The Kazakh government has allocated 23.5 billion tenge (about $52mn) for construction of a second runway at Shymkent airport. The new runway will measure 3,900 meters long and 75 meters wide, fitted with modern lighting and built to operate in difficult weather and low-visibility conditions. Construction began in October 2025. The existing runway underwent a major overhaul in 2007 and will require repair again in 2027, which without a second runway would force an extended airport closure. According to the government, the project is meant to ensure uninterrupted airport operations during further infrastructure development, increase capacity to receive heavy passenger and cargo aircraft, expand international cargo transportation and strengthen Shymkent's transit potential. The project aligns with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's stated goal of establishing Kazakhstan as a major aviation hub in Eurasia.
