Malaysia's air travel takes off, records 9.2 mln passengers in January 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's air passenger traffic reached 9.2 million in January 2025, marking a 28.2 per cent surge from January 2024, said the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom).

The commission said January's air passenger traffic stood at 106.1 per cent of January 2019 levels, surpassing pre-pandemic volumes for the first time and highlighting the continued growth of Malaysia's aviation sector.

Advertisement"Passenger volumes grew 3.8 per cent month-on-month (m-o-m) from December 2024 and 28.2 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) from January 2024, reflecting continued momentum in both domestic and international travel," it said in a statement today.

Mavcom reported that domestic passenger traffic stood at 4.4 million, registering a 6.9 per cent m-o-m increase and 32.7 per cent y-o-y growth, while international passenger traffic reached 4.8 million, showing a 1.2 per cent m-o-m decline but a 24.4 per cent y-o-y increase.

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Several major airports recorded significant y-o-y growth, it said, with Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) recording a 25.6 per cent y-o-y increase and Langkawi International Airport (LGK) posting a 27.5 per cent increase.

Advertisement "Penang International Airport (PEN) grew by 27.9 per cent, while Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) saw a 34.5 per cent increase. Senai International Airport (JHB) recorded the highest y-o-y growth at 41.8 per cent, followed by Kuching International Airport (KCH), which posted a 23.0 per cent increase," it said.

Mavcom attributed this robust growth to increased travel demand during the Chinese New Year and school holiday season, along with the restoration of seat capacity on both international and domestic routes.

Advertisement Additionally, it shared that the 30-day visa exemptions for tourists from China and India boosted inbound travel, while expanded international connectivity, including new routes such as Kuala Lumpur-Dali (China) and Tawau-Singapore, contributed to rising passenger volumes.

Meanwhile, Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the continued growth in passenger traffic underscores the resilience of Malaysia's aviation sector and its growing role in regional connectivity.

"To further enhance transparency and accountability, we will introduce an upgraded performance dashboard that provides deeper insights into key airline and airport metrics.

"This initiative aligns with our commitment to upholding service quality and operational standards, supporting both passengers and industry stakeholders with valuable data-driven insights," he added.