New Etihad and Air Astana Codeshare Means Seamless Travel to Central Asia

Updated: June 9, 2026, 10:35am CDT

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Fly With Etihad and Air Astana to Kazakhstan and Beyond
Booking Flights With Etihad Airways
Final Thoughts

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Codeshare alliances are always welcome, especially when they facilitate travel to off-the-beaten-track destinations like Kazakhstan.

Launching today, a new codeshare between Etihad and Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, will mean seamless connectivity between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and the Kazakh cities of Almaty (ALA) and Astana (NQZ).

“Etihad guests can now enjoy the ease of booking connecting flights and checking in once for their entire journey,” said Jurriaan Stelder, vice president of alliances and industry affairs at Etihad.

Let’s take a look what this new partnership could mean for your future adventures.

Fly With Etihad and Air Astana to Kazakhstan and Beyond

There’s a new way to fly to Kazakhstan, thanks to Eithad‘s new partnership with Air Astana.

You can now book 1-ticket, 1-stop itineraries starting with Etihad flights from Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), New York City (JFK), Toronto (YYZ), and Washington D.C. (IAD) with a layover in Abu Dhabi before connecting to an Air Astana flight to Almaty or Astana.

As Etihad doesn’t operate flights with its own aircraft to Kazakhstan, this will be the first time Etihad flyers have access to this diverse and fascinating country.

Passengers wishing to fly via Abu Dhabi to Kazakhstan with Etihad and Air Astana will be able to check their bags through to their final destination.

Booking Flights With Etihad Airways

Etihad offers an excellent in-flight experience across its 3 cabins (or 4, if you include the exclusive Etihad Residence).

The first- and business-class products vary depending on which aircraft you’re on. The crème de la crème is, without a doubt, the airline’s Airbus A380. Currently, its only U.S. destination is JFK.

This is thanks to its exclusive Residence — a 3-room suite, including a shower and double bed!

Etihad Residence meal in bed — Enjoying breakfast in bed in The Residence. Image Credit: Alex Miller

This aircraft also boasts an excellent regular first class called The Apartment.

Flights in all Etihad cabin classes can be booked using points, with the cheapest business-class fare from the U.S. to Abu Dhabi starting at 110,000 miles one-way.

Hot Tip:

Etihad offers some of the most luxurious premium experiences in commercial aviation. To book them for yourself without breaking the bank, check out our guide on how to earn a ton of Etihad Airways Guest miles.

Final Thoughts

You can now book with Etihad to enjoy the incredible skiing, fascinating history, and unique culture of Kazakhstan, thanks to its new codeshare agreement with Air Astana. Or continue onward to other Air Astana destinations in central Asia that aren’t served by Etihad itself.

If it wasn’t on your travel list already, this is as good a time as any to add Kazakhstan. The country is gaining popularity with travelers and was even featured as a destination in Alaska Airlines’ most recent award redemption discount offer.