Quick summary
Uzbekistan Airways’ HY102 is the only nonstop between New York and Central Asia: it leaves JFK at 12:55 and reaches Tashkent at 09:55 the next morning, about 12 hours across roughly 6,338 miles on a Boeing 787. Tashkent runs nine hours ahead of New York, which is why a lunchtime departure lands in late morning.
The second Tashkent–JFK nonstop, Qanot Sharq’s twice-weekly A330, had not opened for booking on 29 September 2026, after three published launch dates passed. US citizens also enter visa-free for 30 days under a decree effective 1 January 2026.
Qanot Sharq’s target date for its Tashkent–JFK nonstop was 2 September 2026. Four weeks later, on 29 September, tickets still were not available in booking systems. This was the third launch date the airline had published. Not one seat had gone on sale.
That leaves one bookable nonstop between the United States and Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan Airways’ HY102. It is also the only nonstop between North America and Central Asia.
For anyone planning a US–Uzbekistan trip now, the choice is stark: a confirmed flight or a second nonstop whose date keeps moving. Entry paperwork has changed, too, affecting every US passport holder.
What the only confirmed JFK–Tashkent nonstop actually flies
HY102 leaves JFK at 12:55 and reaches Tashkent at 09:55 the next morning. The flight takes roughly 12 hours gate to gate. It covers the JFK to TAS distance of about 6,338 miles on a Boeing 787. Those times come from the airline’s published HY102 timetable, checked on 12 October 2026.
Tashkent sits nine hours ahead of New York. That turns a lunchtime departure into a late-morning arrival rather than a just-after-midnight one: while the aircraft flies, the destination clock is nine hours ahead. Passengers give up one afternoon in the air and land with the rest of the next day still ahead of them.
The nearest one-stop alternative, on Turkish Airlines through Istanbul, totals about 16 hours, roughly four hours longer in each direction. That time gap is the case for the nonstop.
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Why the second Tashkent–JFK nonstop is still not a booking option
Qanot Sharq’s plan, as reported by Caspian Post, is a twice-weekly service on Wednesdays and Sundays using an Airbus A330. Tashkent departures would leave at 11:20 and arrive at JFK at 15:40. Returns would leave JFK at 17:10 and reach Tashkent at 14:40 the following day.
The first launch date was 3 May 2026, followed by 1 July. AeroRoutes reported the latest revision on 3 June 2026.
Regulatory approval is the other open piece. Qanot Sharq applied to the US Department of Transportation for a scheduled foreign air carrier permit in October 2025. Travel And Tour World reported the permit process as pending when it covered the carrier’s US plans in May 2026.
A published timetable alone is not a booking option.
Entry rules that changed for US travelers on January 1, 2026
US passport holders can now enter Uzbekistan visa-free for stays of up to 30 days. The change comes through Presidential Decree No. 203, effective 1 January 2026. It replaced the previous e-visa requirement. The age-based exemptions that used to apply to American citizens were replaced as well.
Entry and registration are separate requirements. Hotels normally file registration for their guests, so it mainly affects people staying in private homes or unregistered accommodation.
The rules differ by passport. UK citizens also receive 30 days visa-free, but their passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the arrival date. Travelers from countries outside the visa-free list apply through Uzbekistan’s official e-visa portal, which charges $20.
What Tashkent airport adds to the decision
Tashkent International handled 21.1 million passengers in 2024. Its terminals are split by flight type. Terminal 2 handles international services, and Terminal 3 handles domestic ones. The airport is a hub for Uzbekistan Airways, so HY102 lands where that airline’s other flights begin.
The airport’s single runway has historically handled both Boeing 787s and Airbus A330s. Those are the aircraft flying the route today and the one Qanot Sharq intends to send if its service starts.
If Uzbekistan is one leg of a longer trip east, pairing the nonstop with a break city is a separate calculation; adding a Seoul stopover to an Uzbekistan routing shows how a multi-city ticket handles that.
What the delay means for your booking
The practical steps turn on how fixed your dates are and where your trip ends.
Fixed dates this winter. Book directly with Uzbekistan Airways, where the timetable is published and the departure is confirmed; the delayed service is not a fallback. Less suited: travelers whose plans can move and who would rather keep the second nonstop as a live option.
Flexible dates and a preference for choice. You can hold out, but treat any new date as unconfirmed until booking systems show it. Less suited: anyone travelling for a fixed event or a booked meeting.
Continuing past Tashkent. An onward flight inside Uzbekistan means changing buildings after clearing immigration in Terminal 2 for a domestic departure from Terminal 3. Less suited: travelers whose final destination is Tashkent itself and who gain nothing from the terminal split. If you are staying with friends or in a rental that does not register guests, arrange registration yourself in the first three days rather than at the end of the trip.
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Questions? Answers.
How long is the flight from JFK to Tashkent?
About 12 hours. Uzbekistan Airways HY102 departs JFK at 12:55 and arrives in Tashkent at 09:55 the next morning, covering roughly 6,338 miles on a Boeing 787. Tashkent is nine hours ahead of New York, so the arrival clock shows late morning.
Is there a direct flight from JFK to Uzbekistan?
Yes. Uzbekistan Airways HY102 is the only nonstop between North America and Central Asia, so every other itinerary from JFK involves at least one stop, most often in Istanbul. Qanot Sharq has announced a second nonstop but had not put it on sale as of 29 September 2026.
Do US travelers need a visa for Uzbekistan?
No, for stays of up to 30 days. Presidential Decree No. 203, effective 1 January 2026, grants US citizens visa-free entry and removed the e-visa step, so there is nothing to apply for before departure. Travelers from countries outside the visa-free list still use the official e-visa portal, which charges $20.
When will Qanot Sharq’s Tashkent–JFK service open for booking?
Not confirmed. The airline has published launch dates of 3 May, 1 July and 2 September 2026 without seats going on sale, and its application to the US Department of Transportation for a foreign air carrier permit was still pending. Plan around HY102 until tickets appear.
Do I need to register my stay in Uzbekistan?
Only if you stay longer than three days, and then within 72 hours of arrival. Hotels normally file the registration for their guests, so the formality mainly falls on travelers staying in private homes or unregistered rentals, who have to arrange it themselves.
