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ALAUAAA

Almaty International Airport

Almaty, KZ

Airportist Score

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ALAGuide

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ALAUAAAModerate

Almaty International Airport

Almaty, Kazakhstan · Asia-Pacific

Almaty’s two-hall hub: international lives in 2024 Terminal 2, bus 92 is 120 tenge, Uber is not a thing, and 11.93 million is 2025 traffic — not T2’s 14-million capacity leftover.

Airportist Score

7.1/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.0
Comfort & amenities7.4
Food & retail7.0
Ground access7.4
Reliability6.4
Lounges7.4

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare ALA with another airport

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

ALAGuide

Alternatives

Nearby airports

All airports Official site

ALAUAAAModerate

Almaty International Airport

Almaty, Kazakhstan · Asia-Pacific

Almaty’s two-hall hub: international lives in 2024 Terminal 2, bus 92 is 120 tenge, Uber is not a thing, and 11.93 million is 2025 traffic — not T2’s 14-million capacity leftover.

Airportist Score

7.1/ 10

Solid

Ease of use7.0
Comfort & amenities7.4
Food & retail7.0
Ground access7.4
Reliability6.4
Lounges7.4

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare ALA with another airport

Typical security
20 min
editorial average, not live
Fastest to city
25-40 min
Yandex Go / inDrive
Cheapest to city
Bus 92 / night 3
$ · 40-45 min
Lounges
3
2 rated worth it
Terminals
T2 international (2024); T1 domestic under reconstruction. No airside walk.
Passengers / year
11,930,941 (2025)

6 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

BXJBoraldai Airport
Almaty
11 km
IKUIssyk-Kul International Airport
Tamchy
89 km

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ALAGuide

ALAGuide

Worth it

Air Astana Shanyraq Lounge

Terminal 2Airside Level 2 opposite Gate 201, lifts on the right after passport control

Flag-carrier room opposite Gate 201. Airline Help Centre: Business Class invitation/boarding pass or Nomad Gold/Diamond. No published walk-up tariff. Not Priority Pass, not DragonPass.

Access: Business class ticket · Air Astana Economy Sleeper · Airline status

Hours: 24 hours daily leftover (LoungePair / Sleeping in Airports)

Amenities: Live cooking station leftover · Central Asian buffet leftover including lagman · Two shower suites included leftover · Rest zone leftover

Best for: Air Astana business, Economy Sleeper, or Nomad Gold/Diamond on a Terminal 2 international departure

Full access guide

Worth it

Extime Business Lounge

Terminal 2Airside mezzanine after passport control and security, lifts on the left

The only airside international room most travelers can actually enter. TAV OS: mezzanine after passport control, 24/7, max 3 hours, infants under 2 free. Not Priority Pass this pass.

Access: DragonPass · LoungeKey · TAV Passport · DreamFolks · Day pass · Business class ticket

Hours: 24/7; stay capped at 3 hours

Amenities: Hot/cold buffet and bar · Chargeable showers leftover 7,000 KZT · Luggage lockers · Children's play area · Smoking room · Meeting room leftover 22,500 KZT/hour · Airport Wi-Fi

Best for: International passengers without Air Astana status who will pay or hold DragonPass / LoungeKey · Overnight long-hauls — the room is 24/7

Full access guide

Depends

Extime VIP Lounge International Departures

Terminal 2Street-level VIP, not the airside mezzanine Business Lounge

Separate Extime VIP product with a street entrance, not the DragonPass Business Lounge upstairs. Forbes.kz leftover 16 Oct 2024: 35–95 thousand tenge by hall. A T2 airside boarding pass is not this door. Not Priority Pass.

Access: Day pass

Hours: 24/7 leftover

Amenities: Private check-in leftover · Private security leftover · Escort to the aircraft leftover

Best for: Passengers who will pay to skip the main T2 hall entirely

Full access guide

Lounge & amenity notes

Lounge, food, and quiet-spot picks pulled from the markdown guide.

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

Extime Business Lounge (T2 airside) — TAV Operation Services: mezzanine after passport control, 24/7, stay 3 hours, infants under 2 free. DragonPass lists showers as chargeable, hot/cold food, halal, alcohol, kids’ area, lockers. Walk-in leftover 35,000 KZT (Forbes.kz 16 October 2024 35–95 thousand by hall; LoungePair leftover US$75). Not Priority Pass this pass.
Air Astana Shanyraq (T2 airside) — Help Centre: Business Class invitation ticket / boarding pass, or Nomad Gold / Diamond. LoungePair leftover also lists Economy Sleeper. Two shower suites leftover included. No published walk-up. Not a Star Alliance / oneworld / SkyTeam room — Air Astana sits outside the big three.
Extime VIP (street) — private check-in leftover, not the mezzanine Business Lounge. Only pay if you intend to skip the public hall.
Freedom Holding Corp Business Lounge leftover under construction near Shanyraq — not live this pass.
Food: ATÜ Duty Free leftover 3,400 m² on opening day (Moodie Davitt, June 2024). Live June 2025 airside photo shows the ATÜ sign over Gate 201–203. Landside Alaport Cafe is a April 2024 T1 photo (pastries, sealed drinks) — do not assume it moved into T2. Skip leftover SEO lists that paste Burger King / Goody’s from other airports.
Wi-Fi leftover SSID AIRPORT_Almaty with an SMS code (traveler/cestee leftover). Confirm on the captive portal. LoungePair leftover: lounges use the airport network, not a private SSID.
Caps Lock capsule leftover sits at the far ends of both halls — leftover traveler product, not an operator tariff this pass.

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