Air Astana plans to launch scheduled nonstop flights between Kazakhstan and the United States in the second half of 2027, with New York John F. Kennedy International Airport as the first destination. The route is expected to operate twice weekly using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, subject to aircraft deliveries, crew preparation, certification and regulatory approvals.
Ibrahim Canliel, who became Air Astana’s chief executive on 1 April after Peter Foster’s more than two decades at the helm, is overseeing the carrier’s long-haul expansion. The first 787-9 is due in December 2026, followed by a second in January 2027 and a third in August. The aircraft will progressively replace the airline’s Boeing 767 fleet.
Air Astana expects to operate the Dreamliners at low utilisation for about two months while crews and aircraft complete operational preparation and certification. The US service has been delayed by repeated delivery setbacks and the longer routing required to avoid Russian airspace, which is expected to constrain payload initially.
The first 787-9, registered EI-KZA, began factory flight testing in Charleston, South Carolina, on 1 October. Kazakhstan’s transport vice-minister separately confirmed that the initial delivery had moved from September to December, pushing back preparations for direct US flights.
Air Astana ordered up to 15 additional 787-9s in February, including five firm orders, five options and five purchase rights, with deliveries due to begin in 2032. The carrier also has commitments for up to 50 Airbus A320-family aircraft from 2031 and is targeting a fleet of 86 aircraft by the end of 2030.