Uzbekistan and Kuwait agree to increase flight frequency, boosting pilgrimage tourism

During the ICAO ICAN-2024 event in Kuala Lumpur, the Director of Uzbekistan’s Uzaviation Agency met with officials from Kuwait's civil aviation authority to discuss enhancing bilateral air connectivity. As part of the agreement, restrictions limiting flights to a single airline from each country have been lifted, allowing for greater flexibility and competition.

With this agreement, the weekly number of flights between Uzbekistan and Kuwait will double to 14, aiming to facilitate pilgrimage trips to Saudi Arabia. In 2023, over 95,000 citizens of Uzbekistan transited through Kuwait for Umrah to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, approximately 1,000 Kuwaiti tourists visited Uzbekistan, many of whom proceeded to Osh, Kyrgyzstan, for various purposes after short visits.

The agreement also removes restrictions on the number of cities connected, enabling flights from any airport in Uzbekistan to Kuwait. The Ministry of Transport anticipates that these new provisions will open international travel routes from regional airports and significantly increase passenger flows, particularly among pilgrims.