Air Astana expands China network, adds Cyprus flights

Air Astana continues to expand its network of services to major cities across China with the launch of direct flights from Astana to Guangzhou on 2nd May 2026. The new service complements the existing Almaty to Guangzhou route, which has been operating five times a week since March 2025. Guangzhou, the capital of Guandong province in southern China is one of China’s largest cities and is a major industrial, trading and transport hub. Flights from Astana to Guangzhou will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with departure from Astana at 18.45 and arrival in Guangzhou at 04.30 local time. Airbus A321LR aircraft are operated on the route with a flight time of 6 hours and 45 minutes. Additional services to Guangzhou further strengthens Air Astana’s long-term commitment to developing connectivity between Kazakhstan and China, which began with its first flight between Almaty and Beijing in December 2002. During the 2026 summer season, the Air Astana Group will increase frequencies on most of its existing routes to China, including services from Almaty to Urumqi, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Sanya and Yining, as well as from Astana to Beijing and Urumqi. As a result, the number of flights between Kazakhstan and China will reach 51 per week, the highest level in the airline’s history. The Air Astana Group continues to expand opportunities for both business and leisure travel, while also supporting growing transit passenger flows between Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe and Asia. Air Astana also announced it has launched seasonal flights from Astana to Larnaca in Cyprus and this service will be followed by the first flight from Almaty to Larnaca on 4th June 2026. Seasonal flights to Cyprus will be operated through until September using Airbus A321LR aircraft. Flights from Astana are operated twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while flights from Almaty operate on Thursdays and Sundays. Flight time is 5 hours and 40 minutes from Astana to Larnaca and 6 hours and 5 minutes from Almaty to Larnaca. Full flight schedule details are available on the airline’s website. Larnaca, located on the south-eastern coast of Cyprus, is a finance centre and one of the island’s most popular tourist destinations. The inaugural flight from Astana achieved a load factor of 83%. In addition to Cyprus flights this summer, Air Astana will also operate seasonal services to leisure destinations in Turkey, Georgia and Montenegro. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]