Samarkand airport passenger traffic up 7.2% in H1

Image: Air Marakanda

Samarkand International Airport (SKD) handled 759,240 passengers and managed 5,910 flight operations during the first six months of the year, outperforming its previous year’s figures. According to private operating company Air Marakanda, total passenger traffic increased by 7.2% year-over-year compared to the same period in 2025, when the gateway welcomed approximately 708,000 passengers across 5,580 movements. Total flight movements rose by 6%.

International operations continued to dominate throughput, accounting for 95% of total airport traffic. SKD processed 720,860 passengers on international routes, representing a 6.3% year-over-year increase. Moscow, Istanbul, Saint Petersburg, and Jeddah were the top international destinations by demand.

Domestic traffic also posted strong growth, benefiting from a lower baseline. Local routes registered 38,380 passengers, marking a 29.2% increase over the 29,690 passengers recorded during the corresponding period last year.

On the air freight front, the airport handled more than 87.2 tons of cargo throughout the reporting period.

Alongside operational growth, SKD advanced its digital transformation initiatives in the first half of the year. The airport commissioned an in-house digital platform to record and monitor aviation events and incidents. Additionally, SKD deployed an automated Baggage Reconciliation System (BRS) to streamline baggage tracking, improve handling accuracy, and align ground operations with global aviation security and ground handling standards.

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