Flights to Kazakhstan: direct routes, airports and getting into the city

Most flights to Kazakhstan from outside the region land in Almaty or Astana, and Almaty has the longer list of direct routes. Nine in ten foreign air arrivals land at these two airports; where foreign visitors fly in from is broken down by airport and nationality in the official figures. We read schedules on 6 November 2026, so treat this page as a map of what exists. Fares are not listed here: they change daily, and the airline’s own booking page is the only one that counts.

Direct flights we could confirm

Two things to read from this. India links only to Almaty on what we saw, so an Astana start from Delhi means a connection. Istanbul and Dubai are the two hubs with direct flights to both cities, which makes an open-jaw trip practical: in through Almaty, out through Astana.

New this season, according to The Astana Times: Tokyo Narita to Almaty from 30 November 2026, twice a week; Astana to Bangkok from 11 December; and Vietjet’s Hanoi to Almaty and Prague to Almaty, launched in October.

From the Philippines: no direct flight found

Yandex Schedules showed no direct Manila to Almaty flight on 6 November 2026, so anyone searching for Philippines to Kazakhstan travel time needs to add up two legs. We can’t give an honest total, because layovers decide it.

Two connections look workable on paper. Bangkok has direct flights to Almaty. Vietjet flies Hanoi to Almaty, and its network also links Ho Chi Minh City with Cebu and Clark. Whether these sell as one ticket, and whether your bags go through, is for the airline to confirm.

Entry rules for Filipino passports are on our Philippines visa page, and for Indian passports on the India visa page.

Almaty airport to the city

A bus leaves Almaty airport at any hour. The airport site lists two routes, with stops just outside the terminals.

Cash is no longer taken on Almaty city buses. Buy an ONAY card on the first floor of the international terminal, in arrivals, before you walk out to the stop. The fare is on the airport’s bus page.

This matters most on flights from India. AeroRoutes lists a Delhi flight landing at 05:30 on three days a week, which means you clear the border close to the switch from the night bus to bus 92. Check the board at the stop rather than assume. When you compare landing times with home, remember that the whole country runs on one clock, UTC+5 with no daylight saving.

Yandex Go and inDrive both work in Kazakhstan, and you see the price estimate before you order. That needs mobile data, so read SIM and eSIM options before you land. There is no metro to the airport. For the city itself, see Almaty metro.

Passenger Paramvir’s Delhi to Almaty video (June 2025) follows the flight, immigration and the first hours in the city. Prices in it are from mid-2025:

Astana airport to the city

The Tarlan Astana LRT links the airport with the centre and has carried passengers since 17 May 2026. The airport also sells tourist bus cards for 5, 10 and 15 trips, which need no app. Details are in our transport guide.

On the 6 November board, domestic arrivals were at T2 and a Kutaisi flight at T1, so look up your terminal on the airport board before you leave for the airport. The inquiry line is +7 7172 702 999.

Before you book: four checks

1. Your passport. Run it through the visa checker. The e-Visa only works through international airports, and Astana or Almaty are the safe choices.
2. The ETA stage on your date. Almaty and Astana airports join the rollout on 1 January 2027. The dates and consequences are on the visa page.
3. The arrival hour. A landing near 23:00 or 06:00 falls at the bus changeover, so have the taxi app ready.
4. The onward leg. Domestic flights are in our transport guide, and trains in the train guide. If Kazakhstan is one stop among several, compare the road to Bishkek and the train to Tashkent.