VISIT MALAYSIA 2026 OPENS WITH 9.4 MILLION PASSENGERS AT AIRPORTS NATIONWIDE

SEPANG – January 2026, the first month of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), saw 9.4 million passenger movements across Malaysia Airports’ local network, reflecting the country's growing global appeal.

KL International Airport (KLIA) and Penang International Airport (PEN) recorded the highest year-on-year (YoY) growth within the network. KLIA led with 5.9 million passenger movements, an 8.2% YoY increase, followed by PEN with 741,183 passengers, a 3.8% YoY increase.

Managing Director of Malaysia Airports, Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said the growth reflects strong travel demand and Malaysia's expanding connectivity across the region, “Our aspiration is to position Malaysia as the most connected country in Asia-Pacific. As traffic grows, we remain focused on upgrading infrastructure, strengthening network connectivity, and delivering consistent service standards across all our airports. These enhancements are part of our proactive approach to ensuring capacity, reliability and service quality keep pace with growth.”

Service enhancements continued in January with the launch of RIMBA @ KLIA at the Satellite Building of KLIA Terminal 1, offering passengers a calm, nature-inspired rest area. The Vehicle Access Management Systems (VAMs) at KLIA Terminal 1 has also achieved a 99% compliance rate, improving traffic flow at drop-off and pick-up points.

Connectivity expanded further with at least six new routes introduced in January, linking Malaysia directly with Shanghai, Jinan, Hong Kong, Hefei, Guangzhou and Harbin. These services connect to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Penang, supporting tourism and regional economic growth.

Meanwhile, the Group’s asset in Türkiye, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (ISGIA), handled 4.2 million passengers in January 2026, a 14.3% year-on-year increase, comprising 2.4 million international passengers and 1.8 million domestic passengers.