New air service will connect Shymkent and Singapore via Sanya from October 2026
Kazakhstan and Singapore are set to enhance air connectivity with the launch of a new Shymkent–Singapore air service by SCAT Airlines on 20 October 2026. The service will operate using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with a transit stop in Sanya, China, allowing passengers to continue to Singapore within the airport’s sterile transit zone without passing through Chinese immigration.
The new connection will link Shymkent, Kazakhstan, with Singapore and provide an additional air travel option between Central Asia and Southeast Asia. Its launch followed joint efforts by SCAT Airlines, the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with the relevant authorities of China and Singapore.
The service will transit through Sanya, where passengers will remain within the airport’s sterile transit area before continuing their journey to Singapore. According to the information provided, passengers will not be required to pass through Chinese immigration during the transit process.
The introduction of the route reflects coordination among aviation and transport authorities in Kazakhstan, China and Singapore, as well as the airline. The cooperation enabled arrangements for the new service connecting Shymkent with Singapore through Sanya.
The new air link is expected to support increased travel between Kazakhstan and Singapore, including opportunities for tourism, business exchanges and people-to-people ties. It will also provide a direct air connection between Kazakhstan and Southeast Asia through Singapore.
SCAT Airlines will operate the service from 20 October 2026, using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The route will therefore establish an additional connection between Shymkent and Singapore while incorporating Sanya as a transit point.
The launch represents a new development in Kazakhstan–Singapore transport connectivity and reflects cooperation involving the relevant aviation authorities and SCAT Airlines. The service is also intended to facilitate travel and exchanges between the two countries, further connecting Kazakhstan with Southeast Asia.
Source: Embassy of Kazakhstan in Singapore
