Samarkand airport named the fastest-growing in Europe and Central Asia

According to a recent report by Airports Council International (ACI), Samarkand International Airport recorded the highest passenger traffic growth in Europe and Central Asia. Over the past five years, the airport's passenger traffic has grown by 186%.

This impressive growth is the result of large-scale public-private investment, the product of cooperation between entrepreneur Bakhtiyor Fazilov and the government of Uzbekistan. The expanded and upgraded terminal, opened in 2022, significantly boosted the airport's appeal, driving a substantial rise in passenger numbers.

"Back at the start of this decade, together with our government partners, we set out to strengthen Samarkand's tourism potential. We combined modern infrastructure facilities — the new airport and the Silk Road Samarkand tourism complex — with the city's unique historic character. Now we're reaping the rewards of these investments, and our airport is emerging as a global leader in growth rate," Fazilov stressed.

Besides the 186% growth over five years, in 2024 the airport served 1.38 million passengers, up 36.6% on the previous year. The number of takeoffs and landings rose by 23%, reaching 11,000.

"Our growth is the result of forward-looking investment in a modern terminal, made under the difficult conditions of a global pandemic. These figures confirm the growing demand for air travel in this historic region and reinforce Samarkand's status as one of the most important tourism and business hubs in Central Asia," said Ulugbek Shamsikulov, general director of managing company Air Marakanda.

Samarkand currently operates flights to 23 international and three domestic destinations, including popular routes to Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Jeddah, and Moscow. In 2024, new flights launched to Xi'an (China), Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Turkestan (Kazakhstan), as well as the Russian cities of Tyumen, Nizhny Novgorod, and Irkutsk.

Air Marakanda's plans include further expanding its route network and improving service quality.

"Air Marakanda will continue working with airline partners to expand our flight geography, raise service standards for all passengers, and roll out digital solutions that simplify the service process," Shamsikulov added.

Right behind Samarkand in passenger traffic growth in Europe and Central Asia is Olbia Airport on the Italian island of Sardinia, which added 18.4% to its previous year's result in 2024.

According to ACI, total passenger numbers in 2024 were 1.8% above 2019 levels and 7.4% higher than in 2023. However, 47% of airports have still not reached pre-pandemic levels.