of the Chinese-made aircraft in Kazakhstan. During the same conference, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan’s aviation authorities also reached agreements to boost bilateral air traffic. Designated airlines may now operate up to 42 weekly flights on the Almaty-Tashkent and Astana-Tashkent routes, and up to 14 flights on other routes between the two countries. The list of permissible destinations has also been expanded. In July, Uzbekistan’s My Freighter (operating as Centrum Air) launched twice-weekly flights between Aktau and Nukus. FlyArystan began flying between began flying between Atyrau and Tashkent three times a week on July 15. “These steps are aimed at improving transport accessibility, strengthening business and cultural ties, and unlocking the tourism potential of both countries,” the Ministry of Transport stated. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other regional partners established the Eurasian Civil Aviation Conference in 2024 as a joint regulatory body to address rising passenger and cargo demand amid the decline of Russian aviation dominance.”

Kazakhstan to Launch New Flights to 15 Foreign Cities

Kazakhstan will open 15 new international air routes this year, operated both by domestic carriers and by new foreign low-cost airlines entering the market. The announcement was made by Minister of Transport Marat Karabaev during a government session in the Senate, the upper house of Kazakhstan’s parliament. “The new destinations include cities such as Munich, Budapest, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and others,” Karabaev stated. Most of these routes will be serviced by Kazakh airlines Air Astana and SCAT. Karabaev also highlighted the entry of five new low-cost carriers from India, Thailand, and South Korea, following the implementation of Kazakhstan’s open skies regime. The additional eleven destinations are Cairo, Da Nang, Abu Dhabi, Hurghada, Busan, Osh, Mumbai, Kulja, Rome, Gazipaşa, and Samarkand. The incoming low-cost carriers include SpiceJet (India), Thai AirAsia X (Thailand), Eastar Jet and T’Way Air (South Korea), and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi (UAE). The open skies regime eliminates all restrictions on the number of flights operated by foreign carriers on international routes not served by domestic airlines. It currently applies to 15 airports across Kazakhstan: Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktau, Aktobe, Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Pavlodar, Kokshetau, Taraz, Petropavlovsk, Semey, Turkestan, Kostanay, and Uralsk. Introduced in 2022, the policy has been extended through the end of 2027. Karabaev noted that the increased presence of low-cost airlines is fostering greater competition within the domestic aviation market. He also addressed the development plans of VietJet Kazakhstan, formerly known as Qazaq Air. The airline, now under the ownership of Vietnam’s SOVICO Group, aims to expand its operations beyond Vietnam by launching additional routes between Kazakhstan and neighboring Russia. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, SOVICO Group is also considering the acquisition or management of an airport in Kazakhstan. Currently, VietJet Kazakhstan operates 14 domestic routes, four of which receive state subsidies, and four international destinations. The airline has reportedly been offered an option to manage an airport in the Kyzylorda region.