AirAsia is the operating brand of Capital A Berhad, a Malaysian company founded in 1993. AirAsia commenced operations three years later, based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), making it the first commercial airline to form part of the brand. Since then, the AirAsia brand has grown exponentially, and today encompasses seven different airlines.

Thai AirAsia X Airbus A330 Landing In Bangkok

Photo: KITTIKUN YOKSAP | Shutterstock

Today, the AirAsia brand encompasses five short-haul airlines (AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Philippines AirAsia, and AirAsia Cambodia), and two long-haul carriers (AirAsia X and Thai AirAsia X). The airline group has, on the whole, has been a financial success, and has proved popular with passengers across the region. The brand has been awarded the accolade of World’s Best Low-Cost Airline by Skytrax for ten consecutive years, from 2009 to 2019. Let

AirAsia

AirAsia took its first flight in November 1996 from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Langkawi (LGK) with a Boeing 737-300. However, the carrier’s early financial difficulties were exacerbated by the September 11th, 2001, attacks in the US, and AirAsia was on the brink of bankruptcy. However, new ownership in the form of Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun brought about major changes at the airline. Inspired by the success of Southwest Airlines, AirAsia was transformed into a low-cost carrier, and soon became financially viable.

Between 2003 and 2006, AirAsia expanded, opening new bases at Senai International Airport (JHB) in Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), and Kuching International Airport (KCH), and adding new destinations to its route map, including Manila (MNL), Bangkok (DMK), and Xiamen (XMN). Backed by a significant order for more Airbus A320s, the carrier subsequently grew further, extending its reach into new markets, such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and India.

AirAsia Airbus A320s at Kuala Lumpur

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

AirAsia’s aging fleet of 36 Boeing 737-700s was retired by 2009, with the carrier choosing instead to operate an all-Airbus fleet. The latest data from ch-aviation shows that AirAsia currently operates the following aircraft:

  • Airbus A320 x 69
  • Airbus A320neo x 29
  • Airbus A321neo x 8

The carrier also has an outstanding order with Airbus for an additional 321 A321neos and should begin receiving the first of 36 A321LRs in 2025. These long-range aircraft should enable AirAsia to branch out into currently unserved markets.

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Thai AirAsia

Thai AirAsia was founded in 2003 as a joint venture between AirAsia and Asia Aviation. The carrier operated its first flights just three months later in February 2004, serving Phuket (HKT), Hat Yai (HDY), and Chiang Mai (CNX) from its hub at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport (DMK).

An AirAsia A320 landing

Photo: M21Perfect | Shutterstock

The low-cost carrier began life operating from both of Bangkok’s main airports – Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). However, on October 1st, 2012, the airline moved all flights to the latter. It has since resumed a limited number of domestic routes from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, namely:

  • Chiang Mai (CNX)
  • Hat Yai (HDY)
  • Khon Kaen (KKC) – from February 1st, 2025
  • Krabi (KBV)
  • Phuket (HKT)
  • Udon Thani (UTH) – from February 1st, 2025.

Today, Thai AirAsia operates a fleet of 60 aircraft, made up of 44 Airbus A320s, 11 A320neos, and five A321neos. These aircraft each seat between 180 and 236 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The carrier deploys its aircraft on routes across Asia, with a particularly substantial presence in India, Vietnam, and China.

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Indonesia AirAsia

The third airline to join the AirAsia brand was Indonesia AirAsia in December 2005. For six years prior to that, the carrier was operating as Awair. The carrier operates from bases at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) in Jakarta and Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar, on the popular tourist island of Bali. From the latter, Indonesia AirAsia flies to the carrier’s only two destinations in Australia – Perth (PER) and Cairns (CNS).

In 2014, Indonesia AirAsia suffered the first fatal crash in the history of the AirAsia brand, when Flight 8501 crashed into the Java Sea while en route from Juanda International Airport (SUB) in Surabaya to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN). All 155 passengers and seven crew members perished in the crash.

Indonesia AirAsia Airbus A320-216 PK-AXD

Today, Indonesia AirAsia operates a fleet of 32 Airbus A320 aircraft, each with a capacity of up to 180 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The carrier also has a further 68 A320s on order, which will see its fleet grow substantially over the coming years.

