Review: Air Astana 767 Business Class Surprised Me!

Updated on August 28th, 2026 at 09:43 am

Back in June 2020, I had plans to visit Kazakhstan, booked on Lufthansa Business Class. Naturally, the trip was cancelled. Since then, I’ve taken over 20 long-haul flights but never managed to make it back, until now.

This time I wanted to fly directly with Air Astana, however their Business Class fares were coming up considerably more expensive than Turkish Airlines at the time.

Kazakhstan is a huge country and I planned to get around during my 10 day stay, so domestic flights would form part of the trip. See my Kazakhstan Travel Guide for things to do. With Air Astana offering full flat bed service on some of those rotations, including the chance to fly on the world’s last production built Boeing 767, a newer built frame than many ANA Dreamliners, the deal was sealed.

• 30 Thompson Aero Vantage flatbed seats in 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access for every passenger
• Same base seat product used by Austrian, Swiss and Aer Lingus Business Class
• 22 inch wide seats with a 17 inch IFE screen, universal power plug and USB ports
• Business Class ticket includes 2 x 32kg checked bags plus 10kg cabin luggage
• Full alcohol service, unusual for a flight this short
• No dedicated Business Class lounge currently available for domestic departures at Almaty

Let’s start with the weakest link: Almaty Airport. It’s small, far too small for its current passenger load, and lacks facilities befitting Kazakhstan’s largest commercial hub.

My Yandex taxi dropped me off near International Arrivals, forcing me to navigate to Domestic Departures, which turned out to be just a separate entrance in the same building.

Luckily, I quickly located the dedicated Business Class counters, where check-in was smooth.

My Business Class ticket included 2 x 32kg checked luggage allowance plus 10kg cabin luggage, something many passengers made good use of.

No Lounge for Business Class? No Problem (Sort of)

Here’s a downside: there’s no lounge for domestic flights at Almaty Airport. Ground staff apologised and mentioned that a new terminal with lounges is in the works, but no timeline was given.

With over 90 minutes before departure, I found myself in a crowded boarding area shared by multiple flights.

A small café was the only option, but seating was scarce. My advice: clear security no more than 30 minutes before your flight to avoid the congestion.

After much waiting in cramped quarters, there was a visible sigh of relief when they began the boarding call for our flight.

Unfortunately, it was impossible to take a picture of our aircraft, as the only time it was in viewing range there was a swarm of passengers both before and after me, so this was the only shot I managed to capture.

Soon enough, it was time to experience the much anticipated Air Astana Business Class.

Despite the Boeing 767 being almost vintage, Air Astana’s cabin is a revelation.

The Business Class cabin features 30 Thompson Aero Vantage flatbed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access for all passengers. The modern blue mood lighting adds a sleek, contemporary feel to the cabin.

The base product is also used by the likes of Austrian, Swiss Business, and Aer Lingus.

For a plane with the narrowest widebody fuselage, the space felt surprisingly comfortable.

The 22 inch wide seats feature large side consoles, a crisp 17 inch IFE screen, multiple storage compartments, and connectivity options including a universal power plug and USB ports.

The attention to detail, from the stitched branding on the fabric to the cutlery, reinforces Air Astana’s commitment to quality.

I always find it incredible how airlines manage to fit Business Class seats in the same layout and product width into fuselages that vary so much in size. The 767 is the narrowest widebody out there, and yet here we are in a 1-2-1 Business layout.

For what it’s worth, Air Astana has almost the same Business seat on its long range A321neos, in an alternating 2-2 or 1-1 layout with throne seats.

Not every one of these seat features earns its keep on a 90 minute hop. The side console, the IFE, the power ports: on a longer sector I’d use all of it, here I barely touched the screen. That’s the nature of a First or Business product built for long haul turning up on a short domestic leg: you get the full toolkit whether you need it or not, and on this flight I mostly didn’t.

In all, this is a solid business class product.

