AIR ASTANA, the Skytrax four-star award winning national carrier of Kazakhstan, re-launched direct daily flights from Almaty to Dubai from September this year. The existing four days a week service from Astana to Abu Dhabi will also continue to operate, with both services to the UAE being performed by Airbus A320 family aircraft, which are the youngest in the airline’s fleet with an average age of less than two years.

Flights from Almaty to Dubai International Airport (DXB) will depart on 07:55 and arrive 10:30 at Terminal-1 and the return flight from Dubai to Almaty will depart at 11:25, 11,40 and 12.10.

Economy class return fares start from $401 and business class return fares from $1,769 including all taxes.

Kazakhstan recently announced a visa waiver programme for tourists from 10 countries, including nationals of the UAE ,who can now enter Kazakhstan without any prior notification. Air Astana offers an online visa application facility for Kazakhstan tourists visiting the UAE.

“Air Astana previously operated direct flights between Almaty and Dubai from 2002 to 2010 and we are delighted to re-launch this important connection between the major financial centres of Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates,” says Peter Foster, president, Air Astana.