Tashkent Airport Becomes Central Asia’s Second-Biggest Cargo Hub

Tashkent Airport has become the second-largest cargo hub in Central Asia after Almaty, according to Kelly Chen, head of strategic supply at Freightos Group, reviewing the 2019–2024 period.

Astana ranked third, followed by Bishkek, Dushanbe and Ashgabat. Chen noted that Uzbekistan is increasingly positioning itself as a hub between Europe and Asia thanks to rising freight traffic, while Kazakhstan retains its role as the region’s main political and economic centre.

Europe and Airlines Leading the Market

Among European airports, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Milan, Brussels and Hamburg were the top origins for cargo bound for Central Asia.

Freightos data shows Turkish Cargo has dominated the market for the past five years, holding more than 50% of regional share in 2023. Close behind are Silk Way West Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo and Qatar Airways, which have expanded their flights to Central Asia by nearly one third over the past two years.

Uzbekistan Airways ranked fifth. According to Ilya Kuznetsov, business development director at Cargoport International, the airline plays a significant role by transporting cargo alongside its passenger services. He added that the company’s plans to acquire 22 Boeing Dreamliner aircraft will expand capacity for both freight and passenger transport.

Kursiv also reports that air cargo turnover across Uzbekistan’s airports is forecast to reach 88,000 tonnes by the close of 2025.