Uzbekistan airports lead Central Asian passenger traffic growth in April

Photo: Uzbekistan Airports

In April, Uzbekistan’s airports recorded the highest passenger traffic growth in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. According to data from Airports Council International Europe (ACI EUROPE), they saw a 9.1% increase in passengers compared to the same period in 2025.

Among other countries in the region included in ACI EUROPE’s statistics, passenger traffic also grew at airports in Armenia (+8.7%) and Kazakhstan (+1.6%).

In contrast, traffic dropped significantly in two other countries: Azerbaijan fell by 12.9%, and Georgia decreased by 16.3%.

Infographic: ACI EUROPE

ACI EUROPE attributed this decline to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The U.S. and Israeli military operation against Tehran, which began in late February, disrupted air travel across the Middle East and neighboring regions due to the closure of airspace over Iran and several Persian Gulf nations.

The conflict’s impact on passenger traffic in the South Caucasus first became apparent in March. At that time, Georgia’s airports lost 12% of their passengers, while Azerbaijan saw a 1.9% decline.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan had already established itself as the leader in Central Asia in March, posting a 15.9% surge in passenger traffic. During that same month, Armenia reported a 4.4% increase, and Kazakhstan grew by 1.9%.

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