SCOlarge airport

Aktau International Airport

Aktau, Kazakhstan

Explore Aktau city guide Navigate to this airport

Routes out

Destinations

ICAO

UATE

Elevation

73 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of Aktau International Airport

SCO

Location

Aktau · MAN · Kazakhstan

Connectivity

21 routes · 17 destinations

Position

43.860°, 51.091° · 73 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

Visa-free entry (many countries), e-Visa

AI Travel Editor

A closer look

Living guide content for Aktau International Airport — read or listen in 46+ languages.

Language

TravelerPulse profile

Kazakhstan's Caspian gateway serving the energy sector.

Opened

1990

Location

Aktau, Kazakhstan

Aktau International Airport (IATA: SCO, ICAO: UATE) serves the city of Aktau on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan. It is the primary air hub for the Mangystau Region, supporting both commercial passenger traffic and the substantial oil and gas industry that defines the area. The airport handles a mix of domestic routes connecting Aktau to Almaty, Astana, and other Kazakhstani cities, as well as international connections to Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and other regional destinations. Demand is significantly driven by workers and contractors in the Caspian energy sector, including major oil projects such as Tengiz and Kashagan. The facility has undergone modernization efforts in line with Kazakhstan's broader infrastructure investment programs, improving passenger capacity and services to accommodate growing traffic linked to the country's hydrocarbon industry.

Terminals

The airport operates a single terminal building handling both domestic and international passenger traffic.

Getting to & from

Ground transport between the airport and Aktau city centre is available via taxis and private transfers, with the airport located approximately 25 kilometres from the city.

Airlines here

Major carriers include Air Astana, SCAT Airlines, and Bek Air (formerly), along with international operators such as Turkish Airlines and FlyDubai serving regional routes.

Notable facts

›Aktau sits on the eastern Caspian Sea coast, making it a key logistics point for Caspian energy projects.
›The airport serves as a base for charter flights supporting major oilfields including Tengiz and Kashagan.
›Aktau was formerly known as Shevchenko during the Soviet era.
›The Mangystau Region where Aktau is located holds some of Kazakhstan's largest hydrocarbon reserves.
›International routes connect Aktau to destinations in Russia, Turkey, UAE, and Azerbaijan.

Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Route map (16 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Airlines serving this airport

Lufttaxi Fluggesellschaft

Routes

SCO → AKXDV · CRJ 735

SCO → GYDDV · CRJ

SCO → MRVDV · CRJ

SCO → TBSDV · CRJ

SCO → DMEDV · 735

SCO → EVNDV · CRJ

SCO → KRRDV · CRJ

SCO → URADV · AN4

SCO → GUWDV · CRJ

SCO → MCXDV · CRJ

SCO → TSEDV · 735

SCO → ALADV · 735

SCO → ASFDV · CRJ

SCO → CITDV · 735

SCO → KZODV · AN4

SCO → GYDJ2 · E90 E70

SCO → ISTKC · 320

SCO → ALAKC · 757 321 320

SCO → TSEKC · E90

SCO → GUWKC · 320

SCO → VKOUN · 73G

Aircraft operating here

CRJ9 routes Boeing 737-5005 routes Airbus A3203 routes Antonov AN-242 routes Embraer 1902 routes Embraer 1701 routes Boeing 7571 routes Airbus A3211 routes Boeing 737-7001 routes

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Where

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City & Place Guide

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Passport, Visa & Immigration

Flying internationally via SCO? Check entry, transit and customs requirements for Kazakhstan from official government sources.

Kazakhstan visa & entry information →Embassy & consulate finder →

Encyclopaedia

Aktau International Airport, formerly Shevchenko-Central, is an international airport in Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan. It is the primary international airport serving the city of Aktau on the Caspian Sea. The airport is the eighth-busiest international air passenger gateway into Central Asia, the 50th-busiest airport in the post-Soviet states, and the fourth-busiest airport in Kazakhstan.

Read full article on Wikipedia