KOTA KINABALU, 16 January 2025: AirAsia targets 5 million passengers to Sabah through its Kota Kinabalu hub as well as Sandakan, and Tawau airports during 2025, almost doubling from the 3.7 million arrivals recorded in 2024.
The growth target includes both domestic and international travellers and reinforces AirAsia’s leadership in enhancing the region’s connectivity and contributing to its economic growth.
Confirming its 2025 expansion plans, the low-cost airline group will strengthen its network of 27 routes, comprising 13 domestic and 14 international connections to and from Sabah. These enhancements are expected to contribute to a 35% increase in flights to over 51,500 annually and a 43% growth in seat capacity.
In 2024, AirAsia helped Sabah reach its goal of over 3 million visitors, reinforcing its position as the leading airline supporting connectivity and tourism growth on Borneo Island’s two Malaysian states, Sarawak and Sabah.
As part of efforts to rally the region’s tourism ecosystem, the airline is holding a series of roadshows across Sabah to strengthen partnerships and align efforts in improving essential tourism touchpoints such as accommodation, activities, transportation, and accessibility and explore strategic investments to elevate its tourism infrastructure.
AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam said: “Sabah is integral to AirAsia’s network, and we are proud to be the leading airline connecting the region to Malaysia and key international markets. Our ambitious 2025 goal of welcoming 5 million guests reaffirms this commitment, underscored by significant investments in operational capacity to increase flights and targeted marketing efforts. With higher arrivals, these initiatives can potentially create substantial economic multiplier effects for the region and local businesses, fueled by a robust supply chain and increased tourist spending.
“Our growth in Sabah would not be possible without the impactful collaborations we have built with the Sabah Tourism Board and industry partners. To sustain this momentum, we strongly advocate for greater cooperation and shared incentives from key players in the tourism and hospitality sectors, including hotels and tourism players. By investing in joint promotions and supporting strategic routes, we can amplify tourism’s economic benefits for Sabah and maintain a steady growth trajectory.
“Complementing these efforts, AirAsia is making targeted investments in Fly-Thru offerings and expanding key routes in high-priority markets such as Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan. These initiatives are further strengthened by sustained campaigns to attract travellers from China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. We aim to position Sabah with our partners as a thriving global destination that benefits communities beyond the airport and cements its standing as a world-class tourism hub.”
Sabah Tourism Board CEO Julinus Jimit, said: “AirAsia’s extensive network and continued investments have strengthened Sabah’s position as a key gateway for both domestic and international travellers. We are excited to deepen further our collaboration to enhance the region’s offerings and ensure that all stakeholders are prepared to cater to the projected increase in tourist arrivals resulting from AirAsia’s initiatives.”
In 2024, AirAsia and STB entered into a strategic five-year partnership to boost the region’s tourism industry by improving air connectivity across the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and expanding links to the broader ASEAN region, North Asia, and Oceania from 2024 to 2028.
For more information on Sabah visit Sabah Tourism Board
