Air Asia's New Jakarta-Kota Bharu Route Set To Boost Kelantan Tourism Ahead Of VM2026

KOTA BHARU, June 18 (Bernama) -- AirAsia’s inaugural direct flight connecting Jakarta, Indonesia, and Kota Bharu is expected to serve as a catalyst for growth in Kelantan’s tourism, trade and economic sectors in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.

Tourism Malaysia, in a statement, said flight AK2354, operated using a 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft, landed at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP) at 3.50 pm on Tuesday.

The inaugural service carried 117 passengers, recording a load factor of approximately 63 per cent. Passengers included visitors from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and several other countries, alongside Malaysians returning home.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim described the launch of the new route as another significant milestone in strengthening Malaysia’s regional connectivity under the VM2026 agenda.

He said Indonesia remains one of Malaysia’s key tourism source markets and that the direct service would provide easier access for visitors to experience Kelantan’s cultural, heritage and eco-tourism attractions.

“Beyond leisure travel, this service is also expected to support the growth of the health tourism sector and strengthen people-to-people ties between Malaysia and Indonesia.

“We are confident this route will contribute positively to increased visitor arrivals and generate broader economic benefits for local communities and tourism industry players in Kelantan and across the East Coast region,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Tourism director Azwan Ab Rahman said the Jakarta–Kota Bharu route has strong potential to increase tourist arrivals from Indonesia while reinforcing Kelantan’s position as one of Malaysia’s leading cultural and heritage destinations.

He said the direct connection would provide easier access to some of Kelantan’s iconic attractions, including Pasar Siti Khadijah, Kampung Laut Mosque, Kampung Kraftangan and Stong Geopark.

The route is also expected to position Kota Bharu as a gateway and transit hub for onward travel to destinations in southern Thailand and resort islands along the East Coast, he added.

AirAsia Malaysia General Manager Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra said the airline remains committed to connecting underserved destinations with major regional hubs to unlock greater opportunities in tourism, trade and economic development.

According to Tourism Malaysia, as of April 2026, 634 weekly flights are operating between Malaysia and Indonesia, offering a total capacity of more than 114,806 seats per week.

The addition of the Jakarta–Kota Bharu service is expected to further strengthen tourism flows between both countries while supporting cultural exchange, business travel and the continued growth of medical tourism.

-- BERNAMA