Samarkand International Airport

Samarkand International Airport (IATA code: SKD, ICAO code: UTSS) is an airport of entry in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It is located 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the city center.

The airport is Uzbekistan’s second busiest airport. However, existing airport facilities – which were first built in 1967 – did not meet modern international standards and could not cater for anticipated, increased visitor levels. Therefore, a renovation project for the airport started from October 2021. The airport redevelopment involves the reconstruction of the international terminal and the construction of a new state-of-the-art terminal that will serve both domestic and international flights.

The airport’s capacity is expected to increase to 1,000 passengers an hour from the existing 350 passengers an hour, while the annual passenger traffic is projected to jump from 460,000 to two million a year, upon completion of the expansion. The flight handling capacity is also expected to increase from 40 to 120 aircraft a week.

The design of the new terminal resembles an open book. With a total area of 41,216 square meters (443,645 square feet), the terminal building will feature four floors and a basement. It will house 28 checkpoints, six gates to the landing area, two boarding bridges, and 20 passport control points on the ground floor.