Air Astana to fly nonstop to Salalah and Tokyo Narita

Kazakhstan's Air Astana is adding two new international destinations: Salalah in Oman and Tokyo Narita in Japan. According to AeroTime, weekly nonstop flights to Salalah (SLL) will begin on 23 and 24 October 2026 from Almaty (ALA) and Astana (NQZ) respectively, while a Tokyo Narita (NRT) route is due to start on 30 November 2026, subject to government approval.

Salalah service from two bases

AeroTime reports that the Salalah flights will run weekly from each of the airline's two main bases and will be operated by Airbus A320 aircraft. Salalah becomes Air Astana's first destination in Oman. AeroTime describes it as a popular tourist spot and the gateway to the mountains of southern Oman, which are made considerably greener than much of the region by the summer monsoon.

Tokyo Narita with Japan Airlines codeshare

The Tokyo route will be flown twice weekly with Airbus A321LR aircraft, in codeshare with Japan Airlines (JAL). The source names Almaty as the Kazakh end of the route. AeroTime says Tokyo will be the carrier's 22nd new route of 2026.

Air Astana's A321LRs have 166 seats: 16 full lie-flat business class seats and 150 economy seats, of which 18 are designated "MySeat" and offer extra space.

Context: Middle East disruption

AeroTime notes that Air Astana expanded significantly in the Middle East in early 2026, adding frequencies between Almaty and Dubai (DXB) and flights linking Jeddah (JED) and Madinah (MED) with several Kazakh cities. The outbreak of conflict in the region then forced the airline to slow that expansion. Flights to Dubai were temporarily suspended and resumed only in early October 2026, according to the report.

AeroTime also says that the airline's new chief executive, Ibrahim Canliel, told it in an upcoming interview that the carrier is betting on international growth, particularly in Asia, in the years ahead.

What this means for travellers

• Travellers in Kazakhstan gain a direct option to Oman's Salalah, with departures from both Almaty and Astana, though only once a week from each.
• The Tokyo route offers a nonstop link between Almaty and Narita twice a week, and the JAL codeshare may make onward connections in Japan easier to book. Details of how this will work have not been given.
• The Tokyo launch depends on government approval, so the 30 November start date is not yet final.
• Fares, exact flight times and days of operation were not included in the source.

Passengers connecting via Almaty or Astana should check the airline's schedule before booking, particularly given the recent regional disruption.

Sources: AeroTime