SAMARKAND – Uzbekistan’s Air Samarkand is set to enhance its flight services to Istanbul, starting September 14, by adding an additional weekly flight to cater to increasing passenger demand.

According to Trend News Agency, the new service will operate every Saturday, complementing the existing Monday and Thursday flights from Samarkand International Airport to Istanbul International Airport. This increase marks the third weekly rotation on the Samarkand-Istanbul route. “This third weekly rotation on the Samarkand-Istanbul service will deliver increased flexibility to our customers and help to satisfy the growing demand from both business and leisure travelers on this route, with further increases likely very soon,” said Zafar Butaev, CEO of Air Samarkand.

The flights are conducted using the airline’s Airbus A321 aircraft, designed for comfort and efficiency over the scheduled 5-hour journey. The expansion in service is part of Air Samarkand’s broader strategy to enhance its route network amid growing passenger traffic.

Additionally, Air Samarkand has recently expanded its international reach with flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, primarily to support religious pilgrims. This service has grown to five flights per week by September, including two from Samarkand and one each from the Uzbek cities of Termez, Fergana, and Namangan. The airline also operates routes to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and Nha Trang in Vietnam, utilizing its fleet of Airbus A321neo and A330-300 aircraft.