Art & Culture

Sunday May 4th saw Air Samarkand launch the first direct flights between Tel Aviv and Samarkand, the magical silk road city in Uzbekistan. A special ceremony was held to celebrate this momentous occasion, with travelers receiving gifts and traditional treats.

A modern Air Samarkand Airbus A330 aircraft will now connect Tel Aviv directly with the mesmerizing architecture, sights and sounds of Samarkand, a key hub in the historic Silk Road. Weekly flights will depart from Samarkand early Sunday morning, with return flights from Tel Aviv late Sunday mornings. 184 passengers were aboard the inaugural flight, with Israeli, Uzbek and international passengers traveling for both tourism and commercial interests.

The ceremony, with ribbon-cutting and a decorative cake, was attended by Mr. Sherzod Shavkatbekov, Commercial Affairs Counsellor at the Embassy of Uzbekistan to Israel; Jumaev Nodirjon, commercial director of Air Samarkand, and the company sales manager Sherzod; Nargiza Kadirova, President of the  “New Uzbekistan” office for Uzbekistan-Israel Trade and Investment, and representatives of Asia Travel, Air Samarkand’s official representative in Israel. 

The speakers emphasized that the new aviation link presents a great opportunity for Israelis and Uzbek people to enjoy direct flights, and is just the beginning of a growing partnership, with the potential to strengthen political, economic, and personal ties between the two countries.

The achievement is all the more impressive as many airlines have suspended flights to Israel due to the ongoing conflict. In contrast, Uzbek airlines have not stopped flying to Israel since October 7, with several recent expansions in flight routes and frequencies, symbolizing the vibrant and growing connection between the two nations. 

Asia Travel (https://www.asiatravel.co.il/) has been organizing tours for individuals and groups of all sizes to Uzbekistan and Central Asia for the last twenty years. The agency recommends Samarkand, and Uzbekistan in general, as a destination for both heritage tours as well as for those with no previous connection looking to explore a magical new country. 

Air Samarkand is run by CEO Zafar Butayev, and is part of a travel conglomerate that owns the airline, Samarkand Airport, as well as hotels, enabling a seamless vacation package. The first few months of the new Tel Aviv-Samarkand route are already sold out. Beginning July 10th there will be flights on Thursdays as well, allowing travelers to travel to one country on Sunday and be back home by the weekend. For more information and to book flights: https://airsamarkand.com/en/