Kazakhstan sets aviation-hub priorities as passenger and air-cargo activity grows

Verified facts

• Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry reported on 16 October 2026 that domestic airlines carried 12.4 million passengers in the first nine months of the year and that airports handled 136,500 tonnes of cargo. It also reported an international route network covering 31 countries and 137 destinations, with 24 new routes opened by Kazakh and foreign airlines. Aggregate national figures provide sector context; they do not establish a particular airport’s capacity, route economics, cargo availability or buyer demand.
• The same ministry record states that an ICAO-supported civil-aviation master plan through 2050 is being developed. It identifies current sector themes including cargo aviation, airport infrastructure and digitalisation. The Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan separately reported in June that ICAO facilitation work considered passenger and cargo flows, interagency coordination, sanitation and passenger-data management. Strategy and expert-work references identify planning directions, not an approved project, system procurement, technical interface or supplier route.
• Industry participants at the October forum described distinct airport proposals: a second runway, cargo infrastructure and digitalisation at Astana Airport; the QarGo Hub concept at Karaganda; a proposed aviation and logistics hub at Aktau; and maintenance and airport-infrastructure activity at Shymkent. These statements identify assets and potential demand categories that require separate owner, funding, approval, package and procurement verification.
• ICAO’s published project record confirms that Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Master Plan is intended to include economic and financial planning as well as airports, safety, air navigation, security and environmental expertise. It is useful independent institutional context for an aviation proposition, but it does not validate any individual commercial plan announced at the forum.