My trip to Tashkent in March 2026 was one of the most exciting international trips I had planned in recent times. Uzbekistan had been on my bucket list for a long time because of its beautiful Silk Road cities, affordable luxury hotels, stunning metro stations, and rich history. While searching for flights from Mumbai to Tashkent on Skyscanner, I noticed that there were only limited direct flight options available between India and Uzbekistan. The main airlines operating on this route were IndiGo, Air India and Uzbekistan Airways.
After comparing prices and schedules, I decided to fly with Uzbekistan Airways in economy class for my one-week Uzbekistan trip.
Why I Chose Uzbekistan Airways for My Uzbekistan Trip
Initially, I found the flight on Skyscanner, but instead of booking through a third-party website, I booked directly through the official uzairways.com� because I own an Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card which gives 5X reward points on airline website bookings. Booking through Skyscanner or OTAs would have earned normal points only.
I booked a round-trip economy class ticket for approximately INR 32,000, which I felt was a decent deal considering it included:
- Free seat selection
- Complimentary meals
- 1 check-in baggage
- 1 cabin baggage allowance
I also enrolled in the Uzbekistan Airways loyalty program before the trip, which earned me an additional 1,000 points.
Travel Anxiety Due to Middle East Conflict & Flight Uncertainty
I booked the ticket during the third week of February 2026 for mid-March travel. Unfortunately, towards the end of February, tensions and conflict in the Middle East started escalating, which made me quite anxious about my trip.
At that time, many travelers were worried about flight disruptions to Central Asia, and airlines like Air India and IndiGo had already started cancelling or adjusting some routes in the region.
This uncertainty made me constantly monitor my Uzbekistan Airways booking. The flight status on the website kept changing frequently, which added even more confusion. On some days, the website showed alternate routing options via Delhi or even Almaty, while on other dates flights completely disappeared from the booking engine.
Trying to contact Uzbekistan Airways customer support was honestly frustrating. Most replies were generic one-line responses that did not really clarify whether the flight would operate or not.
Exactly around seven days before departure, I noticed that my flight suddenly showed almost full, which finally gave me some confidence that the service was likely operating normally.
Uzbekistan Visa Process for Indians
Since my flight finally looked stable, I proceeded with the Uzbekistan e-visa application. The process was completely online and fairly straightforward. Officially, the visa processing time was mentioned as around 3–4 working days, but in my case it took almost 6 days.
Interestingly, my visa arrived just one day before departure in the evening, which definitely increased my stress levels before the trip.
Arrival at Mumbai Airport & Check-In Experience
On the day of departure, I reached Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport well before departure time — even before the check-in counters opened.
I was actually the second passenger standing in the queue when check-in started.
Initially, I had selected a seat near the rear section of the aircraft during online booking, but at check-in I requested the staff to move me towards the middle section of the aircraft, and thankfully they accommodated my request.
Since the flight was operating almost full, the ground staff also advised passengers to check in cabin bags whenever possible because overhead bin space could become limited.
Fast Track Immigration & Adani East Wing Lounge Access
After collecting my boarding pass, I headed towards immigration. Thanks to fast-track immigration access, the entire process was extremely smooth and saved a lot of time.
Post immigration, I visited the excellent Adani Lounge East Wing at Mumbai Airport.
I accessed the lounge completely free using my American Express Platinum Charge Card. Since I was flying economy class, there was no complimentary lounge access included with the airline ticket itself.
I spent nearly two relaxing hours at the lounge enjoying food, beverages, comfortable seating and runway views before boarding began.
Boarding Experience on Uzbekistan Airways
Boarding started slightly delayed. Priority boarding was first offered to business class passengers, after which economy passengers were boarded starting from the rear rows and gradually moving forward.
The boarding process overall was fairly organized.
One thing very common at Mumbai Airport is runway congestion, and this flight was no exception. After pushback, our aircraft had to wait in a queue of planes lined up before takeoff clearance.
Uzbekistan Airways Economy Class Cabin & Seats
The cabin on Uzbekistan Airways actually felt more spacious than I had expected.
The economy class seats were comfortable with decent cushioning, and legroom was sufficient for a medium-haul international flight. Even though the flight was nearly full, I did not feel extremely cramped.The cabin ambiance was pleasant and reasonably modern.
Inflight Entertainment System Review
One aspect that genuinely impressed me was the inflight entertainment system.
The screen size was decent for economy class, and the entertainment library had:
- Good selection of Hollywood movies
- Multiple games
- TV content
- Flight tracking system
The system was responsive and kept me entertained throughout the journey to Tashkent.
Food & Meal Service on Uzbekistan Airways
Shortly after takeoff, the cabin crew started service with peanuts and beverages.Later, the main meal service was served. The meal was served hot, tasted good, and the portion size was quite satisfying for economy class standards.Overall, I found the catering quality to be better than what I had expected.
Cabin Crew & Announcements
The cabin crew onboard were polite and spoke English reasonably well.
However, one issue I noticed was that the pilot announcements were sometimes difficult to understand because of the accent and audio clarity. This was not a major issue but definitely something noticeable during the flight.
Stunning Mid-Flight Views Over Snow Covered Mountains
One of the highlights of the journey was undoubtedly the breathtaking aerial views during the flight.
At cruising altitude, we witnessed spectacular snow-covered mountain ranges below the aircraft. The views were absolutely stunning and made the journey even more memorable.
Landing at Tashkent & Arrival Experience
The landing at Tashkent was smooth and comfortable.
However, after landing, the aircraft took surprisingly long to finally park at the stand. It almost took around 15 minutes before passengers could start deboarding, which honestly felt excessive.
After deboarding, passengers had to board buses again to reach the terminal building, which added additional waiting time.
One positive aspect though was that the bus dropped passengers directly near the immigration building, making the arrival process slightly more convenient.
Final Verdict – Is Uzbekistan Airways Worth Flying?
Overall, my first experience flying with Uzbekistan Airways from Mumbai to Tashkent in economy class was positive.
What I Liked
- Competitive ticket pricing
- Comfortable seats with sufficient legroom
- Good inflight entertainment system
- Tasty hot meals
- Free seat selection
- Generous baggage allowance
- Smooth flight experience overall
What Could Be Better
- Poor customer support communication
- Confusing flight status updates before departure
- Delayed parking and deboarding process
- Pilot announcements difficult to understand at times
Despite the pre-travel uncertainty and operational confusion, the actual onboard experience turned out to be comfortable and enjoyable. For travelers looking for direct flights from India to Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Airways definitely remains a solid option to consider.If you are planning a trip to Uzbekistan from India, this airline offers a good balance of affordability, comfort, baggage allowance and entertainment for economy class travelers.
Youtube Shorts link :
Comments
Post a Comment