Eastar Air to Operate to Almaty, Kazakhstan from April as First Domestic LCC

Eastar Jet is expanding its air routes to Central Asia by launching flights to Kazakhstan.

Scenery of 'Big Almaty Lake' in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Provided by Eastar Jet

Eastar Jet announced on the 13th that it will be the first domestic low-cost carrier (LCC) to operate the Incheon-Almaty route. Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan.

This route is the longest among Eastar Jet's flight routes, taking about 6 hours one way. Flights will operate twice a week (Monday and Friday) starting April 7, using the fuel-efficient and long-range B737-8 aircraft. The outbound flight departs from Incheon International Airport at 7:30 PM (local time) and arrives at Almaty International Airport at 10:45 PM. The return flight departs at 11:45 PM and arrives at Incheon International Airport at 9:50 AM the next day.

Almaty is known as the "Alps of Asia," a travel destination where visitors can enjoy the snow-capped Tian Shan mountain range. It is also famous as a hub for activities such as trekking, backpacking, paragliding, and skiing.

Eastar Jet also noted that there is high air travel demand from ethnic Koreans and foreign workers. Earlier, in June last year, Eastar Jet signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the ethnic Korean exchange organization, Korean Global Network (KGN), to promote routes to Central Asia.

To commemorate the launch of flights to Almaty, Eastar Jet will hold a special promotion starting at 10 AM today. The total one-way fare, including airport fees and fuel surcharges, starts from 199,000 KRW for the Incheon-Almaty route. The travel period is from the launch date, April 7, until October 24.

An Eastar Jet official said, "Almaty is a market with great growth potential, not only due to air travel demand but also because of its appeal as a tourist destination. With this new route, many people will be able to enjoy new travel experiences at more reasonable fares."