Air Astra
BangladeshRegional carrierSince 2021
Air Astra (IATA 2A, ICAO AWA) is a private Bangladeshi airline, incorporated in 2021, that began commercial flights on 24 November 2022. It flies ATR 72-600 turboprops from Dhaka to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Saidpur and Sylhet, and is an IATA member airline. It is not in a global alliance.
Direct connection available on ReservationHub- Founded
- 2021
- First flight
- 2022-11-24
- Headquarters
- Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Country
- Bangladesh
- Main hubs
- Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (DAC)
- Airline type
- Regional carrier
- Alliance
- None
- Loyalty
- Orbit
- Ownership
- Privately owned Bangladeshi airline, incorporated as Astra Airways Limited in July 2021. Shareholders were not verified for this profile.
- Callsign
- CAPELLA
- Website
- airastra.com
How travel agents book Air Astra
GDS distribution
No verified public statement of Air Astra's GDS distribution was found for this profile.
NDC
No public NDC programme details verified at time of writing.
Direct channels
Direct bookings are made on airastra.com.
Notes for travel agents
Air Astra is an IATA member airline with accounting code 610, so its tickets carry the 610 prefix.
On ReservationHub
Air Astra is one of the direct airline connections listed on our integrations page, alongside GDS (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport) and NDC content. Agencies get it in the SaaS platform; developers through the Travel API.
History of Air Astra
Astra Airways Limited was incorporated in Dhaka in July 2021 and trades as Air Astra. It received its air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on 2 November 2022, the first new passenger airline certificate issued in Bangladesh since 2014, according to press reports at the time.
Air Astra's first commercial flight left Dhaka for Cox's Bazar on 24 November 2022. The airline started with two ATR 72-600 turboprops on the Cox's Bazar and Chattogram routes, then added Saidpur and Sylhet as more aircraft arrived. Its website lists four ATR 72-600s.
The airline has said it wants to start international flights once it has jets. In 2025 it asked lessors for Airbus A320-family aircraft and announced plans for leased Boeing 777s from 2027. In January 2026 it reported frequency allocations for 12 international routes, with Nepal, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore as first targets.
Milestones
- 2021Astra Airways Limited incorporated in July.
- 2022CAMO approval on 30 September and air operator certificate on 2 November.
- 2022First commercial flight, Dhaka to Cox's Bazar, on 24 November.
- 2025Asked lessors in April for three to four Airbus A320-family jets for international routes.
- 2026Reported frequency allocations for 12 international routes in January.
Fleet
Aircraft types in service as of 2026
Air Astra flies ATR 72-600 turboprops of about 70 seats. Its website lists four, and it has said it plans to grow the turboprop fleet. For international routes it has sought leased Airbus A320 or A321 jets, and Bangladeshi press reports say it plans to lease four Boeing 777s, the first due in April 2027.
Network and hubs
Air Astra flies from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Its website shows daily service between Dhaka and Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Saidpur and Sylhet.
The airline has no international routes yet. In January 2026 it said it held frequency allocations for 12 international routes and expected leased aircraft in the first half of the year. Its first targets were Nepal, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore.
Air Astra: frequently asked questions
What are Air Astra's airline codes?
Air Astra uses the IATA code 2A and the ICAO code AWA, with the radio callsign CAPELLA. It is an IATA member airline, and its three-digit ticket prefix is 610. The registered company name is Astra Airways Limited.
When did Air Astra start flying?
Air Astra received its air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on 2 November 2022. Its first commercial flight, from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar, operated on 24 November 2022 with an ATR 72-600 turboprop.
Does Air Astra fly internationally?
Not yet. Air Astra flies domestic routes from Dhaka with ATR 72-600 turboprops. In January 2026 it said it had frequency allocations for 12 international routes and planned to start flying to destinations such as Nepal, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore once leased jets arrived.
Does Air Astra have a loyalty programme?
Yes. Air Astra's loyalty programme is called Orbit. The airline's website describes membership tiers and ways to earn and spend miles on Air Astra flights. Agents can point frequent domestic travellers to the programme on airastra.com.
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Book a meetingSources
- Air Astra — About us
- Air Astra — Official site
- Air Astra — Our aircraft
- The Business Standard — Air Astra receives approval for commercial operations
- The Business Standard — Air Astra kicks off domestic flights today
- The Business Standard — What four local airlines plan for international expansion
- Bangladesh Monitor — Air Astra prepares for wide-body era
- Aviacionline — Air Astra seeks Airbus A320/A321 for international expansion
- IATA — Airline members list
- FAA — JO 7340.2 Contractions, ICAO aircraft operator designators