Qanot Sharq Airline

What Qanot Sharq Airline does

Qanot Sharq Airline is a privately held Uzbek carrier incorporated as Qanot Sharq LLC and headquartered in Tashkent, operating scheduled and charter passenger flights from Tashkent International Airport to more than 20 international destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and — as of May 2026 — North America. Its fleet of 8 Airbus aircraft comprises 3 A330-200 widebodies for long-haul, 2 A321 NEO LR, 2 A320 CEO for medium- and short-haul, and 1 A321NEO XLR — the first aircraft of this type operated by any airline in Central Asia, with three additional XLR units on long-term lease from Air Lease Corporation. The company has carried 833,221+ cumulative passengers and competes directly with the state-owned Uzbekistan Airways, most notably as the first private carrier on the Tashkent-New York transcontinental corridor.

The business model is direct-to-consumer: passengers purchase tickets through the airline's own website (qanotsharq.com) with integrated search, online check-in, seat selection, and ancillary upsells, supplemented by sales offices, a call center, and travel-agency partners. The airline accepts Uzbek (UZcard, HUMO) and international (Visa, MasterCard) payment cards and supports three currencies (USD, EUR, RUB, UZS). Revenue is generated primarily from passenger fares across four fare classes — Business (refundable, full baggage), Flex (refundable, baggage + seat), Optimum (non-refundable, reduced baggage), and Standard (non-refundable, no free baggage) — plus a broad ancillary portfolio covering excess baggage, seat selection, cabin upgrades, VIP/CIP lounge access, priority services, travel and medical insurance, pet transport, special-meal catering, hotel and car-rental referrals, excursions, and transfers. Marketing is concentrated on owned digital channels (website, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram) with no disclosed enterprise or B2B charter revenue concentration.

The core technology stack is hardware-led — modern Airbus single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft selected for long-haul capability and fuel efficiency — rather than software-led; the airline operates no public API, SDK, or documented AI/ML capabilities, and ancillary services are integrated through partner platforms (e.g., ZenHotels) rather than proprietary systems. The company also maintains two sub-brands: the Kupibilet smart travel assistant for ticket discovery and a Kurnal onboard magazine. No disclosed investors, funding rounds, or ownership structure are present in the available data.

Name

Qanot Sharq Airline

Legal name

Qanot Sharq LLC

Website

https://qanotsharq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Qanot Sharq Airline is a private Uzbek carrier operating scheduled and charter passenger flights from Tashkent to 20+ international destinations using a modern Airbus fleet, serving leisure, business, and diaspora travelers with direct-to-consumer booking and ancillary services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Air Transportation

NAICS

Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111), Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (48121)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Network Full-Service Airlines (Hub-and-Spoke) (THABAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Network Airlines (Full-Service, Flag & Regional) (TLAFAAAA)

Keywords

• Scheduled passenger flights
• International air transportation
• Charter flight services
• Online ticket booking
• Airline ancillary services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tashkent

HQ country

Uzbekistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Passenger Air Transportation: Core revenue from selling air tickets for scheduled passenger flights on domestic and international routes. Revenue varies by fare class (Business, Flex, Optimum, Standard) with different refundability and baggage allowance terms.
2. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue streams from excess baggage fees, seat selection charges, cabin class upgrades, priority services (VIP/CIP lounges, Fast Track), travel and medical insurance, pet transportation, additional seat bookings for cargo/valuables, and special equipment transport (sports gear, musical instruments).
3. Partner Services Commission: Revenue from hotel bookings, car rentals (partnering with 300 rental companies in 160+ countries), excursions, and multimodal route planning services offered through the airline's platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Qanot Sharq Airline operates scheduled and charter passenger flights connecting Uzbekistan to more than 20 international destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America using a fleet of 8 Airbus aircraft. Core revenues come from ticket sales across multiple fare tiers (Business, Flex, Optimum, Standard), supplemented by ancillary services such as excess baggage, seat selection, cabin upgrades, lounge access, travel insurance, and partner offerings including hotel bookings and car rentals.

