AirAsia has rolled out a major festive travel initiative that will see more than 31,000 seats offered at fixed fares across key domestic routes for the upcoming Lunar New Year and Hari Raya periods, aiming to keep family reunions affordable at a time when airfares typically surge.

The move, announced on January 8, 2026, underscores the Malaysian low-cost carrier’s evolving role as a strategic partner to the government in easing holiday travel costs between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.

More News

New Dual-Festive Fixed Fares Unveiled

The 2026 program marks the first time AirAsia has launched its fixed-fare initiatives for Lunar New Year and Hari Raya concurrently, bundling two of Malaysia’s busiest travel windows into one coordinated campaign.

The airline will operate an average of 1,578 flights in total across both festive periods, with over 31,000 seats ring-fenced at fixed prices for select high-demand routes connecting the peninsula with Sabah and Sarawak.

For the upcoming Lunar New Year travel period, flights to Sarawak are available at an all-in fixed fare of RM328 one way, covering routes from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu. Flights to Sabah are priced at RM398 one way, on routes from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan.

These fares can be booked now through February 24, 2026, for travel between February 13 and 24, 2026, offering a defined booking and travel window that allows families to plan well ahead.

The Hari Raya Aidilfitri component mirrors the Lunar New Year pricing structure. Fixed fares are set at RM328 one way for services from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu, and at RM398 one way for routes to Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan. Bookings are available until March 26, 2026, for travel between March 18 and 26, 2026, capturing the critical pre-Raya exodus when many Malaysians traditionally return home to celebrate with family.

AirAsia executives say the dual-festive launch is intended to streamline communication with travelers and provide a single, early announcement that covers Malaysia’s two largest passenger peaks, rather than staggered campaigns that can make planning more complex for households.

Government Backing and Policy Context

The fixed-fare initiative has been developed in close alignment with the Malaysian government’s efforts to keep festive travel affordable, particularly for routes linking Peninsular Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak, where travel by air is often the only practical option.

Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook, who officiated the launch at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Terminal 2 in Sepang, framed the announcement as part of a wider ecosystem of state and private measures designed to protect consumers from sharp price hikes during peak seasons.

Among those complementary efforts is the FLYsiswa program, which offers up to RM400 in financial assistance to eligible students needing to fly between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.

While the government program focuses specifically on students, AirAsia’s fixed fares are intended to benefit a wider swathe of the traveling public, from migrant workers to entire families planning once-a-year reunions.

Officials have also pointed to earlier government interventions, such as capped fares and seasonal subsidies, as proof that sustained engagement with major carriers can stabilize travel costs during critical holidays.

AirAsia’s decision to again ring-fence thousands of seats at set prices is being highlighted as evidence that policy nudges and industry collaboration can significantly moderate fare volatility without heavy-handed regulation.

Industry observers note that Malaysia’s approach to festive travel pricing is being watched closely by other markets in Southeast Asia, where similar challenges arise around major religious and cultural holidays.

By blending targeted public subsidies with voluntary carrier initiatives, Malaysia is attempting to strike a balance between market forces and social equity.

How the Fixed Fares Work for Lunar New Year

AirAsia’s Lunar New Year offering is tightly focused on the most in-demand domestic trunk routes that link urban centers in Peninsular Malaysia to key cities in Sarawak and Sabah.

For Sarawak, the RM328 all-in one-way fare applies on flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu, corridors that traditionally see sharp spikes in prices as families scramble to secure last-minute seats home.

On the Sabah side, the RM398 all-in one-way fare covers routes from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau, the major gateways for those heading to smaller towns and rural districts for family gatherings.

By publishing the exact fare levels, booking period and travel dates months ahead of the festive window, AirAsia is positioning the offer as a predictable planning tool rather than a short-term flash sale.

The airline will deploy a mix of regular and late-night services to accommodate the surge in demand. While fixed fares are limited to selected flights and inventory, AirAsia says that adding more capacity overall will help to moderate prices on non-fixed-fare services as well, giving additional options for travelers who cannot fit their plans into the set windows.

