The ninth-largest country in the world and a burgeoning tourism destination for travelers from outside the region, the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan is known both for its major cities and extensive natural landscapes like Caspian Sea, the Altai Mountains and countless lakes and canyons.
The country’s government has, over the past year, taken several major steps to increase tourism into the country further by opening up visa-free entry to citizens of 56 countries and working with national carrier Air Astana as well as the national railway company to boost connectivity both within and into the country.
On May 19, Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev revealed the timeline for long-discussed routes between the capital of Astana and New York’s JFK Airport and Tokyo.
Founded in 2001 as a national airline following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Air Astana has a fleet of 64 primarily Boeing 767-300ER and Airbus A320 planes to fly to 34 destinations in Asia and Europe.
Air Astana aims to launch first flight to U.S. by 2027
As the first direct connection between Kazakhstan and the U.S., the flight to New York has been in the works since 2022 when Air Astana first requested DoT permission to start the route. The restart was offset by the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the route would require going through Russian airspace.
“In the case of Tokyo, flights will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, and flights to the United States will begin in the second quarter of 2027,” Sauranbayev said in a government meeting on May 19.
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Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov further said that the government was working together with Air Astana as “development of the aviation industry and expansion of international air connectivity are important conditions for the country’s further economic growth.”
Previous data published by the Kazakh government showed that over 90% of the 7.5 million international tourists who came to Kazakhstan in one year arrived from either nearby Central Asian nations or Russia; as a result, the government has been aiming to increase tourism from other parts of the world and Western countries in particular.
Air Astana
What needs to happen before Air Astana starts flying to the U.S.
Launch of the U.S. route is contingent on obtaining Category 1 status from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, with a team of International Aviation Safety Assessment evaluators set to arrive in the country for the purpose in September 2026.
The first of several Boeing 787 airliners that Air Astana ordered specifically for these long-haul routes is also set to arrive in September.
The multitude of factors that need to come together (Air Astana also needs to obtain both permission and insurance to use Russian airspace) keep the entire route mired in permanent uncertainty despite the progress that has been made in recent months.
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Other planned routes floated by Air Astana include flights to London, Paris, Rome, and Vienna. Existing destinations include Frankfurt, Delhi, Bangkok, and Amsterdam.
“Work is underway on the construction of airports in the tourist zones of Katon-Karagay, Zaysan, and Kenderli, as well as the restoration of Arkalyk Airport,” Sauranbayev said of further plans to expand air connectivity in the country.
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