Dark/Light Mode
(17/01/24)
 AirAsia Malaysia (AK) has confirmed plans to
launch direct flights between Kota Kinabalu and Shanghai, China.

Scheduled to take off on 20 February 2024, the
airline will operate the route with three flights per week.

Flight AK1516 is slated to leave Kota Kinabalu
(BKI) every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 21:30, arriving in
Shanghai (PVG) at 02:00, the following day.

From Shanghai, flight AK1517 is scheduled to
depart every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 03:00, arriving in
Kota Kinabalu at 07:40.

AirAsia Malaysia A320 reg: 9M-RAQ. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

The flights highlight
Kota Kinabalu’s position as the airline’s second-largest hub in
Malaysia, serving a total of 19 destinations
encompassing both domestic and international routes. Shanghai, the
latest addition to the growing list, is the sixth destination in
Mainland China to be accessible from Kota Kinabalu, joining the
ranks of Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Wuhan. AirAsia Malaysia (AK)
also currently connects Kota
Kinabalu directly to 3 other international destinations beyond
Mainland China, including Singapore, Taipei and Hong Kong.

“We are thrilled to kick off the new year with this
momentous announcement, especially for our guests in Sabah,” said
Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group.
“Following the government’s visa-free entry initiative last year,
this presents a significant opportunity to stimulate tourism
between China and Malaysia. China, being one of our largest
markets, boasts a total of 19 routes from Malaysia, with a
remarkable 162 weekly flights from February 2024 onwards. Beyond
expanding our Kota Kinabalu hub, this new international route
reinforces our standing as the largest foreign low-cost carrier in
China. We eagerly anticipate contributing substantially to the
Sabah tourism sector as the state targets 2.8 million tourist
arrivals in 2024.”

The China visa free entry mentioned above is valid
for Malaysian passport holders for visits of up to 15 days.

See recent and
exclusive HD video
interviews about Malaysia:

Malaysia Airports with Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin.