Sabah Airports 2026 — KKIA Passengers & Route Data
Sabah has five airports, but only four carry scheduled flights — Kudat has had none since 2020. Kota Kinabalu is the international gateway, handling 7.04 million passenger movements in 2023, which made it Malaysia’s second-busiest airport that year. Tawau is the second-largest in Sabah at 1.71 million, ahead of Sandakan at 898,000 and Lahad Datu at 143,000. 2023 is the last year Malaysia Airports published airport-level figures; it has released none since being taken private.
Kota Kinabalu carries about 72% of Sabah’s air traffic, not the 90% often quoted — Tawau alone is larger than a 90% share would leave for every other airport combined. Kudat has had no scheduled service since 2020. These are movements, counting each arrival and each departure separately.
Source: MAHB, Airports Statistics 2023
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA)
Kota Kinabalu is Sabah’s primary international gateway and was Malaysia’s second-busiest airport in 2023, ahead of Penang by under 4%. It handled 7.04 million passenger movements that year and serves destinations across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea alongside extensive domestic connections. The ranking is close enough that it needs rechecking each year rather than treating as permanent.
The terminal is rated at 9 million passengers a year — before the pandemic, in 2019, it handled 9.45 million. In February 2024 MAHB said a RM45 million optimisation programme would raise capacity to 10 million (Malay Mail); in November 2024 The Star reported that work as targeted for completion by mid-2025 (The Star). We have not found confirmation that it was completed. A Terminal 1 upgrade to 12 million was approved by Cabinet in November 2024 at RM442.3 million. As at July 2026 it had not started, pending a Sabah government decision on the site.
Traffic collapsed in 2020 and has recovered strongly since 2021, but 2023 was still about a quarter below the 2019 peak of 9.45 million. The airport has not set a new record.
Source: MAHB, Airports Statistics 2023
Airlines & Routes
In March 2026 KKIA had 153 scheduled international flights a week, operated by 13 airlines: AirAsia, Batik Air, Air Busan, Jin Air, Jeju Air, T'way, Hong Kong Express, China Southern, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Scoot and Royal Brunei. The Deputy Transport Minister told the Dewan Negara on 9 March 2026 that Chongqing Airlines would start a Kota Kinabalu–Chongqing route on 20 March 2026 and that a Kota Kinabalu–Jeddah route was under consideration (Daily Express).
South Korea and China account for most of those airlines. There are no direct flights from Europe, the Americas or Australia; travellers connect through Kuala Lumpur or another Asian hub.
Regional Airports
Sandakan Airport (SDK) handled 898,024 passenger movements in 2023, making it Sabah’s third-busiest, not its second. Gateway to the Kinabatangan River, the Sepilok Orangutan Centre and east coast attractions.
Tawau Airport (TWU) is Sabah’s second-busiest airport, handling 1,711,440 passenger movements in 2023 — a figure widely understated elsewhere. Traffic is almost entirely domestic: just ten international movements were recorded that year. It is the gateway to Semporna, the dive resorts and Tun Sakaran Marine Park. The 13th Malaysia Plan lists the expansion of Tawau Airport among the airport projects completed during the 12th Plan (2021–2024), and Budget 2026 includes Tawau in a further round of airport funding (below). We have not found a current official capacity figure for the terminal, so we no longer quote one.
Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) handled 142,602 passenger movements in 2023. A small regional airport with few flights. Gateway to the Danum Valley Conservation Area.
Kudat Airport (KUD) has recorded no scheduled passenger traffic since 2020. Malaysia Airports lists it, and the Semporna STOLport, at zero movements. If you are travelling to Kudat or the Tip of Borneo, plan on the road from Kota Kinabalu.
Expansion & Future Plans
The Terminal 1 upgrade at Kota Kinabalu remains the priority project, raising capacity from 9 million to 12 million passengers a year. It had not started as at July 2026. Budget 2026 allocated RM2.3 billion across the Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Miri airports, with completion targeted by 2028.
Frequently asked questions
Q Which airlines fly to Kota Kinabalu?
Q Can I fly direct to Kota Kinabalu from where I am?
Q Is KKIA being expanded?
Q How do I get from the airport to Kota Kinabalu city?
Q Should I fly or drive from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan?
Q Which airport should I fly into for Danum Valley/Lahad Datu access?
Sources & References 8 sources
Last updated: 28 September 2026
Tawau expansion (added 27 September 2026)
Airport Data
Airlines
- AirAsia (Southeast Asian Budget Carrier) Domestic and regional routes to Sabah
- Malaysia Airlines (National Carrier) International and premium domestic routes
- FMT, 10 October 2025: Govt allocates RM2.3bil for airport upgrades RM2.3 billion for Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Miri airports.
- Daily Express, 9 March 2026: KKIA records 153 international flights weekly, targets two new routes this year Deputy Transport Minister in the Dewan Negara: 153 weekly international flights, 13 airlines named; Chongqing route from 20 March 2026.