Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 29 December 2024, Air Samarkand marks the first anniversary of its inaugural flights and announces an expansion of international routes.

Over the past year, the airline launched several international destinations, increased its fleet to three aircraft, and completed 839 flights with a total duration of 3,956 flight hours.

Exactly one year ago, the new Uzbek airline received its Operator’s Certificate, its own code from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): “UZS,” along with the radio call sign “Samarkand,” and performed its first commercial charter flight from Samarkand to Istanbul.

On its anniversary, the airline will operate two flights to Jeddah from Samarkand, one from Fergana, as well as flights from Tashkent to Medina and Phu Quoc Island.

“Celebrating our first year of operations, we continue to expand and strengthen our network of regular and charter routes. Over the next 12 months, we aim to offer our customers in the region even greater choice, flexibility, and convenience while contributing to tourism growth in Uzbekistan and our home city of Samarkand,” said Zafar Butaev, CEO of Air Samarkand.

He added: “This past year, we have made tremendous progress thanks to the dedication and hard work of our entire team, who strive daily to deliver high-quality service. In the coming year, we will continue to grow by expanding our team, increasing our fleet, and adding new routes for both tourism and business travel.”

To commemorate its first year of operations, Air Samarkand has announced an increase in weekly flights to the popular Phu Quoc Island resort in Vietnam to three per week in partnership with the Crystal Bay Tourism operator. All flights depart Tashkent International Airport at 11:55 PM and arrive in Phu Quoc at 10:50 AM local time. Flights are operated on a modern Airbus A330-300, featuring 36 Comfort Class seats and 277 Economy Class seats.

In addition, Air Samarkand has introduced new flights from Tashkent to Medina (Saudi Arabia) on Thursdays and Saturdays. Medina, the second holiest city in Islam after Mecca, is home to the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi mosque, where the tomb of Prophet Muhammad is located.

These flights complement the airline’s existing routes to Jeddah, which Air Samarkand has operated since July 2024 from Samarkand, Termez, Fergana, Bukhara, and Namangan.

Pilgrims traveling solely to Mecca often choose Jeddah due to its closer proximity to the holy city. However, those seeking a more comprehensive pilgrimage to all Islamic holy sites opt for flights to Medina.

Air Samarkand also operates direct flights from Samarkand to Istanbul (Türkiye), from Tashkent and Samarkand to Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), and domestic flights between Samarkand and Tashkent on Fridays.