Kazakhstan Expands Air Connectivity with New Singapore Route
Kazakhstan is expanding its air connectivity with Southeast Asia as SCAT Airlines prepares to launch a new service from Shymkent to Singapore via Sanya.
The Shymkent-Sanya flight will take approximately 6.5 hours, followed by a two-hour transit at Sanya airport. Passengers will remain in the sterile transit zone and will not be required to pass through Chinese passport control before continuing to Singapore. The Sanya-Singapore segment will take nearly three hours, according to the airline.
The new service is part of a broader expansion of Kazakhstan’s air links with China and other Asian markets. Kazakh airlines have increased capacity and introduced new routes as demand for international travel and regional connectivity continues to grow.
Air Astana Group increased its capacity to China by 81% during the 2026 summer season, reaching 49 flights per week across seven destinations. New services include Almaty-Shanghai, Almaty-Xi’an, Astana-Guangzhou and Aktau-Urumqi.
FlyArystan is also scheduled to launch twice-weekly flights between Almaty and Chongqing on Sept. 23. During the summer season, the Air Astana Group also expanded its network to destinations across Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, Türkiye and Asia.
Meanwhile, FlyArystan has advised passengers traveling to or from China to arrive at airports at least three hours before departure following updated entry and exit procedures taking effect on Sept. 15. The airline warned that immigration procedures may take longer and urged passengers to check passport validity and current entry requirements before traveling.
The visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and China remains in effect, allowing Kazakh citizens to stay in China for up to 30 calendar days per trip.
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