United CEO says Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan flights could work

United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby has said the airline is looking at Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as possible future destinations, but that it cannot serve them for now because it cannot fly over Russia. According to Live and Let's Fly, which reported the remarks on 28 October 2026, no routes have been announced.

What Kirby said

Kirby made the comments on the Cheeky Pint podcast, hosted by John Collison and Ben Thompson, while discussing how United Airlines finds destinations that other US carriers have overlooked. Live and Let's Fly reports that he credited Patrick Quayle, the airline's head of network planning, and his team, and said Quayle travelled to both countries this year to assess the possibilities.

On the obstacle, Kirby said: "We can't fly there today because we can't fly over Russia." He added that "This could work down the road." He did not name a city, a US gateway, an aircraft type or a launch date, so the remarks are a glimpse of United's thinking rather than a route announcement.

Russian airspace and the commercial case

Live and Let's Fly's author argues that reopening of Russian airspace would almost certainly be a precondition for any such service. That is the writer's view rather than something Kirby stated.

The same piece notes that Uzbekistan Airways already flies between Tashkent and New York, and is not subject to the same Russian overflight concerns as a US carrier. The author suggests that, because a national flag carrier may accept losses on a prestige route, it is not a direct comparison for United.

The author also questions whether tourism alone could sustain a long-haul route, particularly if demand is seasonal, and points to United's former Amman service as an example of that difficulty. He expects any such flights would operate from Newark, as would service to Almaty, though this is his own assumption. He adds that existing New York–Tashkent service makes Uzbekistan a different proposition from an entirely unserved US market, and that United would need to give passengers a reason to choose it, such as connections across its own network.

What this means for travellers

• There are no United flights to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan to book, and no schedule or launch date has been given.
• Nothing suggests a route is imminent. Kirby framed it as something that could work in future, once the Russian airspace issue is resolved.
• Travellers wanting a nonstop option to Uzbekistan can currently look to Uzbekistan Airways' New York–Tashkent service, according to Live and Let's Fly.
• Which airports, aircraft and fares might be involved remains unknown.

Whether and when Russian airspace could become available to US airlines is not addressed in the source.

Sources: Live and Let's Fly