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Philippines AirAsia

Philippines AirAsia was founded in 2012, tapping into the growing demand for air travel throughout the island nation. However, due to administrative and procedural delays, the carrier did not commence operations until March 28th, 2012, when it flew for the first time from its base at Clark International Airport (CRK) to Kalibo (KLO) and Davao City (DVO). Within its first year of operations, Philippines AirAsia grew its domestic and regional route network to also include:

  • Puerto Princesa (PPS)
  • Hong Kong (HKG)
  • Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
  • Singapore (SIN)
  • Taipei (TPE).
PhilippinesAirAsia Airbus A320

Philippines AirAsia acquired a majority stake in Zest Airways in 2013, and by 2015, had absorbed the carrier completely, with all flights operating under the Philippines AirAsia brand. Today, the carrier flies a total of 15 Airbus A320 aircraft, all of which are based at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL). The airline serves almost 30 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region, including Seoul Incheon (ICN), Osaka Kansai (KIX), Tokyo Narita (NRT), and Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK).

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AirAsia Cambodia

The newest airline to be launched under the AirAsia brand is AirAsia Cambodia, which commenced operations in May 2024. With its fleet of just two Airbus A320s, the carrier flies to and from Cambodia’s primary international gateways – Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH), Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (REP), and Sihanouk International Airport (KOS).

CFM International LEAP-1A on an AirAsia Airbus A320neo

Photo: Alexiushan | Shutterstock

AirAsia Cambodia has a further three Airbus A320 aircraft on order, which it hopes to use to expand its route network to cover destinations across emerging markets for travel to and from Cambodia, such as India and China.

AirAsia X

The AirAsia group took its first venture into low-cost, long-haul travel in 2007, when it launched AirAsia X. The carrier’s first flight was from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Gold Coast Airport (OOL) in Australia, on which it offered promotional fares for as low as $17.

The following years saw AirAsia X expand its global footprint to reach destinations as far away as London Stansted Airport (STN), Paris Orly Airport (ORY), and Sydney Airport (SYD), making it the first low-cost carrier to offer services on the so-called Kangaroo Route between Europe and Australia.

AirAsia X Airbus A330 XXZ

Photo: AirAsia

However, rising fuel costs and poor financial performance led AirAsia X to pull several long-haul routes, focusing instead on key routes to the likes of China and Japan. Today, the carrier operates a fleet of 18 Airbus A330-300s, with 15 A330neos and 20 A321XLRS on order. From its base at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), it flies to destinations such as:

  • Delhi (DEL)
  • Perth (PER)
  • Melbourne (MEL)
  • Nairobi (NBO)
  • Seoul Incheon (ICN)
  • Shanghai Pudong (PVG)
  • Jeddah (JED).

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Thai AirAsia X

Thai AirAsia X was founded as a joint venture between Thai AirAsia and AirAsia X in 2013, with flights commencing the following year from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) to Seoul (ICN), Osaka (KIX), and Tokyo (NRT). In April 2022, the carrier went on to move its operation to Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK).

Thai AirAsia X Airbus A330 Landing In Bangkok

Photo: KITTIKUN YOKSAP | Shutterstock

With its fleet of ten Airbus A330-300s, Thai AirAsia X followed AirAsia X’s model of flying to key cities across the region. For a short period between 2019 and 2022, the carrier also operated two A330neos, but these were subsequently moved to Brazil’s Azul Linhas Aéreas.

Former AirAsia Group airlines

A number of airlines founded by the AirAsia Group have not been as successful as those still flying today, and have since ceased operations. AirAsia India was founded in 2014, and later rebranded as AIX Connect in 2022, before being absorbed into the Air India Express brand in 2024.

AirAsia India Airbus A320

Photo: Airbus

Indonesia AirAsia X was a low-cost, long-haul airline, with a similar operating model to AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X. The carrier commenced operations in 2015 with a small fleet of Airbus A330-200 aircraft, but ceased operations entirely in October 2020 (although its final flight actually took place in January 2019).

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