Kazakhstan’s air cargo traffic decreased by 8.1%

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During the first seven months of this year, air transport in Kazakhstan carried 15.2 thousand tons of cargo and baggage, according to the Bureau of National Statistics of this Central Asian republic. Compared to the same period in 2025, cargo volume decreased by 8.1%.

Three-quarters of the total cargo carried—11.5 thousand tons—accounted for the country’s largest airport, Almaty (ALA). Year-on-year, its cargo traffic grew by nearly 30%.

The capital’s Astana Airport (NQZ) handled 2.3 thousand tons of cargo, down 20% compared to the previous year. Shymkent Airport (CIT) processed 0.5 thousand tons, representing just 10% of its volume from last year.

At the same time, the office of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported that during January–July 2026, Kazakhstani airports increased total cargo handling by 10%, reaching 102.5 thousand tons.

The main load was carried by Almaty Airport, which handled 66.1 thousand tons, or more than 64% of the total volume. As part of the first phase of the Horizon program, the airport will expand its export zone by 5,000 square meters, construct seven parking stands for heavy freighter aircraft such as the Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380, and establish a 500-hectare logistics cluster through 2028.

The modernization of Almaty Airport launched in 2025. Its managing company, Turkey’s TAV Airports (part of France’s Groupe ADP), plans to spend $362 million on the initial phase.

According to IATA data, Kazakhstan ranked first among the five Central Asian nations in transit air cargo volumes between 2019 and 2024.