ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to complete construction of three new airports in Zaisan, Katon-Karagai and Kenderli by the end of 2026 as part of efforts to expand the country’s aviation infrastructure and strengthen its transit potential, First Deputy Prime Minister Nurlan Nalybayev said at a Nov.
4 government press conference. Nalybayev also added that the government is also working to modernize existing airports and improve air navigation systems. Construction and modernization work is underway at Almaty and Urdzhar airports, while a second runway is being built in Shymkent.
In August, Pavlodar Airport’s runway was reconstructed and Arkalyk Airport was restored. Kazakhstan is also upgrading its air navigation system using international equipment and standards. The country is expanding its international air connections. The first flight on the Almaty-Tokyo route is scheduled for Nov.
30, while new routes to Vienna, New York, Milan and other cities are planned for 2027. Kazakhstan is also developing a national cargo airline, Air Cargo, which is expected to operate a fleet of 10 aircraft. The first aircraft is expected to arrive in November 2026, followed by a second in March 2027.
The carrier will operate in the international air freight market as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen Kazakhstan’s position in global cargo transportation. Fueling facilities and cargo terminals are also being modernized and connected to road and railway networks to support multimodal transportation.
The government is working to digitize the transport sector through the integration of information systems into the unified E-Kolik intelligent platform. The system is expected to enable fully paperless documentation, shorten the processing time for transport documents and improve transparency in cargo flows.
The airport projects form part of a broader effort to develop Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics infrastructure and improve connections between international markets. The government has identified several key transport hubs where free economic zone arrangements have been introduced.
Modernization of fuel facilities and cargo terminals, alongside better road and railway connections, is expected to support the development of multimodal freight services. The expansion of airport capacity, international routes and cargo operations is intended to strengthen Kazakhstan’s role as a regional aviation and logistics hub.