Mirziyoyev kicks off new airport project

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today, October 15, visited the Tashkent region to review the presentation of a new international airport project and participated in the ceremony marking the start of the massive construction. The information was reported by the Presidential Press Service.

Tashkent, steadily developing into a major metropolis, is increasingly attracting tourists, entrepreneurs, investors, and government officials from various parts of the world. In concrete numbers, since Uzbekistan opened up to the world, the number of foreign tourists has risen from 3 million to 10 million, and it is expected to reach 15 million by 2030. The restoration of good neighborly relations and the opening of borders have created the opportunity for people to move freely across the region.

The New Tashkent city, being built on the initiative of the Head of State, is expected to become one of the most vibrant areas due to its convenient location, investment attractiveness, and provision of all living amenities. Accordingly, all branches of the transport infrastructure are being developed proportionally. In particular, comprehensive work is underway to create a new ecosystem in the aviation sector.

Specifically, seven international airports in the regions are being reconstructed to meet modern standards. New airports are being built in Moynaq, Kokand, Zomin, Shakhrisabz, Sariosiyo, and Sokh districts, bringing the total number of airports to 18. Most importantly, the creation of a competitive environment in the sector has led to the emergence of 15 new airlines, and the number of aircraft in their fleets has increased from 26 to 105.

Currently, 51 airlines from countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Korea, China, India, Malaysia, Turkey, Russia, and Poland operate regular flights to Uzbekistan. In his speech, the Head of State emphasized that the country’s transport infrastructure will continue to develop rapidly. Over the next five years, the number of aircraft in the national fleet is expected to reach 180, the number of routes 230, and the total number of domestic and international flights 200,000 per year. Measures to develop airport infrastructure through public-private partnerships will continue consistently.

’’With the final results of these reforms, we aim to turn Uzbekistan into a major aviation hub connecting East and West, South and North,’’ Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The construction of the new international airport will provide a significant foundation for this goal. According to analyses, over the past eight years, air passenger traffic to the capital has tripled, reaching 9 million annually. By 2040, this figure is expected to exceed 24 million. However, the current airport, which serves 11 million passengers a year, is located within the city and cannot be expanded. Therefore, after consultations with leading foreign experts and representatives of the public, a new international airport is being built on a 1,300-hectare site in the districts of Orta Chirchik and Kuyi Chirchik.

The project, implemented in cooperation with an international consortium including Saudi Arabia’s Vision Invest, Japan’s Sojitz, and South Korea’s Incheon, consists of four phases. In the first phase, a terminal and airfield will be constructed for $2.5 billion. This will allow the airport to handle 20 million passengers and 129,000 tons of cargo annually, conduct 30 take-offs and landings per hour, operate 14 telescopic boarding bridges, and accommodate up to 62 aircraft simultaneously.

The airport will fully meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for improving aviation service quality, ensuring flight safety, and technical regulation. Advanced air navigation and flight safety systems will be installed, allowing aircraft to be received in any weather conditions. Another significant feature is that this will be the region’s first airport designed according to ’’green’’ standards. Additionally, a 46,000-square-meter duty-free area will be established in the terminals.

The construction of the new airport will create a multimodal transport hub. The area will be connected to the Tashkent–Samarkand, Tashkent–Andijan, and Tashkent–Bostanlyk toll highways. A modern railway station will be built here, with high-speed train services established. Shuttle transport services will link the capital and New Tashkent city centers. Most importantly, the new airport will also be economically attractive for the state, with the project expected to generate more than $27 billion in revenue. It will contribute to the further development of the country’s service, manufacturing, and tourism sectors, as well as the creation of new jobs.

The Head of State expressed his gratitude to foreign partners, financial institutions, and representatives of tourism companies attending the event. He also conveyed his full confidence in all specialists, engineers, and construction teams participating in the construction of the new airport. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev placed a capsule at the foundation of the New Tashkent International Airport, officially marking the start of construction.