Central Asia and China expand their air traffic links

Air traffic between Central Asia and China is growing dynamically. Currently, 117 regular weekly flights connect Kazakhstan and China – 52% more than the…

Air traffic between Central Asia and China is growing dynamically. Currently, 117 regular weekly flights connect Kazakhstan and China – 52% more than the previous year. From 3 to 5 November, representatives of the aviation authorities of China and the five Central Asian states will meet in Tashkent to discuss further opening of the market.

Trade between China and Central Asia reached a volume of USD 106.3 billion in 2025 (+12%). In parallel, passenger numbers are rising and regional airlines are gradually gaining better access to the markets. Kazakhstan has pursued an open-skies policy at major airports since 2019; Uzbekistan has also liberalised its aviation markets.

Strong growth in regional air traffic

According to a study by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), Central Asian airlines carried a total of 31.7 million passengers in 2025 – almost twice as many as in 2019. Seat capacity grew by an average of 7.7% per year between 2015 and 2025. Low-cost carriers most recently accounted for 21% of supply, with FlyArystan being the largest provider.

Air freight also increased significantly: transport volume quadrupled between 2023 and 2025 to 335,700 tonnes. Around 67% was attributable to Uzbek airlines.

The strong growth of 2025 and earlier is continuing unabated in 2026 as well.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan drive the expansion

With around 49% of regional passenger volume, Kazakhstan was the largest air traffic market in Central Asia in 2025. At the end of October 2026 there were 21 flight connections to China; since the beginning of the year, more than one million passengers have been carried between the two countries. The number of permitted weekly flights is set to rise from 124 to 152. New connections include, among others, Almaty–Xi'an, Almaty–Chongqing and Astana–Guangzhou.

On 30 October, Air Astana and China Southern Airlines agreed on a strategic partnership to facilitate connecting flights between their route networks.

Uzbekistan has the second-largest passenger market in the region. In the first nine months of 2026, its airports handled 12.7 million passengers (+13%). Numerous passenger, freight and transit flights also operate between Uzbekistan and China. New connections and rising visitor numbers from China underscore the market's growing potential.

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are also expanding their direct connections with China, including through new flights between Guangzhou and Bishkek as well as between Dushanbe and Beijing.

Infrastructure and market opening as central challenges

Despite the growth, the industry faces considerable challenges. Worldwide, aircraft and engine deliveries are being delayed, driving up maintenance and leasing costs. At the same time, according to the EDB, the modernisation of Central Asian airports is not keeping pace with the increasing traffic volume.

By 2035, twelve major airport projects with a total volume of USD 5.1 billion are planned or being implemented in the region. In addition, bilateral air traffic agreements still partly restrict market access.

The further liberalisation of air traffic and the improvement of regional infrastructure are therefore at the centre of the discussions in Tashkent.