Astana airport will receive an additional 350 hectares of land in connection with the construction of a second runway. This was stated by airport president Beken Seidakhmetov at the New Silk Way transport and logistics business forum in Astana. The new runway will run parallel to the existing one.
According to Seidakhmetov, a cargo terminal and a truck parking area will be built on the new site. The airport's cargo sector now covers about 2,000 square metres and is to become significantly larger after expansion, but no target area has been given. The fuel complex will be moved to the new site and upgraded so that aircraft can be refuelled with Jet A-1; tank storage capacity will also increase.
The existing runway has been in service for more than 20 years without major repairs. The airport plans to rebuild it after the new one enters service. Construction timelines, cost and the source of financing have not been named.
The second runway and a new terminal were previously linked to an investor from the UAE: in November 2025 it was reported that the investor was leaving the 1.1 billion dollar project.
Our assessment: the announced sites for a cargo terminal and fuel complex open opportunities for cargo terminal operators and fuel companies, but without timelines and financing this is a plan, not construction. For them it is a reason to discuss terms with the airport early. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by the airport.