Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is exploring flights to the US via a European stopover, as Russian overflight restrictions prevent direct routes from Kazakhstan to New York JFK.
CEO Peter Foster revealed the plan at the Capital Markets Day on September 15, 2025, noting the need for fifth-freedom rights.
The airline expects its first Boeing 787-9, valued at approximately €260 million, in late 2026, delayed from 2025. Air Astana operates 33 aircraft, serving 67 routes to 39 destinations from Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev and Almaty International.
US flights remain speculative, requiring complex regulatory approvals and resolution of B787-9 delivery delays.
Peter Foster shared: “Even with the B787’s range, we can’t do Kazakhstan to New York JFK without overflying Russia, which we can’t do. So if we do the US, it has to be [operated through]a midpoint. Evidently, the demand for the US is the East Coast, so we’re going to do the US with a European midpoint.”
