SunExpress to launch first-ever direct flights between Izmir and Tashkent

SunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, will begin operating scheduled direct flights between Izmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport and Tashkent International Airport on August 1, 2026, according to Uzbekistan’s official state news outlet yuz.uz. The launch marks the first-ever direct air link between the two cities, with flights running four times a week aboard Boeing 737-800 jets.

For travelers from Turkey’s Aegean coast — and those connecting through Izmir from Europe — the new route offers a fast, no-transfer path to Uzbekistan’s Silk Road treasures. The reverse journey is equally appealing: from Tashkent, Izmir opens the door to ancient Ephesus, sun-drenched beaches, and one of Turkey’s most vibrant food scenes.

With a growing web of international routes into Uzbekistan, reaching Tashkent, Samarkand, or Bukhara is getting easier from more corners of the globe. This latest link is one more reason to start planning that Silk Road adventure sooner rather than later.