Almaty International Airport Lounge Guide

Sitting beneath the snowy Tien Shan mountains, Almaty International (ALA) is Kazakhstan's main airport and gateway to Central Asia, serving nearly eight million passengers a year. The June 2024 opening of Terminal 2 has modernised the airport, separating operations into three zones: Terminal 1 for domestic flights, Terminal 2 for international travel, and a dedicated VIP terminal.

This guide covers all essential information on terminal services and facilities, as well as all lounges, from the exclusive Air Astana Shanyraq Business Lounge to pay-per-use options like the Extime Business Lounge.

Almaty International Airport is organised into three terminals:

• Terminal 1: Domestic flights

• Terminal 2: International flights; opened in June 2024 as part of a major modernisation

• VIP Terminal: A separate facility for private jets and official delegations

T1 and T2 sit side by side and are connected by a short indoor walkway on the landside. The VIP Terminal is located nearby but operates completely separately.

Terminal 1 (Domestic)

• Air Astana

• FlyArystan

• Qazaq Air

• SCAT Airlines

Terminal 2 (International)

Among the 20+ other regional and long-haul carriers servicing the airport are:

• Aeroflot

• Air Arabia

• Air Asia X

• Air China

• Asiana Airlines

• China Eastern

• China Southern Airlines

• Etihad Airways

• flydubai

• Lufthansa

• Pegasus

• Qatar Airways

• Turkish Airlines

• Uzbekistan Airways

VIP Terminal

• Private and business aviation only

By access type

• Pay-per-use: Available in both domestic and international terminals; bookable via LoungePair

• 24-hour access: 3 departure lounges across two terminals

• Accessible via lounge membership: 2 lounges for TAV Passport members and 1 lounge for DragonPass members

• Airline status or premium cabin travel: Only for Air Astana Business Class passengers and Nomad Club elite status members

Airline lounges
Accessed with premium cabin tickets or elite status with Air Astana. These lounges are usually exclusive and aren't accessible on walk-up.

Pay-per-use lounges
Regardless of airline or cabin class, all passengers are welcome. Advance bookings can be made directly with the lounge or through websites such as LoungePair, Lounge Pass, Klook, or GetYourGuide.

Credit card or program access
Pay-per-use lounges at Almaty Airport are not currently accepting passengers with Priority Pass, LoungeKey, and Dreamfolks memberships. 

Almaty Airport is split between Terminal 1 (T1) for domestic flights and Terminal 2 (T2) for international flights. The two terminals are housed in separate buildings but sit directly next to each other.

• Walking time: About 5-10 minutes between terminal entrances.

• Route: A covered, indoor walkway connects the two buildings on the landside, so you must be outside the secure area to move between them.

• Security & immigration: There is no airside transfer corridor. If you’re connecting between a domestic flight in T1 and an international flight in T2 (or vice versa), you must:

  1. Exit into the arrivals hall of your first terminal

  2. Walk to the other terminal

  3. Clear security and (if going international) passport control

• Baggage: Through-checked baggage may not be offered on separate tickets, so plan extra time to collect and re-check your bags if needed.

Recommended minimum connection time: 90 minutes for domestic-to-international, 2 hours if booked on separate ticket

Moving between T1 and T2 is easy and fast, but you’ll need to fully clear security and immigration when switching terminals.

Location: Ground floor, left side of the main entrance of Terminal 1

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily.

Amenities: Snacks, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, restrooms, a small business area with printer services, flight monitors.

Access Options:

• Flexible Day Pass

• Other Advance Purchase Options:

  • Prepaid Reservation: Email primeclass.almaty@tav.aero to reserve a departure package from 35,500 KZT ($65 USD)

• Memberships:

  • Access is complimentary for eligible members of TAV Passport. A maximum stay of 3 hours is enforced for these members. TAV Passport members can enjoy services with one guest and children aged 0–18.

• Walk-Up Access: You can purchase a pass at the reception desk directly.

Location: Ground floor, Arrivals zone, left side of the main entrance of Terminal 1

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily.

Amenities: Luggage assistance, comfortable seating in a quiet space, light snacks and packaged sandwiches, tea, juice, water, complimentary Wi-Fi, newspapers and magazines, smoking room, bag lockers.

