Uzbekistan Air Cargo Notes | 25 September 2025
- Nadira Islamova
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 2
Welcome to this week's edition of Uzbekistan Air Cargo Notes, the first and only newsletter focusing on the latest news and insights into the dynamic air cargo market of Uzbekistan and Central Asia. This week, we are reporting on Uzbekistan Airways’ major fleet expansion, Uzbekistan’s new deals with Boeing and US companies and more.
Air Cargo Trends
Samarkand Airport sets new passenger record
Samarkand Airport handled 138,500 passengers in August 2025, the highest monthly figure since the opening of its new terminal
Growth was driven by routes to Turkey, Israel, Russia and domestic destinations, with new services to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar
Namangan Airport is set to open new terminals
New passenger terminal will boost capacity 2.5 times, while a cargo terminal will handle up to 50 tons of freight daily from 2026
The project will strengthen the Fergana Valley’s unified cargo system and support growing tourism and exports in the region
Onefly expands partnerships in Central Asia
Hong Kong-based ticket consolidator Onefly partnered with Kyrgyzstan’s TezJet in September and Uzbekistan’s Centrum Air in August 2025
The company already works with Kazakhstan’s FlyArystan and tracks fares from over 100 airlines worldwide
Uzbekistan Airways announces major fleet expansion
Uzbekistan Airways ordered 14 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with an option for 8 more, the biggest purchase in its history
Deliveries will begin in 2031 and support its plan to develop Tashkent into a leading international transit hub
Shymkent Airport to add new cargo terminal
Construction of a second runway and cargo terminal at Shymkent Airport will start before the end of 2025, with commissioning planned for 2026
The new runway will handle aircraft in any weather conditions and is expected to boost passenger traffic at the southern Kazakhstan hub
Cargo traffic grows at Tashkent Airport
The airport handled 60,000 tons of cargo, with most growth coming from international traffic from January to August 2025
Expansion plans include new storage and cold chain facilities to boost capacity through 2028
Uzbekistan challenges Kazakhstan in Central Asia’s air cargo market
Uzbekistan held 43.9% of Central Asia’s air cargo market while Kazakhstan accounted for 38.6% in 2024
Kazakhstan remains the main transit hub handling 58.4% of all transit flows compared to less than 15% for Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan signs deals with Boeing and US companies
The Ministry of Transport signed a cooperation agreement with Boeing, following earlier confirmation that Uzbekistan will acquire more than 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners
Other deals cover healthcare, aviation, finance and energy partnerships with US companies
Other News
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan launched joint cargo venture
New joint company, Sogdiana Trans, has been established with Afghanistan’s Khan Daqiq Trading to transport freight from Kabul to Mazar-i-Sharif and further by rail to Uzbekistan and beyond
The venture is expected to move up to 150,000 tons of goods annually and expand trade flows to Central Asia, Russia and Europe
Shanghai launches first multimodal shipment to Kyrgyzstan
A container with industrial raw materials departed from Shanghai by rail to Kashgar, then will continue by road via Torugart to Kyrgyzstan
The multimodal model simplifies customs with a single declaration and is expected to cut logistics costs by about 30% while boosting trade with Central Asia
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