On 23 October 2026, the akim of Kazakhstan's Atyrau region was presented with a concept for a new terminal at Atyrau airport. The concept was developed by ECADI together with Kazakh specialists. It envisages 16,400 sq m, two main levels and jet bridges. The akim was instructed to refine engineering issues and speed up preparation of the project.
What the concept provides
— terminal area: 16,400 sq m; — two main levels; — jet bridges for passenger boarding.
Background
A new terminal at Atyrau's Khiuaz Dospanova airport has been under discussion for some time. In June 2026, First Deputy Prime Minister Nurlybek Nalibayev inspected the project during a working trip to the region. At the time it was reported that the international investor is Qaz Air Investments LLC and that USD 50 million had been attracted to modernise the airport in 2025. The stated parameters of the terminal: about 16,500 sq m and a capacity rise from 800,000 to 3 million passengers a year, with potential of up to 6 million.
Nalibayev called the investor's roadmap, under which design would start in July 2026 and finish in December 2027, unacceptable. Deadlines were set: approve the sketch design by 1 July 2026 and start construction in August 2026. If the obligations are not met, the question of transferring the project to another investor would be raised. The akim was instructed to place the project under special control and prepare alternative investor options.
What has not been announced
Reports on the concept do not name the budget, investor and financing, contractor, start and opening dates of the terminal, or the capacity under the new concept. It is not stated whether the presentation relates to the investor's project mentioned in June, or whether the sketch design has been approved. The concept does not mean construction has started.
Our assessment: the appearance of a concept shows movement on the project, but the June deadlines for starting construction are not confirmed in reports on it. Until the budget, investor and schedule are published, it is too early to talk about opening dates. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by the Atyrau regional akimat or ECADI.
What businesses can do. Designers, airport systems suppliers (baggage, screening, information) and contractors can watch for the announcement of the investor and the procurement schedule. Airlines serving Atyrau can bear in mind that construction of the new terminal will run in parallel with the operation of the existing one. Investors can follow the question of a possible change of investor.