Almaty International Airport
Almaty airport is the busiest and largest airport in Kazakhstan, serving both domestic and international flights with significant passenger and freight traffic. As a major transport hub, it provides vital connectivity between Europe and Southeast Asia. The airport's history dates back to 1935 when a small airfield was built near the Central Stadium. As air travel grew, a new building was constructed in the northeast of the city.
Structure and services
Today, Almaty airport is a world-class facility that can accommodate aircraft of any class. It comprises two terminals: the main terminal and the business terminal. The latter is located in the first historical building of the airport, included in the list of historical and cultural monuments of Almaty.
The main terminal building was built in 2004 after a fire destroyed much of the previous facility. The neoclassical building has a flowing roof line and is easily recognizable from both the air and ground. An additional building was added to the main terminal to accommodate domestic flights, thereby increasing the airport's capacity. The terminal has numerous amenities, including waiting rooms, transit halls, international arrivals halls, VIP lounges, cash desks, shops, ATMs, exchange offices, a bank, a prayer room, a first-aid post, cafes, restaurants, left-luggage offices, a car rental point, a mother-and-child room, and more. The VIP lounge offers passengers separate passport and customs control desks, free Wi-Fi, a comfortable waiting room, a bar, and various other services. You can book the VIP lounge at the Almaty airport here.
Flights and airlines
Almaty airport serves over 200 flights daily, providing direct connections to major cities around the world, including St. Petersburg, Moscow, Phuket, Antalya, Istanbul, Dubai, Frankfurt am Main, Seoul, Tbilisi, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Milan, Tashkent, Prague, London, and others. The airport also offers domestic flights to other cities within Kazakhstan.
Almaty airport is served by both international and domestic airlines, including Lufthansa, Aeroflot, AirAstana, FlyDubai, Turkish Airlines, SCAT, Pegasus, Uzbekistan Airways, Somon Air, Sky Up, and FlyArystan. The airport sees around 6.5 million passengers annually, making it a crucial transportation hub in Kazakhstan and the region.
How to get there?
Address: Almaty, 2 Mailin St.
Several bus routes run to the airport, including buses #92 and 3 (the latter operates only at night and runs through the entire city from the Orbita-2 microdistrict). In addition, buses #33, 36, 41, 79, 86, 92, and 106 will take you to the «Ogaryova St.» bus stop, which is just 600 meters (656 yd) away from the airport.
Tourist attractions near the airport:
- Monument to the Soldiers of World War II
- Jeltoksan Park
- Almaty-1 Railway Station
- Park of S. Seifullin
- Church of St. John the Baptist