PETALING JAYA: AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) will return to Europe for the first time in over a decade with the launch of a direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Istanbul, Turkiye, starting Nov 14.
The new route, operated four times weekly on an Airbus A330-300, will connect Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.
Speaking at the launch, AAX CEO Benyamin Ismail said Istanbul had “always been a dream destination for many of our guests” and was a natural next step following the airline’s expansion into Central Asia.
“Hot on the heels of our recent growth into Central Asia, this long-awaited route takes us one step closer to delivering longer connectivity across continents. As the only city in the world built on two continents, Istanbul perfectly captures our vision to bridge Asia and beyond through affordable, medium-haul travel,” he added.
He said Turkiye is already one of Malaysians’ favourite holiday destinations, with 22 weekly flights currently offered by other carriers.
“With us, it will be an added benefit because we will offer the cheapest fare,” he said, adding that the important thing is that they want to connect with people who have never flown before from Europe or Turkiye to Kuala Lumpur and onto their network of 130 destinations.
He also pointed to untapped potential in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Turkiye, ranked fourth in the world for most international visitors, is seen by AAX as a high-priority market.
The airline plans to start with four flights a week and, if demand is strong, increase to daily within six to 12 months.
“This is our first European destination in this new phase. For 2026, we are looking at London, Azerbaijan, Russia, all very exciting markets,” said Benyamin.
He acknowledged that the launch had been delayed due to Middle East airspace closures.
“We should have started earlier, but we held back. Now we see things are okay, so this is the best time,” he said.
AAX has ordered Airbus A330XLRs for future medium-haul routes of five to eight hours, targeting destinations in Central Asia, India, smaller Australian cities and Japan.
Turkey Ambassador to Malaysia Emir Salim Yüksel hailed the new route as a “tangible step” in strengthening bilateral ties.
“We established diplomatic relations in 1964 and last year celebrated the 60th anniversary. This air link will not only boost tourism flows but also expand business links, foster industry collaboration and open new pathways for education, innovation and people-to-people engagement,” he said.
Nearly 93,000 Malaysians visited Türkiye last year, with the figure expected to surpass 100,000 in 2025.
To mark the milestone, AAX is offering promotional all-in one-way fares from RM499 for economy and RM3,999 for premium flatbed. The promotion runs until Aug 20 for travel between Nov 14, 2025 and Sept 14, 2026, bookable via airasia.com or the AirAsia MOVE app. Passengers can also enjoy up to 45% off checked baggage.
