Almaty, 30 October. Air Astana and China Southern Airlines have agreed to set up a joint venture: the companies will coordinate schedules, expand codesharing — selling tickets on each other’s flights under their own code — and jointly promote travel between Kazakhstan and China, Air Astana said in a disclosure on the AIX exchange.
Air Astana operates up to 36 flights a week from Astana and Almaty to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Urumqi and calls China a strategically important market. China Southern flies from Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an and Urumqi to Astana and Almaty — up to 29 flights a week in the high season. The companies did not disclose financial terms, timelines or new routes. A joint venture in aviation usually means not a new company but an agreement under which carriers share revenue on common routes and sell seats on each other’s flights as their own.
Flights between Kazakhstan and China rose by 52% in a year: there are now 117 regular flights a week on 21 routes, more than a million passengers have been carried since the start of the year, and the network is to grow to 30 routes, Deputy Transport Minister Talgat Lastayev said.
What it means: Kazakhstan’s largest carrier is choosing partnership with one of China’s largest airlines instead of competition on its fastest-growing route.
Who benefits: Passengers gain more connections and common travel conditions via Urumqi, Guangzhou and Beijing. Air Astana gains access to China Southern’s network inside China. China Southern gains passengers from Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
Background: Air Astana has been listed on AIX, KASE and in London since 2024. In the first half of 2026 the company posted a net loss of 21.2 million dollars while revenue rose by 16.1% to 763.9 million. China Southern Airlines is one of China’s three largest airlines, based in Guangzhou.
We have also reported that Air Astana operated its first flight with satellite Wi-Fi on board.
