Plans to launch a new flight connecting Kazakhstan to the United States, originally slated for 2025, were delayed due to Boeing 787 delivery setbacks. Now, discussions about Air Astana’s new route linking the country’s capital and the US have resumed.
Speaking at the company’s Capital Markets Day at the London Stock Exchange on September 15, 2025, chief executive officer Peter Foster noted that the carrier could operate the route only with a stopover in Europe. The airline’s CEO noted that offering a nonstop flight to the United States would require overflying Russian airspace. Since March 2022, Air Astana has avoided flying over Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The news was first reported by ch-aviation.
New York Could Emerge As The Carrier’s First Destination
Since planning for US flights began, it has not been clear which destinations the airline would serve, as no official filings with the Department of Transportation (DOT) have been made to disclose potential routes directly connecting Kazakhstan with the US.
According to the airline’s CEO, demand for flights from Astana to the US is strongest on the East Coast, making New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) the most logical first destination. However, without access to Russian airspace, a nonstop flight would not be feasible, and even the Boeing 787-9, which the airline is awaiting, would not overcome this limitation.
As a result, Air Astana could consider routing US flights via a stop in Europe. Commenting on this option, CEO Peter Foster said that operating in this way would require securing fifth-freedom rights at a European airport. He did not mention what airport it could be. While acknowledging the complexity of such an arrangement, he did not rule it out entirely, noting it would demand “a huge amount of reflection” before moving forward. Foster said:
“Even with the 787’s range, we can’t operate a direct flight from Kazakhstan to New York JFK without overflying Russia. So, if we serve the US, it would have to be through a midpoint.”
Air Astana’s Current Fleet Overview
Founded in 2001, Air Astana is Kazakhstan’s flag carrier based at Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev (NQZ). At present, the Kazakh airline has a total of 33 aircraft in its fleet, with an average age of eight years, as per ch-aviation data. The majority of the carrier’s fleet is made up of Airbus aircraft.
The fleet includes 12 Airbus A321LRs, 11 Airbus A320neos, four Airbus A321neos, three Airbus A321-200s, and three Boeing 767-300ER widebody aircraft. Looking ahead, Air Astana is awaiting a total of 13 aircraft deliveries, including seven A321LRs, three Boeing 787-9s, and three Boeing 787-8 widebody aircraft.
The airline had ordered three Boeing 787-9 aircraft, scheduled for delivery through a lease from Air Lease Corporation (ALC) in the first half of 2025. However, due to delays in Dreamliner deliveries, the first 787-9 is now expected to arrive no earlier than mid-2026. As a result, the Kazakh carrier will have to postpone its plans to launch services to the United States.
The Background Information
On January 23, 2024, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan detailed that the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) was working with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to open direct flights to the United States. The statement read that Air Astana was expecting its first 787-9 delivery soon and that the Kazakh airline would undergo an FAA audit.
In July 2024, the Government of Kazakhstan disclosed that Jaslan Mädiev, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, met with Boeing’s representatives, and the Kazakh delegation, led by Mädiev, was informed about the production processes of the plane maker’s aircraft.
During the same meeting, the two sides discussed delivery delays to Kazakhstan-based carriers, and at the time, the Government of Kazakhstan said that the first 787-9 delivery for direct flights between their country and the US would begin in late 2025, indicating another delay.