Air travel between Kazakhstan and China is entering a new phase of growth, and Air Astana is at the center of this transformation. With newly announced and recently launched routes, expanded cooperation with Chinese carriers and a favorable visa regime, the Kazakh flag carrier is unlocking a denser web of connections that promises smoother journeys for tourists, business travelers and the Central Asian diaspora. For travelers on both sides of the border, these developments mean more destinations, better schedules and a richer set of onward connections into Asia and beyond.
A Growing Network Linking Almaty to China’s Economic Powerhouses
Air Astana has steadily built its presence in China over more than two decades, but the latest wave of expansion is particularly significant. The airline already links Kazakhstan with several of China’s major urban and resort centers, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Urumqi and Sanya. These routes form the backbone of a corridor that connects Central Asia with some of the world’s most dynamic economic regions, from the Pearl River Delta to the country’s northern political capital.
The next major milestone will come at the end of March 2026, when Air Astana launches a direct service between Almaty and Shanghai Pudong, one of Asia’s largest aviation hubs. The new route is scheduled to operate three times per week, expanding the airline’s Chinese network to yet another megacity and deepening Kazakhstan’s access to eastern China’s financial and technology center. Together with existing flights to Beijing and Guangzhou, the Shanghai service will form a triangle linking Kazakhstan with China’s principal coastal growth engines.
This expansion follows the airline’s earlier move into southern China with the launch of Almaty to Guangzhou flights in late March 2025. Operated by modern Airbus A321LR aircraft, that route gave Kazakh travelers direct access to the manufacturing and logistics heartland centered on Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area. For Chinese travelers, it opened a straightforward gateway to Almaty and onward into Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe.
With each new city added to its roster, Air Astana is positioning itself not only as Kazakhstan’s main international carrier but also as a natural bridge between China and the broader Eurasian region. The growing network is particularly attractive for travelers who want to avoid congested hubs and complex routings in favor of more direct, mid-sized connections.
More Frequencies, Better Schedules and New Possibilities
The value of these new flights lies not only in fresh destinations but also in improved frequency and more traveler friendly schedules. On many China routes, Air Astana now offers multiple weekly departures that are timed to support both point to point traffic and seamless transfers. The upcoming Almaty to Shanghai service, for example, is planned as an evening departure from Kazakhstan, arriving in China early the next morning. The return flights are slated to leave Shanghai around daybreak and land back in Almaty late morning, allowing travelers to maximize their time at destination or connect onward the same day.
Across the Almaty to Beijing and Almaty to Urumqi routes, Air Astana has gradually ramped up capacity to meet growing demand from tourists, students and business travelers. Flights operate several times per week, coordinated so that passengers from Astana and other Kazakh cities can connect through Almaty with minimal layover. Combined with Chinese partner airlines, the total number of weekly flights between Kazakhstan and China has climbed into the dozens, providing a wide choice of departure days and times.
For travelers, these expanded options translate into a more relaxed planning process. It becomes easier to find flights that align with business meetings, trade fairs, school calendars or holiday periods. While peak travel seasons still fill quickly, the expansion of capacity has helped smooth out bottlenecks that once made tickets difficult to secure at short notice.
The move to more frequent and better timed services also makes Kazakhstan a more viable stopover for long haul travelers. Passengers coming from China can now fly into Almaty or Astana and connect onward to European or Middle Eastern destinations on Air Astana’s broader network. At the same time, travelers from Europe and Central Asia gain more options to reach China via Kazakhstan, creating an additional layer of flexibility compared with traditional long haul hubs.
Visa Free Travel and Policy Support Boost Tourism Flows
Air Astana’s new and expanded China routes are backed by a supportive policy environment, which is proving to be a major draw for travelers. Since November 2023, a visa free regime has allowed citizens of Kazakhstan and China to visit each other’s countries for short stays without the usual administrative hurdles. This has lowered the threshold for spontaneous travel, short business trips and family visits, and has supported a strong rebound in tourism.
City authorities in Almaty report that the number of Chinese visitors has risen sharply since the visa free arrangement took effect, with a double digit percentage increase in arrivals. Many of these visitors come for leisure, attracted by Kazakhstan’s mountains, winter sports and Silk Road heritage, while others arrive for trade fairs, logistics conferences and joint investment projects. Air Astana’s direct flights from Beijing, Guangzhou and soon Shanghai feed directly into this growing flow.
On the Kazakh side, interest in China is being fueled by both tourism initiatives and growing consumer curiosity. Official campaigns and themed years of tourism are encouraging Kazakhstan’s residents to explore Chinese destinations, from tropical Sanya on Hainan Island to the historic alleyways of Beijing and the skyscrapers of Shanghai. Affordable airfares, especially during promotional periods, and the convenience of not needing a visa have made these trips feel more accessible than ever before.
This friendly regulatory framework amplifies the impact of every new flight that Air Astana introduces. It means that when a new route opens or a frequency is added, a large pool of potential travelers is ready to take advantage of it without waiting for consular appointments or visas. For a carrier seeking to grow rapidly in a neighboring market, that is an invaluable advantage.
Strategic Partnerships: Codesharing With China Southern
A key development underpinning Air Astana’s China strategy is its codeshare partnership with China Southern Airlines. Signed in mid 2025, the agreement allows each carrier to place its code on the other’s flights along a series of trunk routes connecting Kazakhstan and China. For travelers, this translates into smoother booking experiences, coordinated schedules and a wider range of itineraries available under a single ticket.
