Air Astana has unveiled its winter 2026–27 schedule, adding three new international destinations and deepening frequencies on several leisure routes as the group pushes to cement Astana's status as a Central Asian hub. The programme, running until 27 March 2027, marks one of the carrier's most ambitious winter networks to date.
New routes: Tokyo, Salalah and Langkawi
The headline addition is a twice-weekly nonstop service between Almaty and Tokyo Narita, launching 30 November 2026. The route gives Kazakhstan a direct link to Japan's capital, complementing the group's existing East Asian connections. Air Astana will also start twice-weekly flights from Astana to Bangkok, adding to its daily Almaty–Bangkok service, and will operate seasonal flights from both Almaty and Astana to Salalah, Oman, a popular winter escape on the Arabian Peninsula.
From 25 December 2026 to 27 March 2027, the carrier will run three weekly flights between Almaty and Langkawi, Malaysia, tapping into demand for tropical beach holidays during the northern winter. The Langkawi service is a new addition to the airline's Southeast Asian network, which already includes Phuket, Phu Quoc and the Maldives.
Frequency boosts on key leisure routes
Air Astana is also increasing capacity on several established routes. Almaty–Maldives will go daily during peak holiday periods, while Almaty–Phuket rises to nine weekly flights from early December. The airline will introduce daily Almaty–Phu Quoc services in December, alongside three weekly flights from Astana to the Vietnamese island. In the Middle East, Almaty–Dubai will increase to 12 weekly flights, with up to 10 weekly from Astana.
These adjustments reflect a broader strategy to capture winter sun and festive travel demand, particularly from Central Asian outbound travellers. The group's network will expand to 32 destinations, and weekly international departures from Astana will grow from 99 to 116 in 2026.
“During the 2026–2027 winter season, Air Astana will expand its international route network with flights to Tokyo, Oman and Langkawi. Increased frequencies to the Maldives, Phuket and Dubai will offer passengers more travel options for winter holidays and festive breaks,” said Yerbolat Baisalykov, Senior Vice-President of Revenue Management and Commercial Planning at Air Astana.
Hub ambitions and regional context
The expansion comes as Air Astana Group, the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus, continues to build out its hub operations. The carrier's push to strengthen Astana as an international gateway aligns with broader regional trends, including the recent joint venture with China Southern, which is expected to boost connectivity between Kazakhstan and China.
Industry observers note that the new Tokyo and Langkawi routes add diversity to Air Astana's network, reducing reliance on traditional CIS and Middle East markets. The airline's winter schedule also competes with other carriers targeting leisure travellers, such as Vietjet's recent South Asia expansion, which includes new links to the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
For travel agents and tour operators, the added frequencies to Phuket, Phu Quoc and the Maldives open up more packaging opportunities for the peak season. The daily Maldives service, in particular, is likely to appeal to premium leisure clients, while the Dubai frequency increase supports both business and leisure traffic.
Air Astana's winter programme also reflects a wider industry push to capture winter sun demand, as seen in Saudi Arabia's winter tourism campaign and other destination marketing efforts. With the new routes and frequencies, the carrier is positioning itself to be a key player in the region's winter travel market.
