AirAsia expands Indonesia footprint with 20th Route, Connecting Kota Bharu to Jakarta

SEPANG, 10 March 2026 - AirAsia Malaysia (flight code AK) today announced the expansion of its Indonesia network with the launch of its 20th route to the country, connecting Kota Bharu to Jakarta.

Starting 16 June 2026, the airline will operate four weekly flights between Kota Bharu and Jakarta, strengthening connectivity between the northern coast of Malaysia and the capital of Indonesia. AirAsia will be the first airline to operate this international route between Kota Bharu & Indonesia in the second half of the year and is expected to further boost international arrivals and support Kelantan's growing tourism and medical travel ambitions.

This new expansion supports the state's goal of attracting 12 million domestic and international tourists this year, building on last year's strong performance of approximately 11 million visitor arrivals, nearly 90% of whom were domestic tourists. It also aligns with the national target of welcoming 4.6 million Indonesian visitors as part of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026) campaign, while the Indonesian government targets 16 to 17.6 million foreign tourist arrivals this year.

Dato' Captain Fareh Mazputra, General Manager of AirAsia Malaysia said: "We are thrilled to introduce this new connectivity and the timing is ideal to further stimulate our northern coastal destination with more international travellers. As Kelantan expands into the medical tourism space, especially targeting Indonesia and neighbouring countries, stronger air links are essential. Backed by private specialist hospitals delivering quality care at competitive prices, the state is poised to attract greater cross-border medical travel.

AirAsia continues to lead in connectivity between Malaysia and Indonesia, operating over 370 weekly flights. In 2025 alone, the airline carried nearly three million guests between the two countries. The new Kota Bharu-Jakarta route is expected to further boost tourism while strengthening economic and healthcare ties between Malaysia and Indonesia."

Kota Bharu and Jakarta are naturally connected through their shared Malay-Muslim cultural heritage, rich traditions and strategic geographic locations. While Kota Bharu charms with its artisanal crafts, culinary treasures, and relaxed coastal vibe, Jakarta stands as Indonesia's bustling capital and economic hub. This unique combination creates seamless opportunities for cultural exchange, tourism collaboration, trade, linking the two cities through direct flights and growing economic partnerships, fostering stronger regional connectivity between Malaysia and Indonesia

In celebration of the launch, AirAsia is offering special promotional fares for flights from Kota Bharu to Jakarta starting from just RM199* all in one way. Flights from Jakarta to Kota Bharu are also available from IDR709,000* all in one way. The special fares are available for booking from today until 22 March for travel between 16 June 2026 and 27 March 2027, exclusively on the AirAsia MOVE app and airasia.com.

Flight Schedule between Kota Bharu (KBR) and Jakarta (CGK):