Air Astana, China Southern Airlines Team Up to Expand Sky Routes Between Kazakhstan, China

Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, and China Southern Airlines have entered into a codeshare agreement designed to strengthen air travel links between Kazakhstan and China.

The partnership is set to offer passengers increased flexibility and more travel options on key routes connecting the two countries, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

As part of the agreement, each airline will place its code on the other’s flights. Air Astana will include its code on China Southern Airlines' flights, while China Southern will reciprocate by adding its code to Air Astana-operated routes from Almaty to Beijing, Urumqi, and Guangzhou, and from Astana to Beijing and Urumqi.

Speaking on the agreement, Air Astana CEO Peter Foster noted that the cooperation marks an important step forward in regional aviation, stating it will bolster trade, tourism, and cultural exchange between Kazakhstan and China. “This partnership reflects a new phase in aviation collaboration between our two nations,” Foster said.

The codeshare deal comes shortly after Air China launched a direct service between Beijing and Almaty, underscoring a growing momentum in regional air connectivity.