AirAsia X (AAX) announces further expansion into South Korea with exclusive direct services from Kuala Lumpur to Busan, connecting the largest coastal city in the country with Southeast Asia and beyond.

The inaugural flight departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (klia2) at 2:10 am and landed at Gimhae International Airport at 9:00 am today. In celebration of the service recommencement, all guests on the inaugural flight were sent off by AAX Board of Director, Dato’ Fam Lee Ee and AAX Malaysia CEO Benyamin Ismail. Upon landing in Busan, the guests were welcomed by representatives of Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO).

As the airline’s 15th destination and the second in South Korea, the three-weekly flights to/from Busan play a vital role in stimulating new demand and strengthening AAX market leadership in North Asia through providing best value fares and driving greater competition in the market.

AirAsia X Malaysia CEO Benyamin Ismail said: “We are excited to restart this historically very popular route and proud to be the only airline in Malaysia operating direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Busan, a city of many tourism drawcards. From today, air travel between Busan and Kuala Lumpur is now more convenient and affordable, providing a welcome boost for tourism and the local economies.

“Together with our existing route to Seoul, today’s announcement further strengthens our foothold in South Korea and increases our overall capacity to North Asia – our fastest growing market. We will continue to look for expansion opportunities in the future and work with BTO to promote the destination globally and invigorate the tourism industry in Busan.”

President of Busan Tourism Organisation Jung-Sil Lee said: “We would like to congratulate AAX on this exclusive route connecting Kuala Lumpur with Busan. The recommencement of this service supports our mission to build a sustainable tourism foundation focusing on flying our most popular routes first, supporting the city of Busan which is renowned for its local history, culture, cuisine and arts.

“Moreover, Busan is named one of the ‘Top 25 Best Travel Destinations in the World in 2023’ by National Geographic for its vibrant cultural city and stunning tourist offerings. In line with this recognition, we look forward to working with AAX to boost the tourism revival in Busan and attract passengers from not only Malaysia but from other Southeast Asian countries who can now easily and affordably connect to the city via Kuala Lumpur.”