Operationally, the carrier is stressing that the fixed fares are all-in prices, inclusive of passenger service charges, regulatory fees, and fuel surcharges.

That transparency, AirAsia argues, reduces confusion over final ticket costs and makes it easier for travelers to compare the fixed-fare option with regular dynamically priced tickets.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri: Continued Focus on East Malaysia

For Hari Raya Aidilfitri travel, AirAsia is again zeroing in on connectivity between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, historically one of the most politically sensitive and socially important links in the country’s transport network.

The airline has committed to providing fixed fares of RM328 one way to Sarawak and RM398 one way to Sabah on selected flights from Kuala Lumpur across the same network of key destinations.

These Hari Raya flights can be booked through March 26, 2026, for outbound travel between March 18 and 26, 2026, capturing the core pre-festive travel rush.

The timing overlaps with school holidays and traditional balik kampung travel patterns, when demand climbs sharply, particularly among families traveling with children and elderly relatives.

The latest offer builds on a series of Hari Raya programs in recent years in which AirAsia mounted additional late-night services at flat prices to boost access and relieve pressure on daytime flights.

In 2025, for example, the airline provided more than 16,000 seats at fixed fares across over 90 late-night flights, a template that appears to have informed the scale and pricing strategy for the 2026 festive period.

By maintaining similar price points and route coverage across Lunar New Year and Hari Raya, the carrier is signaling that it sees consistency as a key element of its social license to operate in Malaysia’s highly sensitive festive travel market.

Three-Year Track Record of Fixed-Fare Seats

AirAsia’s 2026 initiative is the latest iteration of a program that has grown in size and sophistication over the past three years.

According to figures shared at the launch, the airline has provided more than 137,000 fixed-fare seats between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak during festive periods over that timeframe, supported by 761 additional flights introduced specifically to meet seasonal demand.

In early 2024, the carrier operated 134 late-night flights at fixed fares between Peninsular Malaysia and seven popular destinations in East Malaysia for the Lunar New Year period, offering around 25,000 seats.

Many of those services recorded load factors of 100 percent, indicating that travelers are highly responsive to transparent pricing even on less convenient departure times.

For Chinese New Year 2025, AirAsia again rolled out fixed fares starting from RM328 for routes to Sarawak and RM388 for routes to Sabah, with booking windows stretching from December 2024 through early February 2025.

Separately, it continued to add seasonal flights from Singapore to East Malaysia for the festive period, though those services were priced dynamically rather than at flat fares.

The cumulative effect of these campaigns has been to normalize the idea of capped or fixed festive fares on certain domestic routes, creating an expectation among Malaysian travelers that at least some seats will remain accessible even as demand peaks.

Analysts say that broader competition and capacity additions by other carriers have also contributed to moderating fare inflation during critical travel weeks.

Impact on Communities and Travelers

For residents of Sabah and Sarawak, where distances are vast and surface transport options are limited, the cost of flying has long been a sensitive issue, especially during religious and cultural holidays.

Community leaders have repeatedly voiced concerns that unpredictable fare spikes make it difficult for lower-income families and students to return home, reinforcing feelings of economic inequality between Peninsular and East Malaysia.

By ring-fencing tens of thousands of seats at fixed fares, AirAsia is seeking to address some of those grievances while capitalizing on the strong emotional pull of festive travel.

The airline positions itself as a “people’s airline” that plays a role beyond purely commercial metrics, putting social access at the center of its seasonal planning.

Travelers, for their part, gain greater certainty around budgeting. With the fixed fares published months in advance, households can align their booking decisions with salary cycles, school schedules and personal obligations.

The initiative also gives overseas Malaysians who are transiting through Kuala Lumpur a better sense of the cost of domestic feeder flights to East Malaysia, which can be a significant portion of their overall travel budget.

For both Lunar New Year and Hari Raya, the fixed fares also act as a benchmark in the wider marketplace.

