PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s air passenger traffic in February 2025 remained strong, recording 8.7 million passengers, a 6.9% increase compared to February 2024, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) announced today.
While there was a 5.9% month-on-month decline from January as travel demand normalised after the Chinese New Year holidays, overall demand remained strong, supported by expanded connectivity, visa exemptions and the continued school holiday period.
Year-to-date, 17.9 million passengers travelled through Malaysian airports. Mavcom has projected total air passenger traffic for 2025 to range between 105.8 million and 112.9 million, reinforcing the continued momentum in the aviation sector.
Domestic air passenger traffic in February stood at 4.3 million, increasing 6.6% year-on-year (YoY), while international air passenger traffic totalled 4.4 million, reflecting a 7.2% annual rise. International air traffic accounted for 51.5% of total passenger volume in the first two months of this year, maintaining its position as the dominant segment. Growth in non-Asean markets was particularly strong, with 2.6 million passengers recorded in February, marking a 10% YoY increase. Asean markets saw 2.2 million passengers, up 4.4% YoY.
Passenger volumes at key airports continued to rise, with Kuala Lumpur International Airport recording a 7.2% YoY increase, Penang International Airport registering an 8.7% rise, and Senai International Airport growing by 6.9%. Kota Kinabalu International Airport posted a 5.3% increase, while Langkawi International Airport and Kuching International Airport recorded YoY growth of 2.3% and 1.7%, respectively.
The positive trend was supported by factors such as increased seat capacity, visa exemptions for tourists from China and India, and the introduction of new international routes, including Kota Kinabalu–Tokyo (Japan), Kuala Lumpur–Ürümqi (China), and Penang–Zhangjiajie (China).
Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said, “February’s traffic performance reaffirms Malaysia’s aviation sector as being firmly on a path of sustained recovery and growth. The introduction of new routes and policy initiatives such as visa exemptions continue to facilitate greater connectivity and drive growth. As travel demand grows, Mavcom remains focused on ensuring that this recovery is matched by good service quality, robust consumer protection and sound regulatory oversight to support a resilient and future-ready aviation ecosystem.”
