Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launches two new flights to Kazakhstan

The low-cost airline is commencing services to Almaty and Nur-Sultan in May

The Bayterek monument in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan. Courtesy Unsplash

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is adding two new destinations to its route network in May.

The airline will launch flights to the Kazakh cities of Almaty and Nur-Sultan, with fares starting as low as Dh159. Tickets are already on sale on the airline's website and mobile app.

"The new routes from Abu Dhabi to Almaty and Nur-Sultan will encourage increased travel between the UAE and Kazakhstan through ultra-low-fare travel options. We are confident that the new routes will inspire desire to travel and open the doors to new cultural experiences," says Kees Van Schaick, managing director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.

The flight to Almaty will launch on May 14 and will be operated twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays, while the service to Nur-Sultan will run on Thursdays and Sundays, starting from May 13.

Formerly known as Astana, Nur-Sultan became the country's capital in 1997 and has been dubbed "the world's youngest capital", while Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest metropolis.

All travellers arriving in the country require a negative PCR test, taken within 72 hours of arrival. Quarantine is not mandatory, but passengers exhibiting a temperature or other symptoms will be transferred to a state-run medical facility, regardless of their negative PCR result.

The country is currently only welcoming visitors from the following destinations: Belarus, Egypt, Germany, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine, the UAE and Uzbekistan. However, it has removed visa exemptions for visitors from most destinations.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi commenced flights to Alexandria, Egypt on February 22, bringing its total network up to 13 destinations. It operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, including four new Airbus A321neo aircraft, which it claims have “the lowest fuel burn and noise footprint”.