Uzbekistan ranked first among foreign destinations for Russian airlines in the 2024–2025 winter season, according to data from Russia’s Ministry of Transport. The two countries are linked by 70 international routes this winter, the highest figure among all foreign destinations operated by Russian carriers. The total places Uzbekistan ahead of China and Turkey and underscores persistent demand for travel between Russia and Central Asia. The ministry’s figures cover the aggregate route network; a full breakdown by carrier and flight frequency has not been released.
Key Takeaways: Russian airlines are operating 70 international routes to Uzbekistan this winter, compared with 63 to China and 46 to Turkey. Ten Russian airlines are flying from 17 Russian cities to Uzbekistan. The ranking highlights Uzbekistan’s role as a stable aviation market for Russian carriers amid a broader redistribution of international routes.
Analysts and transport officials say the strong position reflects steady passenger flows linked to labor migration, tourism, business travel and family ties. Winter demand is traditionally driven by migrant workers, holidaymakers and commercial passengers. Uzbekistan’s advantage also stems from geographic proximity, a broad airport network and carriers’ willingness to serve the market. For Russian airlines reallocating international capacity, the country remains a predictable and sizeable destination. At the same time, the high number of routes raises questions about airport congestion, winter schedule reliability and ticket pricing.
The Russian Ministry of Transport data places China second with 63 routes and Turkey third with 46. The top ten also includes Egypt, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Thailand, Kazakhstan, the UAE and Armenia. Ten Russian airlines operate to Uzbekistan, with departures available from 17 Russian cities. By comparison, 11 carriers fly to China from 14 cities, while 11 airlines serve Turkey from 25 cities. The figures suggest Uzbekistan leads on route count but still has room to expand the number of Russian origin cities and participating carriers.
Earlier, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan agreed to significantly expand air links. On routes between Tashkent, Almaty and Astana, the number of flights is planned to rise to 60 per week on each route. Further discussions are expected on transit potential, attracting new airlines and developing airport infrastructure. Specific timelines for additional routes and frequencies have not been officially announced, but current trends point to stronger competition in the regional aviation market.
Source: podrobno.uz