China Eastern Airlines Launches Direct Flight from Shanghai to Almaty

Almaty officials hope the new route will boost tourism, investment, and the city’s visibility in China, Orda.kz reports.

Starting July 4, China Eastern Airlines will launch a new direct flight connecting Shanghai and Almaty. The inaugural flight will be welcomed with a ceremony at Almaty International Airport, where arriving passengers will receive commemorative gifts as part of the “Almaty Symbol as a Gift” campaign.

The route was established following agreements made in February 2025 between China Eastern and the Almaty Akimat. This marks China Eastern’s first route into Central Asia. According to the city’s tourism department, the new connection is expected to strengthen tourism, cultural exchange, and business ties between the two major cities.

The Shanghai flight will expand this network and increase the number of flights between Kazakhstan and China, which currently exceeds 150 per month. Local authorities hope the improved accessibility will drive greater interest from Chinese tourists and investors.

The visa-free regime introduced last year has already had a significant impact — the number of Chinese visitors to Kazakhstan doubled. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, over 20,900 tourists from China visited Almaty.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Yerzhan Yerkinbayev noted that China now ranks among the top countries for inbound tourism to Kazakhstan, alongside Uzbekistan, Russia, and India.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov