Malaysia Airlines will deepen its footprint in China with the launch of flights to Chengdu in January 2026 as part of a broader network expansion by parent Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) aimed at tapping strong regional demand.
Daily service from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Chengdu Tianfu International Airport will start on Jan. 9, expanding the carrier’s Greater China network to seven destinations. It already serves Beijing Daxing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai Pudong, Taipei and Xiamen.
The Chengdu launch comes as Malaysia and China recently introduced reciprocal visa-free entry, boosting demand for both business and leisure travel. It also marks the carrier’s return to the Chinese city after an absence of more than a decade.
Additionally, the Oneworld alliance member will also grow capacity to Australasia and South Asia, with double-daily Perth flights from Dec. 1 and daily Adelaide services starting Feb. 1. Frequencies to Melbourne and Sydney will rise to triple-daily in late October, while Auckland increases to 10X-weekly. Services to Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad, Malé and Dhaka will also be upgraded, with Dhaka climbing from 14 to 21X-weekly flights by Nov. 5.
The expansion is supported by the deployment of new Airbus A330neo aircraft, which are progressively entering the fleet. Malaysia Airlines began operating the type on Sydney services in August and expects to have seven in its fleet by the end of 2025. MAG has long-term commitments for 40 A330neos to replace its current A330-200/300 fleet and allow for growth.
Firefly, MAG’s regional subsidiary, is also scaling up its jet operations from KUL’s Terminal 1 following its relocation from Subang Airport in August. Beginning Nov. 17, Firefly will add new services to Krabi, Siem Reap and Cebu, offering seven, three and five flights per week, respectively.
The carrier is also increasing frequencies across its ASEAN and domestic network. Flights to Singapore, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Johor Bahru and Penang will all see additional capacity, while Subang-based turboprop services to Johor Bahru and Penang will be bolstered in December.
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