As of 2007, Uzbekistan's overland transportation infrastructure declined significantly in the post-Soviet era due to low investment and poor maintenance. Air transport was the only branch that received substantial government investment in the early 2000s, as airport modernization projects were undertaken. In the following years, improvements have been made to the surface transport network including the construction of the Tashkent–Samarkand high-speed rail line.

Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport is the main international airport of Uzbekistan and the third busiest airport in Central Asia. It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) from the center of Tashkent. It was named after Islam Karimov, the first president of independent Uzbekistan, in office from 1991 until his death in 2016.