Kyrgyzstan’s Asman Airlines restores regular flights between Karakol and Almaty

Image: Airports of Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz national carrier Asman Airlines is launching direct regular flights from Karakol (IATA code: IKG, Kyrgyzstan) to Almaty (ALA, Kazakhstan).

Flights are scheduled to operate twice a week starting December 5th on De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft.

Karakol is the fourth most populous city in Kyrgyzstan. Located near the eastern end of Lake Issyk-Kul, 150 km from the Kyrgyz-Chinese border, at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level, it is a center for winter tourism.

Karakol Airport was reopened after extensive reconstruction less than a year ago, in December 2024.

The resumption of this route is another important step in the development of regional air transport links in Central Asia.

There has been no reliable scheduled air service between Almaty and Karakol since the 1970s.

The route is aimed at active travelers, primarily those from Kazakhstan who choose Karakol as the region’s popular ski destination, according to Airports of Kyrgyzstan, the company that manages Kyrgyzstan’s airports and owns Asman Airlines.