Central Asian carrier Uzbekistan Airways has signed two letters of intent with CALC and ICBC Financial Leasing (Chinese aircraft lessors), which will see the airline gain an additional six Airbus A321-200N, supporting the airline’s continued growth and expansion.

The letters of intent see the agreement with China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (CALC) to lease four units, which overall sees the airline’s commitment with CALC rise to six aircraft. This is complemented by two A321-200N to be leased from ICBC Aircraft Leasing. These aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2028.

Dry-Lease Agreements

Credit: Uzbekistan Airways

These agreements will see Uzbekistan Airways have dry leases with these aircraft, which sees the lessor only provide the aircraft. Uzbekistan Airways will be responsible for providing crew, maintenance, and insurance. This sees the airline (HY) assume full operational responsibility for the aircraft. These new planes are set to be equipped with Airbus’ advanced Airspace Premium Cabins, and include modern in-flight entertainment and even internet connectivity.

Uzbekistan Airways has already in place a firm dry lease with CALC for an initial two A321-200N, and these are expected to be delivered halfway through next year. This aligns with another agreement the carrier holds with SMBC Aviation Capital, which will see two more of the same type of aircraft arrive in 2026 as well.

These aircraft are expected to be delivered in a two-class configuration carrying a total of 172 passengers, made up of 16 business class seats and 156 economy class seats. As noted in a media release by Uzbekistan Airways, the agreements and cooperations with these international lessors underscore the airline’s commitment to expanding its international partnerships, while also expanding its fleet with morefuel-efficientt and modern aircraft. The airline shared this statement:

Uzbekistan Airways continues to advance its fleet renewal and expansion program. As part of this strategy, the airline has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Chinese leasing company ICBC Aviation Leasing for the delivery of two new Airbus A321neo aircraft under a lease agreement.

Uzbekistan’s Flag Carrier

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From its hub at Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport (TAS), the carrier serves a modest range of domestic and international destinations. The airline has scheduled services across Asia, Europe, and North America. The airline, which also has a subsidiary Uzbekistan Airways Express, has a fleet of around 44 airplanes according to ch-aviation, made up of the following aircraft:

Other recent announcements will see the airline expand its fleet with another 18 A321-200N and 14 Boeing 787-9s, which will further fuel growth for both the airline and local economic investment as the airline continues to expand its reach from Central Asia.

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Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport (TAS)

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Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport is the primary and busiest gateway into Uzbekistan. The airport, which is the second busiest in Central Asia after Almaty International Airport, is located just 6.5 nautical miles (12 km) from downtown Tashkent. It is named after the first president of independent Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov. The airport is home to two runways, 08L/26R, which covers 13,123 ft (4,000 m) with a concrete surface, and 08R-26L covering 12,812 ft (3,905 m) with an asphalt surface. According to the local government, in 2024, the airport served 8.7 million passengers.

The airport itself has two terminals, with Tashkent-2 Terminal covering international flights, with immigration control. Tashkent-3 Terminal is designed for domestic flights and can handle up to 400 passengers per hour. This terminal sees several flights operated to popular tourist destinations such as Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, which are key historical cities.

Many major airlines serve Tashkent, including (but not exhaustive) – Aeroflot (Moscow and Saint Petersburg), Air Arabia (Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah), Air China (Beijing and Urumqi), AirAsia X (Kuala Lumpur), Asiana Airlines (Seoul), Batik Air Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi (from December 14)), Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi (from March 17)), flydubai (Dubai), Flynas (Jeddah and Riyadh), LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw), Qanot Sharq (several international year round and seasonal destinations), Rossiya Airlines (Karsnoyarsk), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), and Uzbekistan Airways (an extensive range of domestic and international destinations).