BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30. Kazakhstan's Air Astana and China's Southern Airlines signed a strategic partnership agreement on October 30 to strengthen air connectivity between the two countries, expand travel options and improve convenience for passengers, Air Astana's press service announced.
The agreement marks the first strategic partnership between airlines from Kazakhstan and China. It builds on their existing codeshare cooperation and provides a basis for further strengthening commercial ties.
Under the agreement, the airlines will coordinate flight schedules, expand codeshare services and implement joint marketing initiatives. By bringing their networks and commercial models closer together, the partnership aims to simplify travel on both carriers, provide more convenient connections, align passenger service conditions and rules, and expand access to destinations in Kazakhstan, China and beyond.
"More than one million passengers have been carried since the beginning of 2026. The Ministry plans to further expand the route network with China, increasing the number of destinations to 30," Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev said..
Air Astana Vice President for Partnerships and Alliances Richard Ledger said that China was a strategically important market for the airline, while Kazakhstan's geographical position made it a transport hub connecting Europe and Asia.
He noted that the partnership with China Southern Airlines would help strengthen commercial ties, combine the airlines' complementary route networks and provide passengers with more travel options, convenient connections and more consistent service conditions across both carriers.
"China and Kazakhstan are important partners under the Belt and Road Initiative. This strategic cooperation is a significant result of the development of air connectivity between the two countries and reflects our shared commitment to building a prosperous regional market. For both airlines, this is a strategic choice that allows us to leverage each other's strengths and jointly utilize our resources. For passengers, the most tangible benefit will be greater travel convenience, more flight options, simpler transfer procedures and a more comfortable journey," said Zeng Yongchao, Executive Vice President of China Southern Airlines.
Air Astana operates flights from Astana and Almaty to Urumqi, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, offering up to 36 scheduled round-trip flights per week during the peak season. China Southern Airlines operates flights from Urumqi, Beijing, Guangzhou and Xi'an to Almaty and Astana, offering up to 29 scheduled round-trip flights per week during the peak season.
The strategic partnership is expected to support business, tourism, educational and family travel between Kazakhstan and China, as well as strengthen transit opportunities for passengers travelling through the two countries to other destinations across the airlines' networks.
