Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reviewed the progress of the reconstruction of Urgench International Airport. The modernization will receive USD 264 million in investment. Note that when the public-private partnership agreement was signed in 2025, a figure of around USD 223 million was cited — so the project estimate has been updated.
The project is being delivered as a public-private partnership with South Korea's Incheon International Airport Corporation — the same company in the consortium building the new Tashkent international airport. After reconstruction, the airport's capacity will rise from 300 to 1,300 passengers per hour. The upgrade will enable the airport to handle widebody Boeing 747 and Airbus A350 aircraft, allowing direct long-haul flights into Khorezm.
The first phase involves building an 18-aircraft apron and a new taxiway. The airport will also add modern border and visa control points, a business lounge, retail and dining outlets, a 24/7 medical point and a duty-free zone.
Urgench is the air gateway to Khiva, one of the key Silk Road cities with a rising flow of international tourists. This year the airport provided services worth UZS 126 billion, up 31% from the same period in 2025. For Incheon International Airport Corporation, Urgench becomes its second managed airport in Uzbekistan — alongside its role in the new Tashkent airport project — building a connected regional footprint rather than isolated projects.