Product overview

Qanot Sharq Airline operates as a private Uzbek carrier offering scheduled and charter passenger air travel services through a modern Airbus fleet (A330-200, A321 NEO LR, A321 NEO XLR, A320 CEO) to destinations across Europe, Asia, Middle East, and North America. The core product portfolio centers on passenger air travel with supporting services including online ticket booking via qanotsharq.com, online check-in, and seat selection. The airline offers tiered fare classes (Business, Flex, Optimum, Standard) with varying baggage allowances and refund policies. Ancillary services include additional baggage, cabin upgrades, special passenger assistance, animal transportation, travel insurance, car rental, hotel booking, transfers, and VIP lounge access. The company also operates Kupibilet as a travel assistant brand and publishes an onboard magazine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation Scheduled passenger flights connecting Uzbekistan to 20+ international destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America using a modern Airbus fleet.
• Online Ticket Booking Web-based platform enabling passengers to search flights, purchase tickets, select seats, and manage bookings online via qanotsharq.com with multiple payment options.
• Online Check-in Self-service check-in service allowing passengers to register for flights and obtain boarding passes online.
• Tashkent–New York Direct Flights Twice-weekly non-stop transcontinental service between Tashkent and New York using A330-200 aircraft, the first private carrier on this route.
• Tashkent–Hangzhou Route Direct flight service between Tashkent and Hangzhou broadening aviation connectivity between Uzbekistan and China.
• Excess Baggage Service Allows passengers to transport luggage exceeding the tariff allowance, with rates varying by route and weight/dimensions.
• Seat Selection Advance seat selection service allowing passengers to choose preferred seating (window, aisle, front, center) on both paid and free basis.
• Cabin Class Upgrade Service allowing passengers to upgrade their service class for maximum comfort on favorable terms.
• Animal Transportation Transportation of animals in cabin (up to 8kg with bag, max 50x35x30cm) or baggage compartment, subject to specific regulations.
• Flight and Medical Insurance Insurance policies (flight and medical) providing additional coverage and confidence during travel, with 24/7 support suitable for visa applications.
• Car Rental Booking Car rental booking service from over 300 rental companies in more than 160 countries worldwide.
• Hotel Booking Search and booking service for hotels, hostels, and apartments for vacation, business trips, or travel via ZenHotels partnership.
• VIP/CIP Business Lounge Access VIP services including business lounges, fast track, and individual support for enhanced comfort and security.
• Special Passenger Assistance Services for passengers with limited mobility including wheelchair ordering for movement around the airport up to the aircraft ramp.

Quantifiable outcome

• 833,221+ passengers served
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ZenHotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing hotel booking services accessible through the Qanot Sharq website, allowing passengers to search and book accommodations as part of their travel planning.
• Global Car Rental CompaniesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with approximately 300 car rental companies across 160+ countries, integrated as an ancillary service offering for passengers through the airline's booking platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Somon Air: Tajikistan's privately owned national-carrier-equivalent operating scheduled international passenger service. Directly comparable regional Central Asian private airline targeting diaspora and connecting traffic.
• Uzbekistan Airways: State-owned flag carrier of Uzbekistan and Qanot Sharq's primary competitor. Operates scheduled international passenger service from Tashkent to a similar set of destinations including the Tashkent–New York corridor that Qanot Sharq is now entering.
• Air Astana: Kazakhstan-based hybrid full-service airline operating scheduled international passenger service from a Central Asian hub. Comparable business model with multi-class fares, modern Airbus fleet, and a focus on long-haul connectivity from the region.
• SCAT Airlines: Kazakh private carrier operating scheduled domestic and international passenger flights from Central Asia, including long-haul sectors. Comparable in scale, fleet profile, and Central Asian private-airline positioning.
• flydubai: Dubai-based low-cost carrier operating scheduled international flights to CIS and Central Asia, including Tashkent. Comparable in serving outbound Uzbekistan demand with a modern narrowbody fleet and direct booking platform.
• Air Arabia: Middle East-based low-cost carrier serving Central Asia and CIS with point-to-point scheduled service. Comparable in offering affordable scheduled international connectivity from the region with a single-class, ancillary-rich model.

Emerging players

• Centrum Air: Another emerging private Uzbek carrier entering the international scheduled passenger market from Tashkent. Directly comparable domestic peer competing for the same outbound Uzbekistan demand and ancillary opportunity.

Broad incumbents

• Aeroflot: Russian flag carrier operating significant Central Asian capacity, including direct Moscow and St Petersburg service from Tashkent. A relevant incumbent on routes overlapping with Qanot Sharq's network.
• Turkish Airlines: Global network carrier with a dense Central Asian and CIS route map including Tashkent. Competes on connecting traffic and fares to many of the same long-haul destinations Qanot Sharq now serves non-stop.

Others

• Air Lease Corporation: Aircraft lessor that is Qanot Sharq's strategic fleet partner, delivering the first of four A321XLR units. Relevant ecosystem participant given the airline's heavy reliance on leased fleet to scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/QANOTSHARQ
• Instagraminstagram.com/qanotsharq?igsh=MWhyczQzajVneTczZg==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qanot-sharq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Qanot Sharq Airline