Kazakhstan’s flagship carrier, Air Astana, is set to enhance its winter navigation schedule, responding to the introduction of a visa-free regime for Kazakh citizens traveling to China, Vietnam, and Thailand, as well as the rising interest in pilgrimage tourism. This winter, the airline will operate a total of 53 destinations, including 40 international and 13 domestic routes, with additional charter flights.

One of the notable additions to the schedule is a new direct flight from Atyrau to Dubai, which will operate twice a week. The airline is also ramping up its operations to the UAE, increasing the frequency of flights from Almaty to Dubai to 11 times a week, and from Astana to Dubai to nine times a week.

Starting at the end of October, Air Astana will launch flights from Astana to Abu Dhabi twice a week. Additionally, flights from Almaty to Abu Dhabi will begin in December, maintaining the same frequency.

Expanding its reach to Saudi Arabia, Air Astana will commence flights from Almaty to Medina twice a week, while continuing its existing Jeddah route at the same frequency. Shymkent will also benefit from one weekly flight to both Jeddah and Medina.

For travelers seeking a getaway to Thailand, a new route from Astana to Phuket will operate three times a week, supplementing the current 11 weekly flights from Almaty to Phuket and daily flights from Almaty to Bangkok.

On October 28, Air Astana launched a new service from Almaty to Phu Quoc, Vietnam, with flights operating five times a week. Just a day prior, the airline resumed its seasonal flights to the Maldives, offering up to five services a week.

In December, Air Astana will restore its flights from Astana to Urumqi twice a week and will continue its operations from Almaty to Urumqi four times a week, from Almaty to Beijing five times a week, and from Astana to Beijing twice a week.

The airline is also increasing its frequency on the Astana-Seoul route, which will now operate three times a week, in addition to the existing five flights from Almaty to Seoul.

For European travel, Air Astana offers flights from Astana to Frankfurt five times a week and a direct service on the Almaty–London route twice a week. Flights from Atyrau to Amsterdam will also continue from Western Kazakhstan.

Throughout the winter season, Air Astana remains committed to serving popular regional destinations. Flights from Almaty to Delhi will operate nine times a week, with up to 11 flights weekly to Tashkent, daily flights from Almaty to Bishkek, four times a week to Tbilisi, and two flights a week from Almaty to both Baku and Dushanbe.