ASTANA – Kazakhstan has set an ambitious goal of becoming an international aviation hub, with several of its major airports transforming to compete on the global stage. Yerlan Ospanov, owner of the Saryarka Airport in Karagandy, spoke with Astana Times about what it takes to build a true aviation hub, where Kazakhstan stands today, and whether Karagandy can emerge as a full-scale multimodal cargo hub.
Karagandy Airport dates back to 1934, with the modern Sary-Arka International Airport opening in 1980. Photo credit: the airport’s press service Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
Karagandy’s strategic advantage
Kazakhstan plans to develop aviation hubs in Astana, Almaty, Aktau, Aktobe, Karagandy and Shymkent, with initial efforts focused on infrastructure modernization, including runways, logistics terminals and storage facilities.
Yerlan Ospanov, owner of the Saryarka Airport in Karagandy.
Kazakhstan’s civil aviation sector transported 20.8 million passengers in 2025, while airports handled 31.8 million people. Through 2028, the country plans to implement 11 infrastructure projects, including four new airports, two new runways and upgrades at five cities. The international route network is set to expand to 135 routes across 30 countries, up from 115 in 2024.
Within this strategy, Karagandy is emerging as a key cargo hub due to its geographic position and existing infrastructure. The Karagandy Airport has a long history, with its first flights and postal-cargo operations dating back to February 1934. The development of the aviation hub was closely linked to the expansion of mineral resource extraction in the 1930s. The modern Sary-Arka International Airport was later opened in 1980. Ospanov said its location gives it a distinct edge.
“Karagandy sits at a point that enables flights on a six-plus-six or seven-plus-seven hour principle, roughly equidistant from major hubs across Eurasia. Very few locations on the continent offer that,” he said.
According to Ospanov, the airport has much of the necessary infrastructure in place, including runways, cargo terminals, fuel complexes and logistics facilities, enabling rapid capacity expansion.
Karagandy Airport is operating as a cargo hub, supported by the arrival of global manufacturers and major freight forwarders building logistics chains through the facility. While maintaining current volumes, cargo traffic is expected to increase more than sevenfold to 100,000 tons by the end of the year.
The airport recently presented a 25-year master plan to develop a multimodal air hub and build the QarGoCity cargo ecosystem around it.
During the presentation, Franz Heuckeroth van Hessen, co-founder and managing director of ACG AirCargo Consultancy Global GmbH, said Karagandy is one of the few locations in Eurasia with favorable conditions for a large-scale cargo hub, citing its central location, available land, unconstrained airspace and ability to develop cargo infrastructure without competing with passenger operations.
“We have developed a comprehensive master plan not only for airport expansion, but as a foundation for a broader logistics and industrial ecosystem. Karagandy has the potential to become a logistics center of Eurasia,” he said.
The plan includes development of 600 hectares of cargo zones, modeled on airports such as Liège Airport and Cologne Bonn Airport, to attract major international freight forwarders, global integrators and logistics companies.
The airport is also expanding international logistics partnerships across China, Europe, East Asia and South America.
“Flowers from Ecuador and Africa are consolidated in Liège, transported to Karagandy and then distributed by road. We have also launched transit programs from China to Europe using truck-to-air and air-to-air models,” Ospanov said.
What makes a vibrant aviation hub
Ospanov said the starting point is understanding what defines an aviation hub and the distinction between passenger and cargo models.
“The concept of a hub dates back to the 1960s in the United States. It is built around a central airport where aircraft converge, and passengers transfer to connecting flights. That is why, for example, you never see a Turkish Airlines flight from Ankara to Bodrum – most routes connect through Istanbul. Emirates does not operate direct flights from Berlin to Delhi, traffic is routed through Dubai,” he said.
He noted that classic hubs such as Istanbul, Dubai and Frankfurt are largely transit-oriented, while Panama represents one of the purest forms of the model.
“Airports like London Heathrow and Istanbul are often called hubs, but in reality, London is rather of a final destination. Classic hubs are those where transit dominates, such as Istanbul. And perhaps the clearest example of a pure hub is Panama,” Ospanov said.
Passenger vs. cargo systems
Ospanov identified three essential conditions for building a successful hub. The first is geographic position, a hub must sit strategically between major markets. Panama’s success, he noted, stems largely from its location between North and South America.
The second requirement is a home-based carrier operating under a hub model. In Panama, that role is played by Copa Airlines. In Istanbul and Dubai, the carriers are Turkish Airlines and Emirates, respectively.
“For a passenger hub, transit connectivity is essential. Geography comes first, but the second key factor is a base carrier operating a hub schedule, not a point-to-point network. All routes are structured around one central airport,” Ospanov said.
He added that the hub model also shapes pricing.
“Connecting flights are often cheaper than direct ones. Each additional transit passenger brings minimal extra cost to the airline, mostly just airport fees, while the rest contributes to revenue. This is the foundation of the hub model,” he said.
The third key factor is airport infrastructure, particularly automated baggage handling systems, as they enable seamless passenger flows.
“When a passenger flies from Beijing to Barcelona via Istanbul, their baggage is automatically transferred through the airport, processed and loaded onto the next flight. Handling tens of millions of passengers manually is impossible, and that terminal design is built around these systems,” Ospanov said.
Cargo hubs, Ospanov explained, operate on a business-to-business model rather than the business-to-consumer model of passenger hubs.
“A passenger hub is B2C – passengers follow airlines. A cargo hub is B2B – airlines follow clients. Cargo capacity is purchased in bulk by freight forwarders, often for months or even a year in advance. Price sensitivity is extremely high. If tariffs increase, clients simply shift elsewhere,” he said.
He highlighted that in the cargo model, the presence of a base carrier is less critical than having stable demand from logistics clients, strong infrastructure and reliable service.
Fuel costs and regional competition pressures
Fuel availability and cost remain challenges, though Ospanov described them as manageable. Local production falls short of demand, and the gap is covered by imports, including from Russia.
He noted that the government is moving in the right direction, pointing to the introduction of a zero-VAT policy on imported aviation fuel.
“Between December and January, airport fuel prices ranged from $900 to $1,200 per metric ton. They have since stabilized at around $950. The next step is to open the market further, attract more suppliers and improve liquidity,” he said.
He added that infrastructure for Jet A-1 fuel remains under development nationwide, with Karagandy planning to launch its own system by year’s end.
Despite growing competition from Uzbekistan, which is expanding its aviation sector and modernizing its fleet, Ospanov remains confident in Kazakhstan’s position.
“There are always risks, but we have not lost anything. We have every opportunity to catch up and even surpass others. Our geography is stronger, our infrastructure is more developed, and we are also launching a cargo carrier, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) Air Cargo,” he said.
