Construction of New Tashkent Airport to Begin in June

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Construction of the New Tashkent International Airport is scheduled to begin in June 2026, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Jasurbek Choriyev, speaking on May 5 at the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank in Samarkand, reported by Gazeta.uz.

Choriyev said the agreement for the project based on a public-private partnership is in its final stage and is expected to be signed by mid-May. After that, the document will undergo final government review, allowing construction work to begin. He noted that the president has already issued instructions to launch the project.

According to the deputy minister, a private partner has been formed and a major international consortium is involved in the project. The upcoming agreement will define the terms of cooperation between the state and investors, including the distribution of responsibilities.

He also stated that the government is not providing guarantees for airport traffic volumes, but passenger growth forecasts remain strong. Authorities estimate annual growth at around 30%, requiring accelerated infrastructure development. The existing Tashkent airport is expected to reach its capacity limit by 2029.

In this context, the possibility of closing the current airport after the new one becomes operational is being considered, although no final decision has been made regarding the future use of the existing site.

The new airport will be located in Tashkent region in the Urta Chirchik and Kuyichirchik districts and will cover an area of about 1,300 hectares. The project was launched in October 2025.

The construction is driven by rapid passenger growth: over the past eight years, passenger traffic has tripled to 9 million people per year, while by 2040 it is expected to exceed 24 million. The current airport is designed to handle 11 million passengers annually and is located within the city limits.

The project will be implemented in four phases. The first phase, worth US$2.5 billion, includes construction of the terminal complex and airfield infrastructure. Once fully completed, the airport will be capable of serving up to 20 million passengers and 129,000 tons of cargo annually, handling up to 30 takeoffs and landings per hour and accommodating up to 62 aircraft simultaneously.

The investor consortium includes Vision Invest from Saudi Arabia with a 45% stake, Japan’s Sojitz Corporation with 30%, Incheon International Airport Corporation from South Korea with 15%, and Uzbekistan Airports with 10%.

Transport access to the new airport will be provided through toll highways connecting Tashkent with Samarkand, Andijan, and Bostanlyk, as well as a high-speed rail connection. Shuttle transport will also be organized between central Tashkent and the new city area.