Kazakhstan and China have agreed to raise the permitted number of flights between the two countries from 150 to 180 a week. Two Chinese cities, Chengdu and Kashgar, are also planned to be added to the route network. The agreement was reached on 4 November 2026 at talks between the two countries' aviation authorities.
The talks took place in Tashkent, on the sidelines of the China–Central Asia (C5+1) working group on civil aviation cooperation. Kazakhstan was represented by Saltanat Tompiyeva, chair of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport, and China by Bai Wenli, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The information comes from the Civil Aviation Committee and the press service of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport. We have not seen a statement from the Chinese side.
What has changed
The cap on permitted flights rises by 30 a week. It is a limit, not a schedule: it sets how many flights carriers may operate, not how many they do. Chengdu and Kashgar are planned to be added to the network; flights, start dates and carriers have not been announced.
The current picture
According to the Ministry of Transport, on 30 October 2026 airlines operated 117 regular flights a week on 21 routes. Since the start of 2026 more than 1 million passengers have travelled between the two countries, 52% more than in the same period last year. Air Astana flies from Astana and Almaty to Urumqi, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, and China Southern Airlines from Astana and Almaty to Urumqi, Beijing, Guangzhou and Xi'an.
In July, the Civil Aviation Committee reported an agreement at talks in Beijing to raise regular flights from 124 to 152 a week and add Chongqing. November reports name the previous cap as 150. The reports do not explain the difference.
Not yet announced
The date the new cap takes effect. The form of the agreement: whether a document has been signed or these are preliminary understandings. How the 180 flights are divided between the two countries and between carriers. Which Kazakh airports will get flights to Chengdu and Kashgar. The airlines, frequencies and aircraft. Any comment from the Chinese side.
Our assessment: a higher cap creates room for new flights but does not by itself mean them. The current 117 flights a week are below the previous cap of 150, but the reports do not say what units the cap and the actual flights are counted in, so no conclusion about spare room can be drawn. The real increase will show in carriers' applications and schedules. Chengdu and Kashgar are plans, not routes. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by the Civil Aviation Committee or CAAC.
What businesses can do
Airlines that operate or plan to operate to China should watch how the new cap is allocated and prepare applications. Tour operators should not sell Chengdu or Kashgar until a carrier and dates are announced. Kazakh airports should find out which of them are considered for the new destinations and assess capacity for additional flights.