Urzhar Airport guide

Urzhar Airport (ICAO: UASU) is a small regional airport serving Urzhar, the administrative centre of Urzhar District in the Abai Region of eastern Kazakhstan. It sits at 504 metres above sea level, about 10 km from the town centre. Taxis and local buses cover the short trip.

The airport is a gateway to the therapeutic resorts on the shores of Lake Alakol, so traffic peaks in the summer holiday season. Seasonal scheduled flights connect it with Almaty and Astana, flown by SCAT Airlines and Qazaq Air.

Regular operations began in 2008. The runway was closed on 1 May 2021 for reconstruction and lengthening, with new lighting installed so that aircraft such as the Embraer 190, Bombardier Q400 and CRJ-200 can use the airport, including at night. Works ran past the original end-2021 deadline into 2022 and later years. Flight timetables change from season to season, so check with the airline before travelling.