ASTANA – Kazakhstan continues to enhance its global air connectivity with the launch of new international routes this year, which will expand its access to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Transport’s Civil Aviation Committee.
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Earlier, Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev announced Kazakhstan’s plans to launch 19 new air routes. These will be carried by domestic SCAT Airlines, Air Astana, Qazaq Air, and Fly Arystan, as well as by several international airlines.
Domestic airlines
SCAT Airlines is set to significantly expand its international operations from Shymkent Airport starting in late May. On May 27, the airline will begin flights to Budapest, Hungary, with two flights per week, and to Munich, Germany, with three weekly flights. On May 28, a new route to Xi’an, China, will be introduced, also operating twice weekly. Starting from May 2, flights to Cairo, Egypt; Shanghai, China; and Seoul, South Korea will each operate with a frequency of two times per week.
Air Astana will open additional international routes throughout the spring and early summer. Starting April 20, the airline will operate three weekly flights from Almaty to Mumbai, India. On May 14, a new connection between Astana and Da Nang, Vietnam, will be added with two flights per week.
Further expansions include a May 27 launch of flights from Atyrau to Tbilisi, Georgia, three times per week. From May 28, Almaty will see the addition of four weekly flights to Osh, The Kyrgyz Republic. On May 31, flights from Atyrau to Baku, Azerbaijan, will begin with a frequency of three times per week. Finally, on June 1, Almaty will connect to Frankfurt, Germany, with three weekly flights, followed by the launch of a new Almaty–Da Nang route on June 4, operating twice a week.
Qazaq Air will launch a new route linking Astana, Turkestan, and Samarkand in Uzbekistan starting May 1, with flights operating twice a week.
From May 18, Fly Arystan will introduce a route from Almaty to Inin (Kulja), China, offering two weekly flights. Beginning June 4, the airline will commence flights between Karagandy and Istanbul, Türkiye, also twice weekly.
Foreign carriers
International airlines are likewise expanding their footprint in Kazakhstan.
South Korea’s Eastar Jet began operating flights from Seoul to Almaty on April 7 with a twice-weekly schedule. The airline is also preparing to launch a Busan–Almaty route during the spring-summer season. Another South Korean carrier, T’Way Air, plans to start service between Seoul and Astana within the same seasonal timeframe.
India’s SpiceJet will connect Delhi and Almaty with four weekly flights starting this spring-summer.
From Egypt, Air Cairo began flights from Sharm el-Sheikh to Kostanai on April 3, operating once a week, and will launch a route from Hurghada to Almaty on April 13, with two weekly flights.
Thai AirAsia X is planning to open routes from Bangkok and Phuket to Almaty during the 2025–2026 fall-summer travel season, further strengthening Kazakhstan’s ties with Southeast Asia.
As of now, Kazakhstan is connected internationally via 121 air routes to 28 countries, offering a total of 660 weekly flights. The expansion aligns with the country’s strategy to boost tourism, enhance economic ties, and improve regional and global connectivity.
