AirAsia X is officially returning to London and opening a new chapter in long haul low cost travel, with a new route connecting Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain, and London Gatwick. The service, which begins in late June 2026, not only restores a long awaited link between Malaysia and the United Kingdom, but also positions Bahrain as AirAsia X’s first global hub bridging Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. For travelers across these regions, the announcement translates into fresh options, sharper prices, and a new way to stitch together multi stop journeys across continents.
A Major Milestone in AirAsia X’s Global Expansion
The new Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick route marks a significant strategic step for AirAsia X as it seeks to evolve from a regional low cost carrier into a truly global airline. Announced in Manama in February 2026, the route is part of a broader growth plan that leans on Bahrain’s location at the crossroads of East and West and Kuala Lumpur’s established role as a mega hub for Asia.
For the airline, London is a symbolic and commercial prize. AirAsia X last served the UK capital in 2012, before withdrawing from Europe amid high fuel prices and challenging economics. Returning to London some 14 years later signals renewed confidence in the long haul low cost model, bolstered by more efficient Airbus A330 aircraft, leaner operations, and a maturing customer base familiar with connecting through hubs to reach distant destinations.
By choosing London Gatwick as its UK gateway, AirAsia X taps into one of Britain’s busiest airports and the country’s key base for leisure and value focused travelers. From Gatwick, passengers gain access to a wide range of domestic and European connections on other carriers, while inbound visitors from the UK will find an affordable new bridge into Southeast Asia and beyond.
Bahrain Becomes AirAsia X’s First Global Hub
At the heart of this announcement is Bahrain’s elevation to AirAsia X’s first strategic global hub outside Asia. The new route effectively turns Manama into a transfer point where passengers can flow between Kuala Lumpur and London, and in time onward to additional destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa as the network expands.
Bahrain International Airport has been steadily investing in modern infrastructure, including a new terminal designed to handle rising passenger numbers. For AirAsia X, those facilities, combined with the kingdom’s geographical position just a few hours from major European cities and key markets in the Gulf, make it an attractive base for building a low cost superhub serving multiple regions.
The move also strengthens Bahrain’s ambitions to become a regional aviation and logistics center. AirAsia’s broader ecosystem, including cargo and support services, is expected to grow alongside the passenger network, creating new opportunities for trade, tourism, and employment. Over time, the airline has signaled plans to scale up its presence dramatically, with visions of deploying dozens of aircraft through Bahrain and adding connections to many more destinations.
Route Launch Date, Schedule, and Flight Experience
The Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick service is scheduled to commence on 26 June 2026, in time for the busy summer holiday season in both Europe and Asia. The route will operate daily, providing consistent, year round connectivity between the three cities and opening convenient options for both short breaks and longer multi country itineraries.
From Kuala Lumpur, flights are planned to depart late in the evening, around 22:00 local time, arriving in Bahrain just after midnight. After a short transit of roughly two hours, the aircraft continues to London Gatwick, arriving in the early morning. In the reverse direction, the daily service departs London mid morning, reaches Bahrain by early evening, and arrives back in Kuala Lumpur the following morning after an overnight sector. Total travel time between Kuala Lumpur and London will be in the region of 16 and a half hours, including the Bahrain stop.
AirAsia X will operate the route using its Airbus A330 fleet configured for high density, long haul operations. On board, travelers can expect a cabin tailored to value focused flying, with a choice between standard economy seating and the airline’s well known Premium Flatbed product at the front of the aircraft. The latter features reclining, bed like seats laid out in a business class style arrangement, appealing to travelers who want extra comfort on overnight legs without the premium price tag associated with traditional full service carriers.
Fares, Launch Promotions, and How to Get the Best Deals
To celebrate the launch, AirAsia X has rolled out aggressive promotional fares that underscore its ambition to reshape long haul pricing between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. From Kuala Lumpur, all in one way launch fares to Bahrain start from 99 Malaysian ringgit, while promotional tickets to London begin from 199 ringgit. Subsequent entry level fares are slated to rise to 299 ringgit and 399 ringgit respectively, but will still sit well below many traditional full service options on the market.
For travelers starting in Bahrain, introductory one way fares to both Kuala Lumpur and London are being advertised from 39 Bahraini dinars. After the initial promotion window, standard fares are expected to begin from around 50 dinars to Kuala Lumpur and just over 40 dinars to London, positioning the route as a strong value proposition for both outbound Gulf travelers and transit passengers passing through Manama.
Premium Flatbed launch fares are similarly competitive. From Kuala Lumpur, promotional one way prices from around 2,999 ringgit to both Bahrain and London offer a comparatively accessible entry point into lie flat comfort on long haul sectors, particularly attractive for business travelers, digital nomads, and leisure passengers willing to pay a modest premium for a more restful journey.
The airline has opened a limited booking window running until late February 2026 for travel between 26 June and 30 November 2026. As with most low cost promotions, availability at the headline prices is restricted and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Travelers seeking the best deals will need to book early, be flexible with travel dates, and keep an eye on school holidays and peak summer weekends, when promotional inventory is likely to sell out quickly.
