Upcoming Shanghai-Almaty Air Route Commencing This Week
Almaty, Kazakhstan - China Eastern Airlines is set to launch a new flight route from Shanghai to Almaty on July 4, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the growing ties between China and Kazakhstan. This new route will complement the existing direct flights from Almaty to several Chinese cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Urumqi, Hangzhou, and Sanya, thereby significantly increasing connectivity and accessibility between the two countries.
According to the Almaty city administration's press service, the new flight route is a result of agreements reached between the Almaty administration and China Eastern Airlines in February. The surge in frequency of flights between Almaty and China, following the launch of the Shanghai-Almaty route, now exceeds 150 flights per month.
This increase in flight frequency reflects the growing tourism and business ties, as evidenced by a nearly 40% increase in Chinese tourist arrivals to Almaty in early 2025. In the first quarter of 2025, Almaty welcomed over 20,900 visitors from China, marking a 39.9% increase from the same period last year.
The new flight route is expected to provide more travel options for passengers traveling between China and Kazakhstan. Representatives of the airline, Chinese media, and bloggers are expected to be on the first flight of the new route. Passengers on the new flight route will receive memorable souvenirs upon arrival.
This is the first destination for China Eastern Airlines in Central Asia. The new flight route is significant as it represents a new connection between China and Kazakhstan, likely increasing travel and trade between the two countries. This development is expected to make Almaty more accessible to Chinese tourists and business communities.
Sources: [1] Almaty city administration's press service [2] China Eastern Airlines press release [3] Kazakhstan Tourism Board statistics
The new flight route from Shanghai to Almaty, introduced by China Eastern Airlines on July 4, 2025, not only boosts the growing ties between China and Kazakhstan but also enhances the travel lifestyle of passengers, offering more options for traveling between the two countries. This increase in travel options is anticipated to stimulate tourism and business ties, given the nearly 40% surge in Chinese tourist arrivals to Almaty in early 2025.