Competing airlines and online travel agencies are likely to reference AirAsia’s published prices when setting their own promotional offers, potentially exerting indirect downward pressure on fares beyond the fixed-fare inventory itself.

Travel Tips and Operational Advice for Festive Flyers

With load factors expected to run high on many services during the Lunar New Year and Hari Raya windows, AirAsia is advising passengers to build additional time into their journeys.

Travelers are urged to arrive at the airport several hours before departure, particularly for domestic flights out of Kuala Lumpur and other busy hubs, to account for congestion at check-in, baggage drop, security and boarding gates.

The airline is also strongly encouraging the use of digital tools, including self check-in via its website and the AirAsia MOVE app, which opens 14 days before departure.

E-boarding passes are accepted for boarding on most routes, reducing the need for counter interactions. Guests with checked baggage are reminded that baggage drop counters close 60 minutes before flight departure on all AirAsia flights, a cut-off that is strictly enforced during peak travel weeks.

Cabin baggage rules will be closely monitored, with passengers generally allowed to bring up to two pieces of hand luggage with a combined weight limit of 7 kilograms.

AirAsia recommends that passengers purchase any necessary checked baggage allowance in advance, both to secure lower prices and to minimize delays at the airport caused by last-minute adjustments.

Travelers with reduced mobility or special needs are urged to make arrangements early and to present themselves at check-in counters rather than relying solely on digital processes, so that ground staff have sufficient time to arrange assistance.

For families with young children and elderly relatives, early arrival and careful packing are being emphasized as simple but effective steps to reduce stress during already hectic festive travel days.

FAQ

Q1: What is AirAsia’s new festive fixed-fare initiative about?
AirAsia is offering more than 31,000 seats at fixed all-in fares on selected flights between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia for the 2026 Lunar New Year and Hari Raya periods, aiming to keep festive travel affordable for families.

Q2: Which routes are covered under the fixed fares for Lunar New Year?
For Lunar New Year, the fixed fares apply on flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu in Sarawak at RM328 one way, and from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah at RM398 one way, on selected services.

Q3: What are the booking and travel dates for the Lunar New Year fixed fares?
Travelers can book Lunar New Year fixed fares now through February 24, 2026, for travel between February 13 and 24, 2026, subject to seat availability on participating flights.

Q4: How do the Hari Raya fixed fares work?
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, AirAsia is offering fixed fares of RM328 one way to Sarawak and RM398 one way to Sabah on selected flights from Kuala Lumpur to the same network of East Malaysian destinations, for specific dates before the holiday.

Q5: When can I book Hari Raya fixed-fare flights and when are the travel dates?
Bookings for Hari Raya fixed fares are open until March 26, 2026, for travel between March 18 and 26, 2026, covering the primary pre-Raya travel period when demand is highest.

Q6: Are these fares really all-in, or will extra charges be added later?
The published fixed fares are described as all-in one-way prices, meaning they include passenger service charges, regulatory fees, fuel surcharges and other applicable charges, though they remain subject to standard terms and conditions.

Q7: How many fixed-fare seats has AirAsia offered over the past few years?
Over the past three years, AirAsia reports making more than 137,000 fixed-fare seats available between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia during festive seasons, supported by hundreds of additional flights.

Q8: Can I still get a fixed fare if I book close to the travel date?
Fixed-fare seats are limited and sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so travelers who wait until close to departure may find that the special inventory is sold out and that only regular dynamically priced fares remain.

Q9: What should passengers do to ensure a smooth journey during these peak periods?
Passengers are advised to check in online via the AirAsia MOVE app or website up to 14 days before departure, arrive at the airport several hours early, respect baggage limits and proceed to the boarding gate as soon as possible after completing check-in and security.

Q10: How does this initiative support students and lower-income travelers?
While the fixed fares are open to all passengers, they complement government schemes such as the FLYsiswa program, which provides specific financial assistance for students; together, these measures are designed to keep essential festive travel within reach for a broader range of Malaysians.