Tokyo and Warsaw: Kazakhstan’s newest flight paths revealed
Kazakhstan is set to significantly broaden its international aviation footprint throughout 2026, announced the Ministry of Transport, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Starting March 29, SCAT Airlines will launch a new route from Shymkent to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), followed by service to Novosibirsk (Russia) on May 19. The airline’s expansion continues into the summer with flights to St. Petersburg (Russia) beginning June 1, and a new connection to Tel Aviv (Israel) starting June 9.
Air Astana is also preparing for a significant rollout of new routes, beginning with flights from Almaty to Shanghai (China) on March 29, followed by an Astana to Guangzhou (China) service starting June 2. For the summer season, the carrier will introduce flights to Larnaca (Cyprus): service from Almaty will run from June 2 to September 5, while the Astana route will operate from June 4 to September 6. During the spring-summer navigation period, the airline has also scheduled flights from Almaty to Dalaman (Turkiye). Additionally, starting March 9, new routes will open from both Almaty and Astana to Salalah (Jordan). Furthermore, plans are being finalized for the launch of an Almaty–Tokyo service in 2026.
The low-cost carrier FlyArystan is set to ramp up its operations, beginning with a new route from Almaty to Samarkand (Uzbekistan), on March 17. According to the Ministry of Transport, in June, the airline is set to see further expansion to China with planned flights between Almaty and Xi'an (pending slot approvals), and between Aktau and Urumqi. Furthermore, the airline is working on launching a direct service from Almaty to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
Among international carriers, LOT Polish Airlines is scheduled to launch an Almaty–Warsaw route starting May 31. Air Arabia is planning to introduce a connection between Almaty and Dammam (Saudi Arabia), while Royal Jordanian is exploring the possibility of establishing a direct flight between Almaty and Amman (Jordan).
"The new routes will contribute to boosting trade and economic, tourism, and cultural ties, as well as further integration of Kazakhstan into the global transport network," the Ministry's statement reads.
Qazinform reported earlier that Lufthansa is set to resume flights to Kazakhstan after a 5-month suspension.