Despite being a short domestic flight, service began on the ground with welcome drinks. The choices were juices or water. Air Astana serves its own unique fresh lemonade on international departures.

For those that like the hard stuff, you’ll be pleased to know Air Astana is not a dry airline.

Before take-off the crew handed out menus, yes, menus on a 90 minute flight.

There was not one but three choices for the main. Forgive the low photo quality, the lighting levels in the cabin were rather low.

After take-off, hot towels were offered before the meal service began.

While I liked the sound of all the meal options, I opted for the baked chicken. The meal was presented all in one tray, understandably so.

So here you have a fresh mixed salad with dressing, warm bread with butter, and baked chicken breast with pesto and kurt, plus an additional tomato and coriander sauce.

The meal was very nice, with the chicken tender and succulent, served with well seasoned vegetables. As far as Business Class meals go, it would sit somewhere in the middle, but that’s judging it against long haul catering from much bigger carriers. Portion wise, I’d say the meal was on the lighter side for dinner.

Bear in mind, if you’re flying internationally out of Almaty, the dining is even more elevated, with some unique Kazakh touches: finer china, Kazakh teapots and placemats.

The crew were quick to make a second round, offering drinks or tea and coffee while some people were still finishing their meals. I was just about done, so it was perfect timing to have my plates cleared away so I could put my feet up and relax for the next 40 minutes.

The IFE system featured a high quality screen and a decent selection of movies and TV shows.

I couldn’t tell if the headphones provided were fully noise cancelling, since the 767’s engines are pretty loud and retro. During cruise, I found the sound quality good and the headset itself rather comfortable.

While the content library isn’t as extensive as those on major carriers, it was sufficient for a short flight. My only gripe: the frequent adverts before every programme.

Air Astana currently has just 3 of these 767s left in its fleet, deployed between Almaty and Astana to destinations like Bangkok, Seoul and Phuket, as well as European rotations to Frankfurt and London Heathrow, alongside its long range A321neos.

Since this flight, Air Astana has signed for up to 15 new Boeing 787-9s (growing its Dreamliner fleet to as many as 18 aircraft via lessors), confirmed in November 2025 as the airline’s largest ever aircraft order. The first 787-9 is due into the fleet this year, so the countdown on these 767s is now a lot more concrete than “soon”.

A quick practical note, since this is one area the original booking process is worth flagging for readers: Air Astana isn’t part of a major global alliance, and its own frequent flyer scheme, Nomad Club, isn’t a transfer partner for the points currencies I usually fly on. For a domestic sector like this one, you’re generally paying cash or booking it as part of a connecting international itinerary, rather than redeeming miles. Worth knowing before you go hunting for an award space that doesn’t exist.

Landing in Astana on a crisp, cold evening, I couldn’t help but feel impressed by Air Astana. From the thoughtfully designed Business Class product to the attentive service, they’ve clearly positioned themselves as a premium airline. A domestic flight like this puts most European and US carriers to shame.

While Almaty Airport leaves much to be desired, Air Astana itself exceeded my expectations. If you’re flying internationally, their A321neo LR offers updated seats, including the coveted throne layout.

Kazakhstan is a vast, captivating country, and Air Astana made the journey just as memorable as the destination itself. For the rest of the trip, my Kazakhstan Travel Guide covers where I went and what I got up to on the ground. Would I fly with them again? Without hesitation.

I’ll review at least one of the Turkish flights as part of this trip too, it was largely a similar experience to Turkish Business Flights To/From Tashkent earlier in the year.

Faze

Faze, founder of Wander Up Front and Elevate Your Stay, is a London-based travel specialist with a deep passion for aviation and unique destinations. With over 2 million miles flown, he has spent the last 8 years focusing on First and Business class experiences and travelled to 99 countries.

Faze provides straightforward, no-frills insights into premium airline products and services, sharing what matters to help travellers make informed choices.

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If you want to want to travel in style in more cost affective ways – check out his starter guide to utilizing Miles & Points