What is happening with Jalal-Abad and Manas airports

A project is underway in Kyrgyzstan to build a new international airport in Jalal-Abad at a cost of $362 million. A further $408 million has been earmarked for the project to upgrade the airfield infrastructure at Manas Airport, which is currently at the planning stage.

These figures are taken from the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) review of airport development projects in Central Asia.

Construction of the airport in Jalal-Abad began in 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2027. The investor is listed as OJSC ‘Airports of Kyrgyzstan’, whilst the contractors include the state-owned enterprise ‘Kyrgyzstroy Service’ and China Construction Fifth Engineering Division.

At Manas, the terminal refurbishment is already underway and is scheduled for completion in 2026. Meanwhile, the refurbishment of the airfield infrastructure, costing $408 million, is planned for the period up to 2030. According to the review, a search for new investors is currently underway.