Low cost long haul carrier AirAsia X is returning to the United Kingdom and redrawing air links between Southeast Asia, the Gulf and Europe with a new Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain and London Gatwick service that positions Bahrain as its first global hub. The route, due to start on June 26 2026, is being sold as a game changer for budget travellers and a fresh lever for tourism bodies from Malaysia to the Gulf and the UK seeking new visitor flows.

What AirAsia X Is Launching and When Flights Begin

AirAsia X has confirmed that it will launch a daily Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick flight routed via Bahrain, formally titled the Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick service. Operations are scheduled to commence on June 26 2026, using Airbus A330 aircraft and timed as an overnight departure from Malaysia with a morning arrival in London after a brief Middle Eastern stop. The move marks the airline’s first return to the European market since it withdrew its London and Paris routes in 2012.

Under the published schedule, the flight will leave Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 22:00 local time and arrive in Bahrain shortly after midnight, with a ground time of around 90 minutes to two hours before continuing to London Gatwick. The total journey time is expected to be about 16 and a half hours, putting it broadly in line with other one stop options between Southeast Asia and the UK while aiming to undercut them on price.

The return leg from London will depart Gatwick at 10:25 in the morning, stop in Bahrain in the evening and reach Kuala Lumpur around 09:55 the following day. AirAsia X plans to operate the service once daily, offering a consistent timetable designed to facilitate onward connections at both Kuala Lumpur and Bahrain. The Bahrain segment of the route will operate with so called fifth freedom traffic rights, meaning the airline can sell tickets solely between Bahrain and London as well as on through journeys.

Bahrain’s New Role as a Strategic Global Hub

Central to the announcement is the elevation of Bahrain International Airport to what AirAsia X describes as its first global hub outside Asia. Executives for Capital A, the parent group that oversees the AirAsia brand, have framed the Gulf state as a strategic bridge linking Southeast Asia with the Middle East, Europe and potentially Africa, citing its location, modern airport infrastructure and the support of local authorities.

The Bahrain stopover is more than a refuelling point. By securing fifth freedom rights on the Bahrain to London sector and building schedules that allow connectivity in both directions, AirAsia X aims to stimulate stand alone traffic between the UK and Bahrain alongside transfer flows from Kuala Lumpur and other Asian origins. Bahraini officials have highlighted the expected economic benefits for the kingdom, from increased visitor arrivals and hotel stays to cargo movements and aviation related employment.

For AirAsia X, the hub strategy is also about de risked long haul expansion. The airline’s earlier attempt at non stop London flights became a victim of high fuel prices and structural costs. By routing through Bahrain, the carrier can manage payloads, spread risk across multiple origin and destination pairs, and tap emerging demand corridors such as Southeast Asia to Gulf leisure and business travel, in addition to the headline UK market.

Tourism agencies from Malaysia, Bahrain and the United Kingdom are expected to see the new service as an opportunity to broaden visitor flows and diversify source markets. For Malaysia, the route adds a second direct link to the UK capital alongside existing full service operations, offering price sensitive travellers in Europe and the Middle East a lower cost gateway into Kuala Lumpur and onward to beach destinations, heritage cities and nature tourism across the country.

Bahrain, meanwhile, gains a new role as a stopover and short break destination for passengers who may never have considered the kingdom on its own. With the transit time between 90 minutes and two hours, most travellers are expected to remain airside, but tourism officials are already signalling interest in promoting longer stopovers and short stays, particularly from travellers originating in Europe heading to Asia.

For the UK, London Gatwick gains a fresh long haul low cost connection that adds capacity on the heavily trafficked Southeast Asia corridor. British travellers will have an additional option for reaching Kuala Lumpur and nearby destinations, while the Bahrain sector introduces more competition on the London to Gulf market segment. Industry observers note that the new flights arrive as Gatwick continues to rebuild and broaden its long haul network with a mix of low cost and full service airlines.

Fares, Promotions and What Passengers Can Expect to Pay

To mark the launch, AirAsia X has rolled out introductory one way promotional fares that underscore its low cost proposition. The airline has advertised starting prices from RM99 for Kuala Lumpur to Bahrain and from RM199 for Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick, inclusive of basic taxes and charges, for bookings made by February 22 2026 and travel between June 26 and November 30. Equivalent headline fares have been marketed in Gulf currencies at roughly the level of a mid range restaurant bill, an attention grabbing benchmark for flights covering thousands of kilometres.

Travel industry outlets monitoring fare searches report that while the very lowest promotional seats are limited, base economy fares on many dates remain substantially below those of legacy competitors flying between Malaysia and the UK. As with other low cost long haul models, passengers pay separately for checked baggage, seat selection, meals and other extras, which can narrow the gap with traditional carriers but still leave overall prices attractive, particularly for travellers packing light.

For those seeking more comfort, AirAsia X is maintaining its premium flatbed cabin on the route, with promotional launch fares from just under RM3,000 one way on select dates. That product, featuring reclining seats that convert into angled beds, has been a key differentiator for the airline on existing sectors to Australia and North Asia, appealing to small business owners, leisure travellers and expatriates looking for a relative upgrade without the price of a full business class ticket.

