Private jet to Astana

Kazakhstan's capital on the Ishim River is the seat of the ministries, the large state companies and the embassies, so most private flights here are business trips: meetings with government bodies, delegations, investor visits and conferences. Groups often fly on to Almaty, Tashkent or Baku in the same trip. For a few years the city was called Nur-Sultan before it took back the name Astana; the airport kept the name Nursultan Nazarbayev International and the code NQZ, so older documents may show either name.

The direct line from Europe crosses airspace that European operators cannot use, so the flight goes round it to the south, over the Black Sea, Turkey or Georgia, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. That makes the route roughly a fifth longer from western Europe, and even more from Scandinavia. A super midsize or heavy jet still flies it without a stop from most European hubs. As a broker, we compare offers from operators that fly to Central Asia and arrange the overflight and landing permits through them.

Send the route, date, number of passengers and approximate baggage weight, and say if a fuel stop is acceptable; a consultant will reply with aircraft and prices.

Why charter a jet to Kazakhstan's capital

The route and the flight time

From western and central Europe the aircraft heads south-east over the Balkans or Romania, crosses the Black Sea towards Turkey or Georgia, then flies over Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea and enters Kazakhstan in the west, with a long stretch over the steppe to the capital. Every country on the way has its own rules for non-scheduled flights, and the operator files overflight permits together with the Kazakh landing permit, so the route is not changed at the last minute. The tables add 20 % to the straight line from central and western Europe, 45 % from Scandinavia and Finland, where the detour is longest, and 5 % from Athens, Bucharest, Istanbul and the Caucasus; Gulf routes add 10 %, and sectors within Central Asia use the straight line. Nonstop times in a Praetor 600:

• Warsaw: 5:38 h, Larnaca: 5:46 h, Helsinki: 5:58 h
• Budapest: 6:06 h, Vienna: 6:19 h, Berlin: 6:20 h
• Hamburg: 6:35 h, Munich: 6:47 h, Frankfurt: 6:58 h
• Amsterdam: 7:09 h, Zurich: 7:10 h, Milan Linate: 7:16 h
• Geneva: 7:31 h, Paris Le Bourget and Nice: 7:38 h, London Farnborough: 7:44 h
• Madrid: 10:31 h with one stop; nonstop only in a long range jet, 8:20 h

Midsize jets such as the Citation XLS+ usually refuel once on this route, in Turkey, the Caucasus or on the Caspian, at an airport the operator chooses by fuel, opening hours and weather. Westerly winds dominate at these latitudes and are stronger in winter, so the flight home often takes longer, and an aircraft that came out nonstop may plan a stop on the return with a full cabin.

Private jet prices to Astana

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, including the longer route, plus handling, parking and passenger taxes. The flight time column refers to the Praetor 600.

From the European hubs

Every hub except Madrid is within nonstop range of all three types. The spread between cities is moderate: in the Praetor 600 the fare runs from EUR 39,000 from Warsaw to EUR 53,000 from London, while the Falcon 7X costs roughly 70 % more than the Praetor 600 on the same route.

From Scandinavia and Finland

From the north the aircraft first flies south over Poland and Romania, so these sectors are much longer than the map suggests:

From south-east Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus

The route from here runs close to the straight line, and a midsize jet manages without a stop:

Within Central Asia

From the Gulf

A flight between two Kazakh cities in a foreign aircraft follows special rules, so for Almaty - Astana the operator confirms in advance whether the sector can be flown by the same aircraft or needs a Kazakh operator. On the Gulf routes the operator checks the airspace notices for every country on the way before filing. Passenger taxes depend on the departure country: Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger beyond 1,500 km, France applies a per-passenger tax on business jets that rises with distance, about EUR 1,015 to Kazakhstan and about EUR 420 within Europe, the UK charges Air Passenger Duty according to aircraft weight and seats, and Germany, Austria and the Netherlands charge departure taxes too. Kazakh airport charges and any other amounts appear in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Typical trips and what they cost

Cost per passenger

The aircraft is paid for as a whole, so the share per person falls as the group grows:

Calculator

The calculator gives a quick estimate by e-mail; add the number of passengers, the baggage and whether a fuel stop is acceptable in the comment.

Nursultan Nazarbayev International and the alternates

Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ, UACC) lies south-east of the city, about 17 km from the centre by road. Until the city was renamed it carried the code TSE, and NQZ stayed after the old name Astana returned. It has a single runway of 3,500 m with instrument landing systems in both directions, so every business jet and VIP airliner can use it. The airport, border control, customs, fuel and de-icing are available 24 hours a day.

Private passengers use a separate business aviation terminal. As the first landing in Kazakhstan, the arrival includes full passport and customs control there. Hangar space for visiting aircraft is limited and must be requested in advance; an aircraft parked outside in winter is de-iced before departure, which takes time and is charged separately. The landing permit from the Civil Aviation Committee needs at least three working days, and a change of date after the filing means repeating the procedure.

