BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 7. Airports across Uzbekistan handled 12.66 million passengers in the period from January through September 2026, up 13% year over year, while cargo and mail volumes increased 27% to 84,800 tonnes, according to Uzbekistan Airports.
During the first nine months of the year, the country’s airports handled 102,836 aircraft movements, a 10% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
International flights accounted for 71,625 movements, up 8%, while domestic flights totaled 31,211, an increase of 17%.
Passenger traffic on international routes reached 10.36 million, up 13% year over year. Domestic services carried 2.3 million passengers, representing 15% growth.
Tashkent International Airport remained the country’s largest aviation hub, handling 8.49 million passengers and 62,482 aircraft movements. Passenger traffic increased 16%, while flight movements rose 7%.
Among regional airports, Samarkand recorded the highest passenger traffic at 1.11 million, followed by Urgench with 724,400, Fergana with 511,000 and Namangan with 497,600.
Andijan Airport posted the fastest growth, with passenger traffic increasing 8.7 times to 161,400. The sharp rise was partly attributable to a low comparison base, as the airport resumed operations on March 20, 2025, following a major runway reconstruction and had not yet reached full operating capacity during the corresponding period last year.
Passenger traffic also increased 48% in Termez, 18% in Urgench and 17% in Nukus. Growth in Termez was supported by expanded Umrah services and the launch of flights by Saudi Arabia’s flyadeal. More affordable pilgrimage packages also attracted passengers from neighboring countries. New international routes contributed to growth in Urgench and Nukus.
Meanwhile, passenger traffic declined 16% in Namangan and 22% in Karshi, continuing a trend observed during the first half of the year. Uzbekistan Airports attributed the declines to changes in route networks and passenger demand, as well as airline schedule adjustments amid geopolitical challenges.
At Navoi Airport, the operating results reflected a growing focus on cargo transportation. Cargo volumes increased despite a 22% decline in passenger traffic and fewer passenger flights, while total aircraft movements rose 14%.
Bukhara Airport handled 407,400 passengers, down 1% year over year. A new international airport project is also being developed in the region to expand passenger-handling capacity and support further tourism growth.
Some airports recorded higher passenger traffic despite fewer aircraft movements. Fergana handled 5% more passengers even as aircraft movements fell 11%. In Samarkand, passenger traffic remained at the previous year's level, while aircraft movements declined 2%.
The cargo segment also maintained strong growth. Uzbekistan’s airports handled 84,800 tonnes of cargo and mail during January-September, up 27% compared with the same period in 2025. Tashkent Airport accounted for the largest share, handling 78,867.9 tonnes of cargo.
According to Trend’s calculations, Uzbekistan’s airports handled approximately 1.46 million more passengers in January-September 2026 than in the same period last year. International routes accounted for 81.8% of total passenger traffic, while domestic services represented 18.2%. Tashkent International Airport handled approximately 67.1% of all passengers nationwide. Meanwhile, cargo and mail volumes increased by approximately 18,000 tonnes year over year. Tashkent Airport's 78,867.9 tonnes of cargo represented approximately 93% of the national cargo and mail total, assuming both figures cover comparable categories. Passenger traffic growth also outpaced the increase in aircraft movements by 3 percentage points.
Uzbekistan Airports declared that the sector maintained growth across passenger traffic, aircraft movements and cargo handling despite geopolitical challenges, reduced flight frequencies and the cancellation of some airline services. Passenger traffic grew faster than aircraft movements, while cargo and mail volumes increased by more than a quarter.
