Flying from Almaty Airport (ALA) to Shimkent Airport (CIT): what you need to know
The average length of a direct flight from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport is 1 hour 15 minutes.
Almaty and Shimkent share the UTC+5 timezone. This means you won't have to change your watch on arrival.
Choose from 55 weekly Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport flights. The 00:40 departure with SCAT Airlines is the earliest you can take. SCAT Airlines operates the latest service of the day at 21:10.
Arrive at the airport on time so you don't miss your ALA to CIT flight. Be there at least two hours ahead for international flights and an hour early for domestic departures to avoid a last-minute sprint to the gate.
Be prepared for longer lines during popular months like August. Arriving up to four hours in advance for an international flight and two hours for domestic departures will help ensure a smooth travel experience.
Jetting into Shimkent (and then exploring more of Kazakhstan!) is a breeze with Scat Airlines. This popular carrier offers direct flights from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport.
The airline most travellers fly with on this route is Scat Airlines.
FlyArystan is a leader in on-time performance for ALA to CIT flights, with 80.0% of its services landing as scheduled.
We make it a cinch to book a flight with a stopover. To see all your options for tickets from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport, deselect 'Direct flights only.' Then, choose a flight that has a stop long enough to tour your chosen city. Worthwhile stopovers between ALA and CIT include:
Aktau Airport
Atyrau Airport
Aktobe Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from Almaty Airport (ALA) to Shimkent Airport (CIT)
Rs9,482 is currently the best price for a one-way Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport flight. A return flight starts at Rs20,059. These fares may change based on availability and demand.
Book four months before you travel. After looking at the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you'll want to book ahead to find cheap tickets from ALA to CIT.
September is the cheapest month for flights from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport. If you prefer to fly during a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices for every month.
You don't need to check back in every day to find out if fares have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll notify you as soon as the price changes on cheap flights from ALA to CIT.
Pick your ideal departure and arrival times, number of stops and airlines with the filters. Alternatively, sort your results by 'Cheapest' to get the best deals on flights from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport.
Handy information about Almaty Airport (ALA)
Of the flights that depart from Almaty Airport, 71% touch down on time at their destination.
Central Almaty to Almaty Airport is around 14 kilometres. Depending on traffic, it'll take you about 30 minutes to get there if you're ride-sharing, catching a taxi or driving.
Catching public transport? Expect a journey time of around 50 minutes.
Looking for a handy hotel near ALA? If you're catching an early flight from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport, these stays will have you sleeping moments from your check-in counter:
Arriving at Shimkent Airport (CIT)
Consider booking a hotel close to CIT if you have a late Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport flight. Select one of these options and skip the long transfer:
When to fly to Shimkent Airport (CIT)
July is the most popular month for flights from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport. To avoid the crowds, visit Shimkent in May.
The warmest month in Shimkent is July, with the temperature ranging between 18ºC and 38ºC. Lock in your flights from Almaty Airport to Shimkent Airport in this month if you like this kind of weather.
January sees average temperatures of between -10ºC and 7ºC. Look for cheap tickets from ALA to CIT sometime around then if you like travelling in cooler conditions.
Explore more of Kazakhstan
Turkestan is just one of the many places in Kazakhstan waiting to be explored once you've seen the sights of Shimkent. Around 153 kilometres away to the north-west, its top attractions include The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Juma Mosque and Dendropark.