Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say
A direct Hong Kong-Tashkent route is expected this year as the two sides discuss a reciprocal 30-day visa-free stay agreement.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Hong Kong is moving to deepen ties with Uzbekistan through air links and easier travel. Multiple sources say a direct flight to Tashkent could start as early as this year, while talks are also under way on a reciprocal 30-day visa-free arrangement.
Hong Kong and Uzbekistan may soon get a direct airplane link, like adding a shortcut between two faraway towns. The two places are also talking about making it easier for people to visit each other without visas for short trips.
Analysis
What is being planned
Multiple sources told the South China Morning Post that an airline plans to launch a direct service between Hong Kong and Tashkent as early as this year. The report says the move would strengthen links between Hong Kong and Central Asia and follows Cathay Pacific’s earlier plan to open a Hong Kong-Almaty service in the first quarter of next year.
Why the route could matter
The article says the new connection is expected to benefit from the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which is designed to link China with Europe through Central Asia and is set for completion by 2030. That suggests the flight is being viewed not just as a tourism route, but as part of a wider transport-and-trade corridor.
Travel rules may also change
The story also says Hong Kong and Uzbekistan are pressing ahead with talks on a reciprocal 30-day visa-free stay agreement. If completed, that would make short visits easier for business travelers and tourists and could support the route’s demand.
Local reaction
Executive Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung welcomed the development and said it would help business ties. He summed up the logic in plain terms: where people move, money tends to follow. The article frames the deal as another step in Hong Kong’s effort to expand regional connections after John Lee’s official visit to Central Asia.
Key points
- Multiple sources told SCMP that a direct Hong Kong-Tashkent flight may start this year.
- Hong Kong and Uzbekistan are also discussing a reciprocal 30-day visa-free stay agreement.
- The report links the potential route to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.
- Executive Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung said the development would help business ties.
If the route launches and visa rules are loosened, it could make it easier for businesspeople and tourists to move between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan. The article suggests that could also support wider trade links through Central Asia.
The route is still only described as planned, so timing and commercial success are not guaranteed. Even if it launches, the article gives no sign yet that demand, airline choice, or the visa talks are final.
