Astana's first airfield was built in 1931 on the outskirts of the town and was developed further after World War II. However, a new airport, which became Astana international Airport, was built 11 miles to the south of the city and opened in November 1963. It was largely used by Aeroflot and its local directorate. Following the transfer of the capital from Almaty to Astana in December 1997, the airport underwent a series of major reconstructions which brought it up to international standards, including the current 11,484 ft (3,500m) runway. A new passenger terminal designed by the late Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa was opened in February 2005.
