It is the primary international airport serving the city of Aktau on the Caspian Sea.

In November 1996 the joint stock company Aqtau International Airport was established.

This, in turn, led to the need for reconstruction of the airfield and an increase in passenger capacity at the terminal.

The airport is able to accommodate jets the size of the AN-124, Boeing 747, Il-76 and lighter, as well as helicopters of all types.

These include passenger telescopic ladders, racks of electronic registration, HVAC (heating and cooling system), FIDS (Alert System departures on the electronic scoreboard), X-ray scanners, CCTV, lifts and escalators.

SCAT Airlines is based in Aqtau and operates flights to Baku, Tbilisi, Moscow and various other Russian cities.