New details on flights to New York, Rome, and Tokyo announced by Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstanis have been waiting for several years for news about the launch of direct flights to New York (USA), Rome (Italy), and Tokyo (Japan). We contacted the Civil Aviation Committee to find out what stage the issue is currently at.

Flight from Almaty to Tokyo

According to the agency, one of Kazakhstan’s airlines is working on launching a route from Almaty to Tokyo.

“Air Astana plans to launch direct flights on the Almaty–Tokyo route this year,” the committee said.

Earlier, Vice Minister of Transport Maksat Kaliakparov stated that a preliminary agreement on the Tokyo flight had already been reached. The launch is expected in the fall, although, according to him, specific dates cannot yet be announced.

Flight from Kazakhstan to New York

The committee also commented on the current status of launching a direct flight to New York.

“In order to operate flights to the United States, it is necessary to obtain CAT1 status under the Federal Aviation Administration program. Work is currently underway to obtain this status. At the same time, for the successful completion of the technical assessment of flight safety in Kazakhstan, Boeing 787-9 aircraft are expected to be delivered to Air Astana’s fleet by the end of this year,” the agency noted.

Earlier, Vice Minister of Transport Maksat Kaliakparov told journalists that all the necessary documents on the ministry’s side were ready.

“There is a relevant instruction from the Prime Minister. We are waiting for Boeing,” he said.

When asked whether the launch of the New York flight could be expected before the end of the year if the aircraft arrive for the Japan route in the fall, Kaliakparov answered in the affirmative.

We previously wrote that the launch of a direct flight to New York has been under discussion for several years. In August 2025, the Ministry of Transport reported that opening direct flights to the United States would require Boeing aircraft to be delivered to Air Astana, while the manufacturer had postponed the delivery date of the first aircraft to July 2026.

Thus, the exact launch date of the flight has not yet been determined.

Flight from Astana to Rome

The Civil Aviation Committee also commented on the possibility of opening direct flights to Rome, Italy.

“The legal framework between Kazakhstan and Italy allows direct flights to be operated on a daily basis. The Italian airline NEOS had shown interest in expanding its route network on the Astana–Rome route,” the committee said.

The agency clarified that if applications are received from the Italian side, the committee is ready to issue the relevant permits within the framework of the existing agreements.

As a reminder, a new flight from Kazakhstan to Rome began to be discussed back in 2024. At that time, the airline Neos, which operates two flights a week on the Almaty–Milan route, wanted to expand its geography of flights.