Network Connectivity and Who Stands to Benefit Most

AirAsia X is positioning the new route not as a stand alone city pair but as part of a wider network that currently spans more than 90 destinations across Asia and Australia and, counting sister short haul airlines, over 150 destinations. Connections through Kuala Lumpur are being marketed from cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Bali, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Colombo and Tokyo, with Fly Thru options that allow travellers to book through itineraries on a single ticket.

This means that passengers from secondary cities across Southeast Asia can reach London Gatwick or Bahrain with just one connection in Kuala Lumpur, often remaining within the AirAsia ecosystem throughout. At the same time, travellers from London will gain more one stop options to destinations beyond Kuala Lumpur that have not always been well served from the UK, including emerging tourism markets in Central and South Asia that AirAsia X has been cultivating.

The fifth freedom rights between Bahrain and London introduce another layer of potential demand. Residents of Bahrain and nearby Gulf markets are being targeted with low launch fares to London Gatwick, while European travellers are being offered competitively priced tickets to Bahrain itself. The airline has signalled that if the model proves successful, Bahrain could support additional spoke routes from other Asian cities or onward services deeper into Europe in the future.

Competitive Landscape and Industry Reaction

AirAsia X’s return to the UK comes at a time of intensifying competition on the broader Europe to Asia market. Legacy carriers from the Gulf and Europe already offer multiple daily frequencies between London and major Asian hubs, while British Airways has recently reinstated its own London to Kuala Lumpur service. The new low cost entry via Gatwick is expected to place downward pressure on fares, particularly in economy cabins, although full service airlines will continue to compete on schedule breadth, connectivity and product.

Analysts in Malaysia have generally welcomed the move, viewing the Bahrain pivot as a more sustainable approach than the non stop ultra long haul model AirAsia X pursued a decade ago. Investment banks commenting after the Manama announcement described the hub strategy as one that could improve aircraft utilisation and risk management, by allowing the carrier to flex capacity and pricing across multiple markets depending on demand patterns.

Airports on the route are also highlighting the tourism and trade upside. Kuala Lumpur International Airport gains enhanced connectivity into Europe that could, over time, support new inbound segments such as backpackers and budget conscious students. London Gatwick, for its part, continues to build a profile as a key London gateway for leisure focused long haul services, while Bahrain International Airport secures a flagship customer aligning with its own ambitions to play a larger role in regional aviation.

Operational Details: Aircraft, Schedule and Onboard Experience

The route will be operated by AirAsia X’s Airbus A330 fleet, configured in a high density layout designed to keep unit costs low. The aircraft typically feature a two class cabin with a small premium flatbed section at the front and a larger economy cabin behind. While legroom is more compact than on many full service rivals, AirAsia X highlights its ability to offer unbundled pricing, with passengers choosing whether to pay for extras such as hot meals, larger baggage allowances, entertainment and priority services.

From an operational standpoint, the daily overnight departure from Kuala Lumpur and morning arrival in London, mirrored by the daytime return from Gatwick, is structured to maximise connectivity and aircraft utilisation. The Bahrain stop sits in the middle of the timetable, allowing for aircraft servicing and crew changes while providing sufficient time for transit passengers to make onward connections should additional routes be launched from the hub.

Industry schedules indicate that the total block time of about 16 and a half hours compares favourably with other one stop itineraries between London and Kuala Lumpur routed via Middle Eastern or European hubs. For travellers prioritising cost over the convenience of a non stop flight, the extra travel time relative to a direct service is likely to be acceptable, especially where the fare differential is significant.

What This Means for Future Expansion and Travellers’ Choices

Executives at Capital A have been explicit that the Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick route is a starting point rather than an end point for their renewed European ambitions. Bahrain’s designation as the group’s first global hub opens the door to potential new routes linking the Gulf state with other European cities, as well as additional Asian gateways feeding into the hub from the east. The airline has not yet named specific future destinations, but it has spoken of a long term vision to base a large narrowbody and widebody fleet in Bahrain serving multiple continents.

For travellers, the immediate impact is an expanded menu of choices on one of the world’s busiest long haul corridors. Budget travellers from Southeast Asia now have an additional way to reach London and the Gulf at prices that, at least in the promotional period, are sharply lower than many alternatives. Families visiting relatives, students heading to universities and leisure travellers planning multi stop itineraries can potentially stretch their budgets further or add extra destinations thanks to the savings.

As the June 26 launch date approaches, tourism authorities across Malaysia, Bahrain and the UK are preparing campaigns to harness the new connectivity. The success of the route will depend not only on price but on operational reliability, customer experience and how quickly AirAsia X and its partners can build awareness in key source markets. If the model works, it may mark the beginning of a new chapter in low cost long haul travel linking Kuala Lumpur, the Gulf and Europe, with Bahrain firmly at the centre of the map.