Who Stands to Benefit Most From the New Route
The Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London link is designed to serve a wide cross section of travelers. At a basic level, it opens a new, lower cost corridor for Malaysians, Britons, and Bahrainis flying between their respective capitals, whether for tourism, business, or visiting friends and relatives. For the sizeable Malaysian diaspora in the UK and Europe, the service offers another route home, potentially easing price pressure on peak season fares.
Beyond point to point passengers, the route has been carefully timed to tap into AirAsia X’s broader network radiating from Kuala Lumpur. With nearly 2,000 weekly flights connecting the Malaysian capital to 95 destinations across Asia and the Pacific, travelers from Australia, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and other markets can now use Kuala Lumpur as their starting point, transit through Bahrain, and continue to London on a single ticket.
For travelers based in the Gulf and wider Middle East, the new services introduce a fresh option for reaching Southeast Asia at budget friendly prices. Bahrain’s growing connectivity, combined with short regional hops from neighboring countries, will allow passengers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and beyond to plug into AirAsia X’s network without needing to backtrack via legacy carrier hubs.
The route also holds promise for tourism boards and businesses in all three countries. Malaysia and Bahrain stand to benefit from increased inbound visitors from the UK and Europe, while London’s global appeal ensures a steady flow of leisure traffic in the opposite direction. With careful marketing and attractive stopover packages, the multi leg structure of the route lends itself to two center holidays, business plus leisure combinations, and tailored itineraries for niche segments such as halal tourism, medical tourism, and educational travel.
What This Means for Long Haul Low Cost Travel
The return of AirAsia X to Europe via Bahrain is being closely watched across the aviation industry as a test case for the resilience of the long haul low cost model. In the past, carriers attempting to compete with established full service airlines on intercontinental routes have faced headwinds from fuel volatility, slim margins, and economic uncertainty. The years since the pandemic have added new complexities but also new opportunities, as travelers show a growing willingness to mix and match carriers and construct multi stop journeys if the price is right.
AirAsia X is betting that a combination of efficient widebody aircraft, disciplined cost management, and strategically chosen hubs can tip the balance in its favor. By routing flights via Bahrain, the airline can break up very long sectors into two more manageable stages, optimizing payload and fuel burn while creating additional revenue opportunities on the intermediate Bahrain–London leg, which is operated as a so called fifth freedom sector open to passengers traveling solely between those two points.
If the route performs well, it could pave the way for more long haul connections linking Asia with the Middle East, Europe, and eventually Africa and North America under a similar model. For travelers, that would likely translate into greater choice and more competitive fares on routes that have traditionally been dominated by a handful of full service carriers through their home hubs.
Planning Your Trip: Practical Tips and Considerations
For travelers considering this new option between Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain, and London, a few practical points are worth keeping in mind. First, while the overall journey time is competitive with other one stop routes between Southeast Asia and the UK, the schedule involves late night and overnight sectors, particularly on the eastbound leg back to Kuala Lumpur. Booking a Premium Flatbed seat or at least selecting a preferred seat location in advance can make a noticeable difference in comfort.
Second, connections rely on relatively tight but workable transit times in Bahrain. Passengers should ensure their bookings are made on a single ticket through AirAsia X to benefit from protected connections and through checked baggage, reducing the risk and hassle associated with separate tickets. Allowing a slightly longer transit by choosing certain travel dates may provide extra buffer time for those who prefer a less rushed experience at the hub.
Third, visa and entry requirements will vary depending on nationality and whether you plan to enter Bahrain or the UK during transit. Many passengers will remain airside and will not need a visa for Bahrain if they are simply connecting, but anyone planning a short stopover to explore Manama or extend a layover should verify current entry rules and any applicable fees or e‑visa procedures well ahead of travel.
Finally, as with any low cost long haul journey, ancillary choices matter. Buying checked baggage, seat selection, meals, and travel insurance at the time of booking usually works out cheaper than adding them later or at the airport. Given the length of the flights, pre ordering hot meals and snacks, packing entertainment, and dressing in layers will help ensure the overall experience remains pleasant, even at the sharp end of the value spectrum.
Looking Ahead: The Future of the Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Corridor
As June 2026 approaches, anticipation is growing among aviation observers and travelers eager to test AirAsia X’s revived connection between Asia and Europe. If the Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick route proves successful through its inaugural summer and into the autumn season, it could quickly become a cornerstone of the airline’s international offering and a springboard for additional routes radiating from Bahrain and Kuala Lumpur.
In the medium term, the corridor has the potential to reshape travel patterns for price conscious passengers across several continents. Students, backpackers, families visiting relatives, and small business travelers, in particular, may find that the combination of competitive fares, daily frequencies, and broad network feed makes this service their preferred way to cross between Asia and Europe.
For Bahrain, sustained growth on the route would validate its strategy of positioning itself as a nimble, partnership driven aviation hub that complements larger Gulf players. For Malaysia and the United Kingdom, the strengthened air link supports tourism, trade, and cultural exchange at a time when international connectivity remains a key driver of economic recovery and growth.
Ultimately, AirAsia X’s new flights between Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain, and London offer more than just another option on the departure board. They represent a fresh experiment in how long haul low cost travel can be structured, priced, and experienced. For travelers willing to embrace a hub based, no frills model in exchange for substantial savings and new routing possibilities, this is an opportunity worth watching, and for many, worth booking.