Air Astana celebrates the 15th anniversary of direct flights between Kazakhstan and Georgia by highlighting the role air connectivity has played in strengthening tourism, business and cultural ties between the two countries.

The milestone was marked at a media event in Tbilisi attended by Serik Rys-Uly, Director Passenger & Cargo Sales, and Karlygash Omurbayeva, Regional General Manager Caucasus.

Since launching its first direct service baetween Almaty and Tbilisi in June 2011, Air Astana has steadily expanded its presence in the Georgian market. Today, the Air Astana Group operates flights between Almaty, Astana, Atyrau and Aktau and the Georgian cities of Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi.

In 2025, the Air Astana Group carried more than 270,000 passengers between Kazakhstan and Georgia, representing a 17% increase compared with the previous year. During the 2026 summer season, Air Astana and FlyArystan operate up to 44 weekly flights between the two countries, including 25 weekly services by Air Astana and 19 by FlyArystan.

Speaking at the event, Serik Rys-Uly noted the growing importance of Georgia within the airline’s regional network.

“Over the past 15 years, we have witnessed a significant increase in travel between Kazakhstan and Georgia. Strong direct connections, growing tourism flows and expanding business links continue to support demand for air travel between our countries,” he said.

The airline also highlighted the increasing role of its hubs in Almaty and Astana as gateways to destinations across Asia. Recently, Air Astana has expanded its network with new services to Mumbai and Guangzhou, while FlyArystan has launched flights to the Chinese cities of Yining, Xi’an and Ürümqi.

These destinations are available to Georgian passengers through convenient connections via Kazakhstan, complementing Air Astana’s existing network across destinations in Central Asia, Europe, Southeast Asia and other regions.

Representatives of the airline also discussed the importance of service quality in a competitive aviation environment. Air Astana holds a Five Star Major Airline rating from APEX and has been recognised by Skytrax as the Best Airline in Central Asia and the CIS for 14 consecutive years.

The airline further highlighted its ongoing investment in fleet modernisation. Air Astana’s Airbus neo-family aircraft are equipped with new-generation engines that deliver improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared with previous aircraft generations.

Georgia has also become an increasingly important source market for transit passengers travelling through Air Astana’s hubs in Almaty and Astana. Travellers with longer connections can take advantage of the airline’s Stopover Holiday programme, which includes accommodation and city experiences, with packages starting from USD 30 for the first night.

Fifteen years after its first flight to Tbilisi, Air Astana continues to play an important role in linking Kazakhstan and Georgia, providing passengers with greater travel opportunities while supporting closer economic, tourism and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

About Air Astana Group

The Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus by revenue and fleet size. The Group operates a fleet of 63 aircraft through its full-service carrier Air Astana, established in 2002, and its low-cost carrier FlyArystan, launched in 2019.

(Ad)