Air Astana will launch nonstop service between Almaty (ALA) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) on November 30, 2026, becoming the first Kazakhstani carrier to fly nonstop to Japan. The route is subject to government approval and will operate twice weekly, with flights departing Almaty on Mondays and Thursdays and return services from Narita on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Airbus A321LR aircraft configured with 16 business class seats and 150 economy seats will operate the service. Flight times are approximately 7 hours 30 minutes from Almaty and 9 hours 25 minutes from Tokyo Narita, per schedule data published by TRAICY. Flight numbers are KC171 (Almaty departure) and KC172 (Narita departure).
The route will be operated in codeshare with Japan Airlines (JAL), extending an existing partnership between the two carriers and enabling onward connections across both networks.
Aviation Week reported that Air Astana described Tokyo as its 22nd new route launched in 2026, part of a strategy to strengthen Almaty's role as a connecting hub for Central Asia and the Caucasus. Air Astana's Asian network currently spans China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam; Japan is the latest addition.
The Almaty–Tokyo service offers a direct alternative to itineraries that currently require connections through Seoul, Beijing or Moscow.
Sources
- AeroRoutes — Air Astana Plans Tokyo Launch in NW26
- Aviation Week — Routes & Networks Rolling Updates, W/C October 5, 2026
- TRAICY — Air Astana to Launch Tokyo/Narita–Almaty Route on November 30
Sources & references (4)
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