Malaysia is fully open to international tourism
In April 2022 Malaysia reopened its borders to international visitors, regardless of their vaccination status. Starting 1 August 2022 pre-departure and on-arrival tests are not required for all visitors. There is also no need to obtain travel insurance or undergo quarantine upon arrival.
Travelers may transit via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for up to 24 hours as long as they remain airside.
Practical tips
- If you are flying to Malaysia from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Kuala Lumpur
KUL, LangkawiLGK, KuchingKCH, PenangPEN, and Kota KinabaluBKI.
KUL, Langkawi LGK, Kuching KCH, Penang PEN, Kota Kinabalu BKI, and Senai JHB among others.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air Arabia, Air India Express, Bangkok Airways, Cebu Pacific, Flynas, Jetstar Airways, Lion Air, Saudia, Scoot, and VietJet Air.
Flights to Malaysia
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Malaysia. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Malaysia, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop.
- Malaysia is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Malaysia with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Malaysia from the US and Canada are: ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
40–80% off flights to Malaysia
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What is the best time to book flights to Malaysia?
The best time to book flights to Malaysia is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Malaysia flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Malaysia flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in Malaysia. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Malaysia less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Malaysia, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Malaysia from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Malaysia — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights options are limited. Currently, only Malaysia Airlines operate non-stop flights to Malaysia from Europe (from London Heathrow to KLIA, around 13 hours flight time). Flying with any other airline involves a change of plane in the Middle East or elsewhere in Asia
- Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Malaysia include Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Oman Air, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Malaysia from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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The cheapest time to fly to Malaysia
Seasons in Malaysia differ from one side of the peninsula to the other. However, December to February and June to August may be considered the high tourist seasons. If you want to visit Malaysia during this time, be prepared to book your tickets well in advance.
The low season is between March and June, when the country experiences the worst rains and low humidity. As the rain tends to drive tourists away, it is the best time to look for cheap flights to Malaysia.
It’s easy (and worth it!) to get to Malaysian Borneo
Malaysia consists of two parts: Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo, divided by the South China Sea. The main cities are in the Peninsular part, while Malaysian Borneo is genuinely an adventure paradise. It has world-famous diving sites in Sipadan and Mabul, trekking and climbing routes at Mount Kinabalu, wild orangutans in Batang Ai National Park, and so on.
The easiest way to get between the two parts is by plane, as the flights are frequent and affordable (around $50 one way). Most flights to Borneo depart from Kuala Lumpur, either from KLIA or KLIA2 terminals, and you can fly directly into Kota Kinabalu in Sabah or Kuching in Sarawak with an average flight time of around 2 hours. Flying from other destinations, such as Langkawi or Penang, will require a layover in Kuala Lumpur.
The routes are served by local budget carriers AirAsia and Malindo Air, and by the national carrier Malaysia Airlines.
Duty-free rules
Malaysia is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. Alcoholic drinks such as wine, spirits or beer cannot exceed one liter per person, and you can carry only 200 cigarettes. You are also only allowed to bring three pieces of new clothing and one pair of new shoes.
Anything above those limits must be declared – at the Malaysia airport, head to the Red Lane to declare your goods.
Use low-cost carriers to fly cheap around Malaysia
Flying around the region is relatively inexpensive if you choose local budget airlines. Many Malaysian domestic flights are operated by low-cost carriers AirAsia, Firefly, and MASwings (a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines).
When flying within Malaysia, many connections between regional airports require a change of plane in Kuala Lumpur – it can make flying less of a time-saver than it might seem.
Avoid Malaysian public holidays
Big holidays and events such as Ramadan or Chinese New Year will certainly affect your trip to Malaysia. Accommodation prices during large holidays go up and transportation may be limited. Prices also skyrocket during such national holidays as Hari Merdeka (31 August), Wesak Day (10 May), and Hari Raya Puasa (May). Try to avoid school holidays in May, June and August.
Adjust your travel dates to avoid expensive tickets, or arrive early if you wish to enjoy the festivals in Malaysia.
Know your time zone
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket to Malaysia and on the boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.
Malaysia observes Malaysia Time (MYT) all year, which is UTC+8 time zone. As a result, clocks in Malaysia are 7 hours ahead of London and 12 hours ahead of New York. MYT does not have an associated daylight saving time.
Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports
Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Malaysian airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.
Plan ahead and exchange some money for Malaysian ringgits at home.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Emirates, AirAsia, Singapore Airlines, and others).
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@SingaporeAir”). The customer care team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Airlines of Malaysia
There are five main airlines in Malaysia that handle most of the international and domestic air traffic.
The national carrier Malaysia Airlines has the status of the country’s flagship and flies to around 80 destinations across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. While it serves only 15 domestic destinations (including Alor Setar, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Langkawi, Miri, and Penang), other smaller Malaysia airports are covered with help from its subsidiary airlines: FireFly and MASwings. Firefly operates scheduled flights from its two home bases in Penang and Subang, focusing mostly on tertiary cities. MASwings focuses on operating flights between the Malaysian Peninsula and Malaysian Borneo, including inter-Borneo routes within the Sabah and Sarawak states.
AirAsia is the most popular choice when it comes to low-cost airlines. It is based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and flies to nearly 20 destinations across Malaysia – Alor Setar, Johor Bahru, Kota Bahru, Kuching, Langkawi, Penang, Sandakan, and others.
Batik Air (formerly known as Malindo Air) is a hybrid airline owned by Lion Air Group. The airline is best known for connecting destinations in Malaysia with destinations in Indonesia (it flies to Ambon, Bali, Banda Aceh, Bandung, Batam, Medan, Pekanbaru, and others).
Flights to Malaysia
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, Malaysia included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Malaysia. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. - Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to Malaysia could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.
Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: SydneySYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, DarwinDRW, and in New Zealand: AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, and QueenstownZQN. - If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to Malaysia with a regional budget airline such as Air Arabia, Air India Express, Bangkok Airways, Cebu Pacific, Flynas, Jetstar Airways, Lion Air, Saudia, Scoot, and VietJet Air.
For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.
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Flights to Malaysia
from major hubs in Asia
- Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Malaysia look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Malaysia will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Malaysia and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
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Flights to Malaysia dataset
