The newly inaugurated international terminal at Almaty Airport welcomed its first passengers today, increasing the airport’s annual capacity to over 14 million passengers. The airport is striving for 5-star Skytrax rating and EDGE Advanced certification for exceptional passenger experience and sustainability.

TAV Airports, a member of Groupe ADP, has completed a USD 200M investment in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s economic and cultural hub. The new terminal received its first passengers this morning with the arrival of Air Astana flight KC664 from London.

On Friday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the airport, accompanied by Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev, Mayor of Almaty Yerbolat Dosaev, TAV Airports Executive Board Member and Chair of ExCom Franck Mereyde, CEO Serkan Kaptan, and executives from lenders EBRD, IFC, DEG, and EBD.

President Tokayev expressed his gratitude to TAV Airports for completing the terminal and to the lenders for their contributions to the project.

International traffic will be gradually transferred to the new terminal within the next two weeks, while the existing terminal will handle domestic traffic.

A Hub Connecting East and West

Almaty, established in 1935, is now the busiest hub in Central Asia. The new terminal boosts the airport’s annual passenger capacity to over 14 million, utilizing the latest technology for operational efficiency and offering world-class services to enhance the passenger experience.

“One of the main transit hubs between Asia and Europe, Almaty Airport is strategically located on the modern Silk Road, established from China to Europe and Africa, as well as the Middle Corridor -Trans Caspian International Transport Route. Kazakhstan is the largest country in the region -both geographically and economically- and Almaty is the largest city in the country producing 20% of Kazakhstan’s GDP,” said Serkan Kaptan, CEO of TAV Airports.

“Using our extensive know-how and global network, we are boosting air connectivity, creating jobs, and contributing to the sustainable development efforts in Kazakhstan. In just three years the number of destinations almost doubled, number of passenger airlines rose to 37 from 24 and cargo airlines to 16 from nine. We increased direct jobs by 10% last year. This investment will help further our contribution, creating value for all our stakeholders and local communities.”

Robust Passenger and Cargo Growth

Almaty Airport served 6.4 million passengers in 2019 and was among the fastest to recover from the global pandemic, welcoming 9.5 million passengers in 2023—a 32% year-over-year increase. The airport is a base for flag carrier Air Astana and Scat Airlines.

“Air Astana makes up for more than half of the passenger traffic. Together with Flyaristan, they have an ambitious plan to grow their fleet and introduce new destinations. The new terminal will create capacity to support organic growth while we work to attract new airlines,” noted Serkan Kaptan.

Almaty Airport served 98 621 tons for cargo in 2023 -a historical high- and expects further growth in 2024.

Kaptan said “Cargo volume is driven by the rise of e-commerce. We are working with the Ministry of Transport to develop the intramodality of the airport by integrating railways into the mix.”

Largest Private Airport Investment in Central Asia

TAV Airports holds an 85% stake in the SPV that acquired Almaty Airport in 2021 for USD 422M, with the Kazakhstan Infrastructure Fund, managed by VPE Capital, as a co-investor. TAV secured USD 450M to finance the acquisition and investment, with financing led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), alongside parallel loans from DEG and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

Striving for 5-Star Skytrax Rating

TAV Airports plans to enhance operational efficiency and passenger experience by integrating its service subsidiaries. TAV Technologies has implemented IT solutions across the terminal, including e-gates for seamless passenger flow. ATÜ Duty Free will manage shops spanning 3,400 sqm, while Primeclass and Air Astana lounges cover 2,600 sqm. The F&B offerings include international brands and local flavors.

“A bridge connects the existing terminal to the new one, providing an easy connection for transfer passengers. We have a masterplan running until 2050s and we are ready to develop the airport further based on traffic increase. In the short term, we will modernize the existing terminal, serving to domestic traffic.”

First EDGE Certified Airport in Central Asia

As part of TAV Airports’ sustainability strategy, the new terminal is designed to achieve certification under IFC’s Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) program, recognizing environmentally friendly buildings. TAV Airports aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

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