Air Astana and Air India Codeshare Deal Expands India–Kazakhstan Routes

Air travel between India and Central Asia is all set to get a major boost. Air Astana and Air India announced on Wednesday that they have made a new codeshare agreement. The new codeshare agreement will improve connectivity between the two countries and make it easier for travellers to move between key cities.

What the Codeshare Means for Travellers

The Codeshare agreement covers Air Astana’s flights from Almaty to Delhi and Mumbai. This partnership allows Air India to place its ‘AI’ code on Air Astana flights, giving travellers the ability to book seamless journeys between the two countries on a single ticket.

For frequent flyers, this means simpler booking options, better connectivity, and smoother itineraries across both airlines’ networks.

Airline Perspectives

“India is a key market as flights expand to Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa. The codeshare will boost business, tourism, and education-related travel,” said Peter Foster, Air Astana CEO

Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Air India, also commented on this and said that the partnership strengthens air links to Kazakhstan, creating chances for trade, tourism, and cultural ties.

Building on the Earlier Agreement

• In early 2025, the two carriers launched an interline partnership.
• That setup gave Air Astana passengers access to 18 domestic and 9 international Air India destinations.
• Air India passengers could connect via Almaty to cities like Astana, Bishkek, Tashkent, Dushanbe, and Urumqi.
• The new codeshare expands this cooperation further.

The Bigger Picture

For travellers, the move means easier access to routes that might have required complex bookings in the past.

• One-ticket booking across both airlines.
• Easier international connections.
• More choices for tourism, study abroad, and business travel.

For the airlines, it is a way to take advantage of growing demand while increasing their presence in each other’s markets. With India’s outbound tourism growing and Kazakhstan becoming a popular business hub and tourist spot, the timing could not be better.