AirAsia X to Launch Direct Flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan

Dark/Light Mode (24/11/23)  AirAsia X (AAX) has confirmed that it will launch direct flights between Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the beautiful city of Almaty in Kazakhstan.

Scheduled to take off on 14 March 2024, AirAsia X will initially operate the route with four flights per week every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Flight D7600 is scheduled to leave Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 12:50, arriving in Almaty (ALA) at 18:45. From Almaty, flight D7601 is slated to depart at 20:05 and arrive at KUL at 06:05 the following day.

Cool street art in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

“This is an entirely new market for AAX and a strategic route to expand into, bringing other parts of the world closer to Southeast Asia,” said AirAsia X CEO, Benyamin Ismail. “As our first foray into Central Asia, the expansion into the Kazakh market is a strong testament to our vision and determination to explore new territories as well as resuming services to our most popular destinations post pandemic. The move to introduce direct flights to Almaty is expected to foster significant trade, commerce and education interchange, considering Kazakhstan's status as the wealthiest country in Central Asia.”

AirAsia X's entry into Central Asia marks a significant milestone for the airline, opening up new horizons for business and leisure travellers.

Surrounded by beautiful snow-capped mountains, Almaty, the cultural hub of Kazakhstan, has a lively art scene, vibrant nightlife, theatres, ballet, and plenty of trendy restaurants and hotels of every star category.

The city is popular with sport enthusiasts and hosts the largest and rapidly growing annual marathon in Central Asia, the Almaty Marathon.

Almaty, Kazakhstan. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

With wide, clean pavements and boulevards, it is one of those cities where you can easily walk for hours, discovering hidden gems and delights whilst enjoying the nourishing, fresh mountain air.

“AAX's entry into Kazakhstan signifies a remarkable milestone in our nations' relations,” said Bulat Sugurbayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Malaysia. “This strategic initiative not only strengthens the cultural and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Malaysia but also provides affordable options for travellers in the region to explore the captivating beauty of Almaty, and the whole of Kazakhstan - the world’s 9th largest country with digital competitiveness outpacing several European, Asian and American nations. The direct connectivity between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty is poised to elevate tourism and trade, enhancing the bonds between our two nations. We welcome this great milestone and look forward to the positive impact it will bring to both countries.”

To celebrate the new route, AirAsia X will offer a promotional introductory fare from RM99 all-in one-way between 24 and 30 November 2023 for travel between 14 March and 26 October 2024. Terms and conditions apply.

Editor's note: Whilst Almaty is a beautiful city to visit, arriving at the airport can be chaotic and we strongly recommend you book an electric taxi to your hotel, and back, in advance. This can easily be done via WhatsApp in just a few minutes. You can also watch the video interview with the taxi company's CEO in the link below, and here.

See recent video interviews about Almaty, Kazakhstan: Electric Taxis at Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan - 4K Video Interview with Co-Founder, Auez Tulegenov; Novotel Living and Ibis Almaty Jetisu Hotels in Kazakhstan - 4K Video Interview with GM, Arseniy Tagaev and Almaty Marathon 2023 - 4K Video Interview with CEO, Saltanat Kazybayeva.

See recent video interviews about Malaysia: Tourism Pahang, Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airports.