Other airports in the region

The flight plan includes an alternate. Karaganda, about 200 km away, is a common choice, and the fuel for it is part of the reserve every aircraft carries. Distances are straight-line from Astana:

Which aircraft fits the trip

For two or three people with light luggage and a flexible plan, a midsize jet with one fuel stop is the cheapest option. For passengers short of time, a super midsize jet usually flies without landing, though the operator may plan a stop on the return against strong headwinds. A heavy jet makes sense for groups of ten or more or a lot of baggage, and its fuel reserve gives room to fly round thunderstorms over the Caucasus in summer.

Want to compare a nonstop jet with a cheaper one that stops? Leave a number and a consultant will phone you with both options.

Seasons and public holidays

The weather on the steppe and on the route matters more here than events:

An afternoon departure from Europe lands at night local time, and with a fuel stop in the early morning. The airport is open, but the hotel needs to know about a late check-in and the driver about the landing time.

From the airport into the city

Empty Legs to and from Astana

Empty sectors to the capital come up from Almaty, Tashkent, Baku and the Gulf, and from Europe when an aircraft has to collect passengers in Kazakhstan for a flight west. Directions we see most:

An Empty Leg follows the same route, permits and possible fuel stop as a full charter, and the operator sets the date and time, so it suits a flexible trip. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates that would work.

Taking a dog or cat

On a private jet the animal travels in the cabin with you, and the operator must approve it beforehand. The documents are prepared twice, for the outbound and for the return:

• For the EU exit: an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before the travel date, an EU pet passport, and no more than five animals per person.
• Entering Kazakhstan, the veterinary rules of the Eurasian Economic Union apply: microchip, valid rabies vaccination and a veterinary certificate from a government-authorised vet. The form and the time limit for issuing it are confirmed with the handling agent before the flight.
• Kazakhstan is not on the EU list of countries from which pets return on the passport alone. A rabies antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml is needed; done and recorded in the pet passport before leaving the EU, it avoids the three-month wait on return.
• On the way home the animal must enter the EU through an airport with a travellers' point of entry for pets.
• During a fuel stop the animal stays on board, because a walk would mean entering the stopover country under its own rules.

Passport, entry and permits

Before take-off

• A passport for every passenger, valid and with blank pages; ID cards are not enough.
• Number of passengers and approximate baggage weight, which decide whether the aircraft flies nonstop.
• Whether a fuel stop is acceptable.
• Hotel address and any onward legs to Almaty, Tashkent or Baku.
• Pet documents for the outbound and the return, including the antibody test.
• Cash above USD 10,000 declared.
• Warm coats in the cabin from November to March, when hard frost is usual on arrival.

How to book

1. Send the date, the number of passengers, the baggage and the programme in Kazakhstan.
2. We ask operators for a route and fuel plan for your load and compare a nonstop aircraft with a cheaper one that stops.
3. You receive offers with operator, model, cabin photos, route, flight time and the price for the whole aircraft, with parking and de-icing listed separately.
4. After contract and payment the operator files the overflight and landing permits; we book parking, the car and, in winter, de-icing for the return.
5. On arrival, border and customs control take place in the business aviation terminal, and the car is waiting outside.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Private flights to Kazakhstan's capital: common questions

• • How much does a private jet to Astana cost?

  • A Praetor 600 costs from EUR 39,000 one way from Warsaw and EUR 53,000 from London, for the whole aircraft. A Challenger 650 from London costs EUR 67,000, with handling, parking and taxes added in the quote.

• • Can we fly nonstop?

  • Yes, in a super midsize or heavy jet from all European hubs except Madrid, where only a long range jet flies without a stop. Midsize jets usually refuel once on the way.

• • Why is the route longer than on the map?

  • European operators cannot use the airspace on the direct line, so the aircraft flies over the Black Sea, Turkey or Georgia, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. From Scandinavia the detour is the longest.

• • Are Astana and Nur-Sultan the same city?

  • Yes. The city was called Nur-Sultan for a few years and then took back the name Astana. The airport kept the code NQZ, which replaced the older TSE.

• • Can we land at night?

  • Yes. The airport, border control, customs and fuel service work around the clock, and passengers use the business aviation terminal.

• • Do EU citizens need a visa?

  • No, for stays of up to 30 days. A passport is required, an ID card is not accepted, and the hotel registers your stay.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • The landing permit needs at least three working days, plus overflight permits, so a request on Friday for Monday is already tight. A change of date after filing repeats the procedure.

• • Can my dog come back to the EU without waiting?

  • Yes, if a rabies antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml was done and recorded in the pet passport before leaving the EU. The return must be through an airport with a pet checkpoint.

• • What about winter?

  • From December to February temperatures often fall below -20 °C, and the aircraft is de-iced before departure at extra cost. May and September are the calmest months.

• • Are there Empty Legs?

  • Yes, mainly from Almaty, Tashkent, Baku and Dubai, and sometimes from Europe. E-mail the direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • Can the same aircraft continue to Almaty or Tashkent?

  • Tashkent, yes, with an Uzbek landing permit. For Almaty, a domestic sector, the operator checks in advance whether a foreign aircraft may fly it or a Kazakh operator is needed.