Five major airports in Uzbekistan to be modernized and handed over to private operators

According to the draft updated Uzbekistan – 2030 Strategy, by 2030, the country plans to modernize five major airports and transfer their management under public–private partnership (PPP) arrangements. It is expected that at least one airport per year will be handed over to a private operator within the PPP framework.

PPP projects will be implemented using funds from Uzbekistan Airports and private partners. Responsibility for overseeing the process has been assigned to the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.

In the previous version of the strategy, approved in September 2023, the focus was on modernizing “low-profit regional airports” through PPPs and transferring them to trust management. Overall, modernization of six major airports in the country was planned, including projects based on PPP mechanisms.

In October 2025, Uzbekistan Airports and Incheon International Airport Corporation signed a public–private partnership agreement for the modernization and management of Urgench International Airport.

In addition, reconstruction is underway at Namangan International Airport, while a new airport is being built in Bukhara. Management of both air hubs is expected to be transferred to private operators in the future.