Under the cooperation, Air Astana’s code is carried on routes linking Almaty with Beijing, Urumqi and Guangzhou, as well as Astana with Beijing. In return, China Southern’s code appears on flights from major Chinese hubs including Beijing, Guangzhou, Urumqi and Xi’an into Almaty and Astana. The result is a tightly woven network that extends beyond non stop city pairs to include numerous one stop options across both countries.
Practically, a traveler in a mid sized Chinese city can now connect via Guangzhou or Beijing onto an Air Astana flight to Kazakhstan using a single itinerary that includes baggage transfer and coordinated protection in case of disruptions. Similarly, a passenger starting in a regional Kazakh city can reach multiple Chinese destinations through a combination of domestic legs and codeshared international segments. This level of integration makes cross border travel feel less fragmented and more comparable to journeys within a single large domestic market.
For both airlines, the partnership is also strategically aligned with broader economic ambitions under regional initiatives such as the Belt and Road. Enhanced air connectivity supports trade fairs, infrastructure projects, academic exchanges and tourism promotion. For the traveler, however, the most tangible outcome is straightforward: more choice at the booking stage and more confidence that their trip will be supported by two cooperating carriers rather than a patchwork of separate tickets.
Comfort and Connectivity on Board: What the A321LR Brings
Many of Air Astana’s new and longer China routes are operated by Airbus A321LR aircraft, a long range version of the popular single aisle jet. For travelers, this aircraft type offers a blend of widebody like comfort and narrowbody efficiency. Cabin configurations typically include both business and economy classes, with modern in flight entertainment, adjustable mood lighting and improved overhead bin space.
On routes such as Almaty to Guangzhou and the forthcoming Almaty to Shanghai service, the A321LR’s extended range allows non stop flights that comfortably cover distances of more than 3,000 kilometers. This avoids the need for intermediate stops and keeps total journey times competitive with larger widebody aircraft operating from farther afield. Passengers benefit from a simple, direct itinerary between Central Asia and key Chinese cities, arriving rested and with less risk of delay compared with multi stop journeys.
Connectivity is also a central part of the on board experience. Air Astana has been steadily upgrading its cabins with features such as personal screens or streaming entertainment to personal devices, USB and power outlets and Wi Fi availability on selected aircraft. While specific offerings can vary by route and airframe, the overall trend is toward a more digitally connected cabin experience that allows passengers to work, study or relax with their own content during mid length flights.
These hardware and service investments matter because they help Air Astana compete not only with neighboring carriers but also with large global airlines that operate long haul services via distant hubs. For a traveler weighing a one stop journey via a major Gulf or European hub against a more direct connection on a narrowbody jet, the balance of comfort, convenience and flight time has become increasingly favorable to the Central Asian option.
Gateway to Central Asia: Using Kazakhstan as a Smart Transfer Hub
One of the less obvious benefits of Air Astana’s China expansion is the way it strengthens Kazakhstan’s position as a transfer hub for the wider region. From Almaty and Astana, the airline offers connections to a range of destinations across Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Europe. As new Chinese cities are brought into the network, travelers gain additional ways to reach these secondary markets without backtracking through distant mega hubs.
For example, a business traveler from Shanghai attending a conference in Tbilisi or Baku could opt to fly to Almaty on Air Astana’s new route and connect onward within the same airline group. Similarly, tourists from Beijing seeking a multi country itinerary that includes Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan could use Almaty as a central pivot point. The combination of growing frequencies into China and established links westward makes such itineraries both time efficient and cost competitive.
Kazakh travelers also reap the benefits when heading in the opposite direction. With direct flights to Sanya, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Beijing and soon Shanghai, leisure and business itineraries across China can be assembled with fewer connections and a clearer pricing structure. Seasoned travelers can build open jaw routes that enter China via one city and depart via another, while first time visitors can rely on simple returns that still allow for internal Chinese exploration via rail or domestic flights.
The more that Air Astana deepens its reach into China, the more compelling Kazakhstan becomes as an aviation crossroads in its own right. For travelers who value manageable airport sizes, shorter transit walks and a more relaxed pace, Almaty and Astana provide an appealing alternative to some of the world’s busiest and most crowded hubs.
Practical Tips to Make the Most of the New Routes
For travelers considering Air Astana’s expanded Kazakhstan China services, a few practical strategies can help unlock their full value. Booking early remains important on popular routes such as Beijing, Guangzhou and, once launched, Shanghai, especially around Chinese New Year, Nauryz and other peak holidays. Flexible travel dates can also open up lower fares, as midweek flights often see lighter demand than weekends.
Travelers should pay close attention to connection times in Almaty and Astana when combining domestic and international segments. Air Astana usually coordinates schedules to provide reasonable transit windows, but travelers booking through partners or agents should verify that layovers leave enough time for potential delays and any necessary security or immigration checks. When in doubt, a slightly longer connection can provide peace of mind without significantly extending total journey time.
It is also worth considering the benefits of loyalty programs and codeshare arrangements. By crediting flights to a single frequent flyer account, whether with Air Astana or a partner such as China Southern, regular travelers can accumulate miles more efficiently and eventually redeem them for upgrades or future trips. Booking under a single ticket that includes all legs, especially on codeshared routes, enhances protection in case of disruption and simplifies baggage handling.
Finally, travelers should stay informed about any updates to the visa free regime or entry requirements, particularly for longer or multi purpose stays that might fall outside standard short visit categories. Although current rules are broadly favorable and have been a catalyst for growth, immigration policies are subject to change. Checking official guidance close to departure helps ensure that the journey between Kazakhstan and China remains as smooth in practice as the expanding flight map suggests.