ASTANA – Kazakhstan is continuing to broaden its aviation network across Asia, with SCAT Airlines set to launch flights from Shymkent to Singapore via China’s Sanya on Oct. 20. The new service comes amid a wider expansion of routes by Kazakh carriers to China and other Asian destinations.
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Via Sanya
The Shymkent-Sanya flight will take around 6.5 hours, followed by an approximately two-hour transit in Sanya. Passengers will remain in the airport’s sterile transit zone and continue their journey without passing through Chinese passport control.
The Sanya-Singapore segment will take nearly three hours, the airline reported on Sept. 7.
The new route comes as Kazakhstan’s airlines continue to expand connectivity with China and other Asian destinations.
Growing Asian Connectivity
The Air Astana Group reported an 81% increase in capacity to China during the 2026 summer season, reaching 49 flights per week across seven destinations.
The group launched new services from Almaty to Shanghai and Xi’an, from Astana to Guangzhou and from Aktau to Urumqi. FlyArystan is also scheduled to launch twice-weekly flights between Almaty and Chongqing on Sept. 23.
Across the wider network, the group increased services to Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, Türkiye and Asia during the summer season.
Passenger Advisory
FlyArystan has advised passengers traveling to or from China to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure following updated entry and exit procedures that will take effect on Sept. 15.
The airline said immigration checks may take longer and advised passengers to check passport validity and current entry requirements in advance.
The visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and China remains in effect, allowing Kazakh citizens to stay in China for up to 30 calendar days per trip.
