United Airlines Eyes 1st Flights To Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan: Here's Why

United Airlines is exploring the possibility of launching flights to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, according to comments from Scott Kirby, the CEO of Star Alliance. Kirby said a United executive visited both countries as part of an initial assessment, led by Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances, during 2024. The plans face a major operational constraint: U.S.-based carriers cannot use Russian airspace due to reciprocal sanctions, removing the most direct routing from North America to Central Asia. United could still consider longer one-stop options, potentially via hubs like Newark and Washington, D.C., or through fifth-freedom routes from Tokyo and Hong Kong. Today, the only nonstop link is Tashkent–JFK, operated by Uzbekistan Airways with Boeing 787-9s since 2017.