Ashgabat International Airport Aşgabat halkara howa menzili | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Government of Turkmenistan | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Turkmenhowayollary Agency[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Ashgabat,Arkadag,Änew | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Bagtyýarlyk,Ashgabat[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Hub for | Turkmenistan Airlines | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | TMT (UTC+05:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 692 ft / 211 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°59′13″N58°21′39″E / 37.98694°N 58.36083°E /37.98694; 58.36083 | ||||||||||||||
| Website | ashgabatairport | ||||||||||||||
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 Airport diagram | |||||||||||||||
  ASB Location of airport in Turkmenistan | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2016) | |||||||||||||||
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| Source:AIP Turkmenistan[3] | |||||||||||||||
Ashgabat International Airport (Turkmen:Aşgabat halkara howa menzili) (IATA:ASB,ICAO:UTAA), formerly known asSaparmyrat Türkmenbaşy International Airport, is one of fiveinternational airports inTurkmenistan. It is located within the city limits ofAshgabat (Ashkhabad). The old airport, with its air traffic control tower and a 3,700-metre-long (12,000 ft) precision approach runway (12L-30R), opened in 1994 and was named after the country's first president,Saparmyrat Niyazov. The new airport terminal opened in September 2016, after being completely redesigned and rebuilt and after the south runway was moved and lengthened to parallel the north runway.
Citizens of all countries have the right tovisa-free transit through the international transit area of Ashgabat International Airport.[4]
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Turkmen civil aviation began in 1927, the year air communications began betweenChardzhou andTashauz, flying through the settlements ofTurtkul andNovo-Urgench (both in theUzbek SSR). For this route, four-passengerJunkers F.13 aircraft were purchased inGermany, as well as Soviet four-passengerKalinin K-4 aircraft. Eight aircraft served this airline. Later, in 1932, newer Soviet aircraft were purchased for the transport of passengers. TheKalinin K-5 aircraft seated six, and theTupolev ANT-9 aircraft had twelve seats. With this replenishment of the Turkmen SSR air fleet, in 1932 an air division was formed atChardzhou Airport that directly served theChardzhou-Tashauz route, without stops in other settlements.[5]
The first airport building in Ashkhabad was built in 1932, and at the end of 1934 two air units were formed there: one was equipped withPo-2 aircraft (for agricultural use), and the other consisted of TB-3 aircraft (for cargo transportation) .[5] In 1935, was openedAshkhabad-Tashauz airline route.[5]
In 1944, Turkmen SSR air fleet was replenished with theLi-2 aircraft, which transported passengers and mail from Ashkhabad toMoscow viaBaku,Astrakhan andVolgograd.[5] From 1946, Soviet aircraftIlyushin Il-12,Il-14,An-2,Yak-12 began to be used on airlines. In the 1950s,Tu-104,Tu-114,Il-18, and An-24 aircraft appeared in the Turkmen SSR's fleet. Powerful airliners made it possible to connect Ashkhabad by air lines with the largest cities of the USSR, the capitals of the union republics.[5] In 1935, was openedAshkhabad-Tashauz airline route.[5]
In the 1980s, the civil aviation of the Turkmen SSR had theTu-154,Yak-40,Yak-42,An-24,An-26 aircraft. Ashkhabad Airport has modern radio and radar equipment that allows it to receive aircraft at any time of the day and under adverse weather conditions.[5] In Soviet times, the airport was used exclusively for servicing flights within theUSSR. Currently, in addition to the aircraft of the local airline fleet, the airport serves the planes of several foreign airlines of the world, performing both passenger and cargo flights.[citation needed]
The first modern airport terminal opened in 1994 with a capacity of 1,600 passengers per hour. In Soviet times, the airport was used exclusively for domestic flights.[citation needed]
As part ofSaparmurat Niyazov's aspiration to transform Turkmenistan into 'the newKuwait', he sought to construct a distinctive airport. This zeal resulted in the control tower being constructed on the wrong side of the runway. The 'gaudy new terminal' blocked the view of air traffic controllers as they guided pilots. The builders warned him of this, however he responded: "It looks better this way."[6] The building was dismantled in 2013. On 26 March 2014, a small passenger Terminal was opened.[7][8] The terminal is located on the site of a pre-existingTurkmen SSR airport (behind the bus station) on 2013 Street (Cosmonaut Boulevard). For the period of construction of the main passenger terminal the temporary terminal served passengers departing from and arriving to Ashgabat. After commissioning of the main terminal in 2016, the terminal was used for domestic routes and charter flights.[9] Currently used as a cargo storage facility.[10]
The Turkmen government let an international tender in 2012 for reconstruction of the airport inAshgabat, to be named "Oguz Han". Polimeks, a Turkish construction company active inTurkmenistan since the late-1990s, was declared winner of the tender. The new airport was opened on 17 September 2016 byPresidentGurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.[11] The project cost $2.3 billion (€1.7 billion) and features a highly unusual terminal design in the shape of afalcon. The new airport has capacity to serve 14 million passengers per year at a rate of 1,600 passengers per hour. The airport covers 350,000 square metres (3,800,000 sq ft) and includes a passenger terminal, VIP terminal, cargo terminal with capacity to handle 200,000 tonnes of freight per year, a newair traffic control tower (ATCT), a maintenancehangar for threenarrow-body aircraft, new fueling stations, catering,fire brigade,flight simulation,repair and maintenance buildings, parking space for 3,000 cars, a civil aviation school as well as a medical center. The airport has also a second 3,800-meter long runway to servewide-body, double-deck jet airliners such as theAirbus A380 andBoeing 747-8.[12] Current members of Toldy Construct[13] team also contributed to this project. They helped to realize specialised construction and design elements of the facade and roof.
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Aşgabat International Airport now has two artificial runways, equipped with the second category ILS and platform, enabling them to take aircraft of all types. Their length is 3800 meters.[14]
The cargo terminal at Ashgabat International Airport, spanning 17,174 m², can handle up to 200 tons of cargo annually. It has export and import zones, cold storage, specialized rooms for animals and plants, and a medical room. Equipped with an automated Elevating Transfer Vehicles (ETV) system, it supports efficient cargo handling, including loading and unloading. Storage areas are available for perishable goods, valuable items, anddangerous goods.[15] The terminal includes 4 loading docks in the import section and 4 in the export section, as well as a distribution center for Turkmenistan's national postal serviceTurkmenpochta.
For the crew and transit passengers, the Lachin Hotel is a special hotel located in the transit zone of Ashgabat International Airport.[16][17]
A multimedia platform is available viaWi-Fi at Ashgabat International Airport. Passengers can access films, music, and press on their devices.[18][19]
Various lounge areas are provided, some including children's play areas or televisions showing news, movies and sports channels.
Ashgabat International Airport has a left luggage facility where layover passengers can leave their luggage for a fee while they go sightseeing.[20]
The following airlines offer year-round and seasonal scheduled flights to and from Ashgabat as of July 2025:[21][22][23]
The airport is located nearM37 highway and connect to them as a four-lane motorway. Terminal parking, short-term and long-term parking is available at the airport. Passengers driving their own cars can park in multilevel parking garages (mostly underground) along the terminal.[51]
There is regular bus service by bus line 1, 18, 22, 58 and 76 from the airport toAshgabat city.[52]
The Awtomobil Ulag Hyzmaty company offers services at Ashgabat Airport.[53]
The Ashgabat International Airport depicted on the 1Turkmen manat note.
Media related toAshgabat Airport at Wikimedia Commons
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