‍DALLAS – Japan Airlines (JL) and Air Astana (KC) will commence codeshare services in 2026.

The agreement will allow the airlines to place their respective codes on a new Almaty (ALA) to Tokyo (TYO) service scheduled to be launched by KC in spring of 2026 and on the domestic services operated by both airlines. 

Japan Airlines Group CEO Mitsuko Tottori stated, “We are delighted to enter into cooperation with such a distinguished partner as Air Astana. We will contribute to further enhancement of over 30 years of diplomatic relationship between Japan and Kazakhstan, through developing passenger and cargo traffic.”

This codeshare agreement comes after more than three decades of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan. Through the codeshare partnership with KC, JL will expand its network into Kazakhstan, located in the heart of Central Asia, which was previously unserved on JL’s network map. 

Air Astana Group CEO Peter Foster remarked, “Our collaboration with Japan Airlines is an exciting development that will enrich our international network and offer more travel options for our customers. We look forward to delivering a seamless travel experience for passengers between Kazakhstan and Japan.”

Initial Codeshare Routes 

The airlines will codeshare on select routes commencing in the spring of 2026. The arrangement will be implemented for key routes, including:

• Almaty-Tokyo, Almaty-Astana/Atyrau (Operated by KC)
• Tokyo-Sapporo/Nagoya/Osaka/Fukuoka/Okinawa (Operated by JL)

By offering better travel options between Japan and Kazakhstan, both companies aim to improve the travel experience of their guests. They will increase the flow of people and goods between the two countries.

The carriers will continue to take on new challenges to improve their network, product, and service quality to elevate the travel experience for passengers.