Access Options:

• Advance Purchase Options:

  • Prepaid Reservation: Email primeclass.almaty@tav.aero to reserve an arrival package from 24,000 KZT ($45 USD)

Location: Mezzanine floor, Terminal 2, airside (after passport control) in the international departures zone

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily.

Amenities: Complimentary showers, live cooking stations and à la carte buffet, a dedicated bar, business corner, meeting rooms, family room, nursing/quiet spaces, lockers.

Access Options:

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Advance Purchase Options:

  • Prepaid Reservation: Email extime.almaty@tav.aero to reserve a departure package from 95,000 KZT ($175 USD), which also includes a welcome host and porter.

• Memberships:

  • Access is complimentary for eligible members of TAV Passport. A maximum stay of 3 hours is enforced for these members. TAV Passport members can enjoy services with one guest and children aged 0–18.

• Walk-Up Access: You can purchase a pass at the reception desk directly.

Location: Ground floor, left side of the main entrance of Terminal 2, in the arrivals zone (landside, outside of security)

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily.

Amenities: Personalised welcome at the gate from host and porter, luggage assistance, pre-packaged snacks and beverages, Wi-Fi, magazines/newspapers, restrooms, telephone/printer facilities.

Access Options:

• Advance Purchase Options:

  • Prepaid Access: Email extime.almaty@tav.aero to reserve an arrival package from 24,000 KZT ($45 USD)

The Shanyraq Lounge is Air Astana’s flagship international business lounge, opened in early 2025 as part of the new Terminal 2.

Location: Level 2 of Terminal 2, opposite Gate 201, after passport control in the international departures area

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily.

Amenities: Complimentary shower suites, hot meals and snacks, full bar and non-alcoholic beverages, separate work and relaxation areas, parent-and-child room, facilities for passengers with limited mobility, flight information displays, complimentary Wi-Fi, design touches inspired by traditional Kazakh ornaments.

Access Options:

• Travel Class or Airline Status:

  • Business class passengers on same-day international Air Astana flights

  • Nomad Club Gold and Diamond members on same-day international Air Astana flights

Almaty International Airport offers only limited family friendly facilities, though the newer Terminal 2 is better equipped than the older Terminal 1. Both terminals have a small mother and child room near Gate 8, while T2 also has family rooms inside the Air Astana Shanyraq Business Lounge and Extime Business Lounge, and a baby-changing facility near Gate 1.

Changing tables are available in all women’s restrooms (but not in men’s), and there are no dedicated play areas, stroller rentals, or quiet zones anywhere in the airport. There are also no sleeping spaces, so rest is only possible in lounges, with T2’s offering far better conditions than the one in T1.

Spending the night at Almaty International Airport is challenging outside the lounges. There are no designated sleeping areas or quiet zones, and most terminal seating is hard. Terminal 1 is noisier and more crowded, while Terminal 2 is cleaner and slightly more comfortable but still not designed for overnight stays.

Almost all restaurants close by 23:00 (11pm). Wi-Fi requires a local Kazakh phone number for SMS verification, so preload entertainment before you arrive.

For real rest, you can book lounge access to give you padded seating, food, and relative quiet until morning, though stays are usually capped at three hours.

Alternatively, the Caps Lock capsule hotel in the domestic terminal offers private pods with lockers, fresh linens, slippers, climate control, and shared showers. Rates range from 11,900 KZT ($23 USD) for 3 hours to 35,000 KZT ($65 USD) for a full 24-hour block. Pods are quiet but minimalist, so bring a sleep mask and earplugs, and book ahead during peak periods.

Check out the brief video below by 'CAPS LOCK Future Hotel' to get a closer look at the pods:

Almaty International Airport has transformed with the opening of its new international terminal, bringing modern lounges and improved facilities, though comfort still depends heavily on booking lounge access. Terminal 2 offers the widest choice and best amenities, while Terminal 1 is far more basic, especially for families or anyone facing a long wait. If you want space to rest, eat, or work before your flight, planning ahead with a lounge or capsule stay will make your time at the airport far smoother.