Turkistan Airport update: Flights, ownership, and future plans

Tengrinews.kz - There has been talk online about Turkistan International Airport possibly being handed over to private management. Tengrinews.kz looked into what’s happening.

Who owns the airport?

As of now, the airport belongs to the Turkistan regional akimat (local government administration). Back in June, it was announced that officials were in talks with Alpha Sky, a cargo airline, about possibly transferring the airport into trust management.

According to the airport’s press service, no agreement has been finalized yet, but discussions are ongoing.

Why the change? The airport is currently operating at a loss, meaning it’s not bringing in enough money to cover its expenses. If a deal is made, the investor would be expected to develop the infrastructure—adding things like more aircraft parking, a hotel, a maintenance hangar, storage facilities, and fuel tanks. The goal is for the airport to become financially self-sufficient within three years.

Where can you fly from Turkistan?

Right now, the airport offers 31 regular flights per week, both domestic and international.

Domestic routes include:

FlyArystan:

• Astana (6 times a week)
• Almaty (4 times a week)

Qazaq Air:

• Astana (6)
• Karaganda (2)
• Kostanay (2)

SCAT Airlines:

• Aktobe (3)
• Uralsk (2)
• Aktau (2)

International destinations:

• Istanbul via Turkish Airlines (2 times a week)
• Samarkand via Qazaq Air (2 times a week)

In 2025, the average monthly passenger traffic is 26,215, up from 23,567 in 2024.