Uzbekistan Airports has announced growth in its operational performance for the first nine months of 2024, with substantial increases in passenger traffic, flight activity, and cargo volume.

In the third quarter of 2024, the country’s airports reported nearly a 50% rise in key metrics compared to the same period in 2023. This includes increases in the number of passengers, flights, and cargo handled.

From January to September, Uzbekistan’s international airports served a total of 82,637 flights, including 24,914 domestic and 57,723 international flights. This marks a 136% increase compared to the same period last year. Of these, 53,942 flights were operated by local airlines, while 28,695 were handled by foreign carriers.

Passenger numbers surged, with the airports handling 9,893,947 travelers over the 9-month period, representing a 133% increase from 2023. This total includes 1,871,659 passengers on domestic routes and 8,022,288 on international flights.

Cargo and mail services also saw growth. In the third quarter alone, Uzbekistan Airports processed 62,067 tons of cargo, an increase of 121% over last year’s figures.

Earlier, Uzbekistan’s second-largest airport, Samarkand International Airport (SKD),  reported a 43% surge in passenger traffic during the first nine months of 2024, serving over 1 million travelers. This figure already exceeds the total annual traffic recorded in 2023, reflecting the airport’s rapid expansion, according to operator Air Marakanda.

A significant portion of this growth came from international travel, with more than 975,000 passengers flying to destinations abroad. The most popular routes included Moscow, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah, which accounted for 780,000 passengers—76% of the overall traffic.