Azerbaijan Airlines is expanding its Central Asian network as
the region becomes increasingly important to Azerbaijan’s
international ties. With the recent addition of Shymkent, Atyrau
and Aktobe, the airline now connects Baku with 10 cities across
four countries, offering 48 flights a week. Nearly 400,000
passengers have used these services so far in 2026, up 35% on the
same period last year.
Kazakhstan is the airline’s largest market in Central Asia by
number of destinations, with six cities served by 31 weekly
flights. Almaty, Astana and Aktau have daily connections to Baku,
while Atyrau is served four times a week, and Shymkent and Aktobe
three times each. The schedule gives passengers more choice when
planning business trips, holidays and family visits.
In Uzbekistan, the airline operates daily flights to Tashkent
and two weekly services to Samarkand. Four flights a week to
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, complete its
regional network.
Beyond direct travel to Azerbaijan, these routes provide
connections through Baku to Europe and other international
destinations. In 2026 to date, 58,734 passengers travelling on the
Central Asian routes have connected through Baku, highlighting its
growing role as a regional transit hub.
Passengers can use azal.az or the
AZAL mobile app to
book flights, purchase additional baggage and choose their seats,
as well as earn miles through the AZAL Miles loyalty programme. A
partnership with Uzum Bank also makes payments more convenient for
passengers in Uzbekistan, who can use HUMO and Uzcard cards to
purchase tickets.
