Air Astana and China Southern Airlines Sign Joint Venture Amid 52% Flight Growth

Air Astana (KC) and China Southern Airlines (CZ) announced on October 30, 2026, that they had signed a joint venture (JV) agreement to strengthen air connectivity between Kazakhstan and China. The agreement marks the first airline joint venture between the countries.

Building on their existing codeshare partnership, the airlines will coordinate schedules, expand codeshare services and undertake joint marketing initiatives.

“The number of flights between our countries has increased by 52 per cent compared with the same period in 2025 (117 scheduled flights per week across 21 routes). Since the start of 2026, more than one million passengers have been carried. The Ministry plans to further expand the route network with China, increasing it to 30 destinations,” said Talgat Lastaev, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Comments from KC-CZ Officials

“China is a strategically important market for Air Astana, and Kazakhstan is well positioned as a gateway connecting Europe and Asia. Our joint venture with China Southern Airlines represents an important step in developing this role and deepening our commercial relationship with one of China’s leading carriers. By combining our complementary networks and aligning key aspects of our commercial offering, we aim to provide passengers with greater choice, more convenient connections and more consistent conditions and rules across both airlines. At the same time, closer cooperation will enable us to respond more effectively to passenger demand and support the continued growth of air travel between Kazakhstan and China,” said Richard Ledger, VP, Partnerships and Alliances of Air Astana.

Zeng Yongchao, executive vice president of China Southern Airlines, stated: "China and Kazakhstan are important partners under the Belt and Road framework. This joint venture is a substantive achievement in aviation connectivity between the two countries and reflects our shared aspiration for a prosperous regional market. For both airlines, this is a strategic choice that leverages our respective strengths and shares resources. For passengers, the most tangible benefit is greater convenience: more flight options, smoother transfer procedures, and a more seamless travel experience. We hope every passenger journeying along the Belt and Road's air routes will feel the difference this cooperation brings."

High-Speed Wi-Fi

On Thursday, October 29, Air Astana announced it had begun equipping its Airbus A321LR fleet with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi. The project was launched in partnership with SES, a global satellite communications provider, and the airline is installing the equipment at its own technical facility.

The first Airbus A321LR equipped with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi operated its first internet-connected flight on October 29 on the Almaty–Tashkent route.