A new air route connecting Astana and Shanghai is scheduled to begin operations this autumn.

During a working visit to China, Saltanat Tompiyeva, Chair of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee, held a meeting with Jin Cheng Chu, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at China Eastern Airlines, The Caspian Post reports, citing Qazinform.

The discussions focused on the launch of direct flights between Astana and Shanghai.

Representatives of the airline confirmed strong commercial interest in the route and said they are prepared to begin services this fall after completing all necessary preparations. The route will initially operate three flights per week, with plans to gradually increase the frequency to daily flights.

The sides also discussed opportunities to expand the air network between Kazakhstan and China. China Eastern Airlines’ management expressed interest in increasing the number of flights to Kazakhstan and further developing cooperation with Kazakh airlines.

The new route is expected to become another step in implementing agreements aimed at expanding air connectivity between Kazakhstan and China. Direct flights linking the political and business capitals of the two countries are expected to contribute to the growth of tourism, business cooperation, and investment ties, while also strengthening Kazakhstan’s transit potential.

China Eastern Airlines is one of China’s three largest state-owned airlines and ranks as the country’s second-largest carrier. Headquartered in Shanghai, the airline operates a fleet of 834 aircraft. In 2025, it transported 150 million passengers and operated approximately 550 daily flights from Shanghai’s two airports.