Airport management company Air Marakanda, which manages the Samarkand International Airport, has announced the opening of a new flight operated by China Southern Airlines between Urumqi and Samarkand. The airline will be the first carrier operating flights to Samarkand from China. 

Starting on October 16, 2023, it will become possible to fly to the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China from Samarkand. The outgoing flight will leave on Mondays at 1:30 am and the return flight from Urumqi International Airport is scheduled for 23:20 pm on Sundays. All flights will be operated on modern Boeing 737-800 aircraft in a two–class layout of business class and economy.  

Urumqi is one of the most landlocked major cities in the world. Located on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, historically the region has long had strong business ties with Central Asia, as among the core traffic are business travellers and independent traders.