AirAsia X Returns to the UK: Daily Flights from London Gatwick to Kuala Lumpur via Bahrain from £82

It's been over 13 years since AirAsia X last touched down on British soil, and now the airline has officially confirmed its return. Starting 26 June 2026, AirAsia X will operate daily flights between London Gatwick and Kuala Lumpur via Bahrain, bringing a budget long-haul option back to the UK-Southeast Asia corridor. Promotional fares start from around £82 one-way from Bahrain, with full KUL–LGW fares expected from around £300 return. Bookings are open now on airasia.com until 22 February for travel between June and November 2026.

For those of us in the UK points and miles world, this won't earn you any Avios — but it could save you a serious chunk of cash on getting to Asia, and that's worth paying attention to. Let me break down what we know, what's interesting, and whether this changes the game for UK travellers.

AirAsia X will fly the route as KUL–BAH–LGW using an Airbus A330-300. The stop in Bahrain isn't just a strategic hub play — it's a necessity. The A330-300 simply doesn't have the range to fly Kuala Lumpur to London nonstop with a full load of 377 passengers. By splitting the journey into two sectors, AirAsia X can operate with a full aircraft and keep fares low.

Here's the daily schedule:

Eastbound (D7973): Departs London Gatwick at 10:25 → Arrives Bahrain at 18:55. Departs Bahrain at 20:55 → Arrives Kuala Lumpur at 09:55+1. You can check the seatmap for this flight on FlightSeatMap.

Westbound (D7972): Departs Kuala Lumpur at 22:00 → Arrives Bahrain at 00:40+1. Departs Bahrain at ~02:25+1 → Arrives London Gatwick at ~07:25+1. Check the seatmap here.

Total journey time is roughly 16 hours including the Bahrain stop, which involves around a 1.5-to-2-hour transit. Not the quickest way to get to KL, but competitive with connecting via Dubai or Doha on the Gulf carriers, which many passengers already do.

AirAsia X has launched with some eye-catching promotional fares. From Bahrain, introductory one-way prices start from around £82 to London and £105 to Kuala Lumpur (standard fares after the promo ends). From Kuala Lumpur, promo fares start from RM99 (~£17) one-way to Bahrain and RM199 (~£35) to London — though these are base fares on a first-come, first-served basis.

Early indications suggest return fares from London to Kuala Lumpur from around £300, which is genuinely competitive. However, it's crucial to remember that AirAsia X is an ultra-low-cost carrier. That base fare gets you a seat and 7kg of hand luggage. That's it. Everything else — checked bags, meals, seat selection, entertainment, blankets — costs extra. On a 16-hour journey, those add-ons can stack up quickly.

For the Premium Flatbed (AirAsia X's lie-flat business class equivalent), fares start from RM2,999 (~£500) one-way. Reports suggest around £600 each way from London. This includes a lie-flat seat in a 2-2-2 configuration, 40kg checked baggage, complimentary meals, a pillow and duvet, plus priority boarding. It's a simpler product than what you'd find on BA or Malaysia Airlines, but the price difference is significant.

Let's set expectations properly. AirAsia X operates a high-density A330-300 with 377 seats: 12 Premium Flatbed seats at the front and 365 economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. Most A330 operators use a 2-4-2 layout in economy, so AirAsia X squeezes in an extra seat per row. That means narrower seats — about 16 inches wide with 31 inches of pitch in standard economy.

There's no seatback in-flight entertainment. Wi-Fi is available but quality on long-haul sectors remains to be seen. All food and drinks (including water) are pay-for. If you're someone who values comfort on long flights, you'll want to factor in the cost of add-ons when comparing against full-service carriers.

That said, AirAsia X does offer some interesting options. 'Hot Seats' at the front and exit rows provide extra legroom (up to 34-inch pitch), and there's a 'Quiet Zone' behind the Premium Flatbed cabin for passengers aged 10+ — a nice touch if you want a calmer environment.

The Premium Flatbed itself is a 2-2-2 lie-flat seat with 59-inch pitch and 19-inch width. Think of it as the kind of business class product that was standard about 15-20 years ago — fully flat, but without direct aisle access from window seats. Reviews are generally positive for the price point, and it's leagues better than 16 hours in a 3-3-3 economy cabin.

The Bahrain stop serves multiple purposes. First, it's an operational necessity — the A330-300 can't make it nonstop. But AirAsia X is also building Bahrain into a full hub operation. Capital A (AirAsia's parent company) signed a cooperation agreement with the Bahraini government in late 2025 to develop the country as a gateway between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Crucially, AirAsia X holds fifth-freedom traffic rights on the Bahrain–London sector. This means you can buy a ticket just for the BAH–LGW leg, making this an interesting new option for anyone heading to or from Bahrain. Gulf Air already operates to both Heathrow (twice daily) and Gatwick (three times weekly), and BA flies to Bahrain from Heathrow — so AirAsia X adds a genuine budget alternative on this route.

If you're heading to Bahrain, you might also want to check out our Airport Lounge List to see what's available at BAH during your transit.

Here's where it gets interesting for our community. Currently, flying London to Kuala Lumpur on British Airways costs 40,000–45,000 Avios one-way in economy (off-peak/peak) plus £125 in taxes, or 110,000–120,000 Avios in business class plus £312.50. You can check exact pricing on our How Many Avios Points for a Flight tool.

If you can bag a return on AirAsia X for ~£300, that's a fraction of the cash cost of a BA economy ticket (typically £500-700+ return) and means you can keep your Avios for higher-value redemptions. However, it's also worth considering that for 40,000 Avios + £125, you're getting a nonstop flight on BA's 787-9 with full service, which many would argue is worth the points — especially if you value your Avios at around 1p each.

The more compelling comparison might be against the Gulf carriers. Many UK travellers already fly to KL via Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi. Those one-stop fares typically run £350-500 return in economy, but you get a far superior onboard experience. If AirAsia X can undercut these consistently, it has a genuine niche — particularly for budget-conscious travellers who prioritise price over everything else.

You can also use our Smart Redemptions tool to compare how many points different flights cost across carriers, or try Award Travel Finder to search for award availability to KUL and beyond.

This is where AirAsia X's proposition becomes more appealing. Kuala Lumpur is the airline's major hub, and from there you can connect to over 130 destinations across Southeast Asia and Australia using AirAsia's 'Fly-Thru' connecting service. Think Bangkok, Bali, Jakarta, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Tokyo, and even Perth and Melbourne.

For backpackers, gap-year travellers, or anyone doing a multi-stop Asia trip on a budget, this could be genuinely useful. The ability to book Gatwick to, say, Bali via Bahrain and KUL on a single ticket for a competitive fare is appealing — even if it involves two stops.

If you're planning longer trips, you might want to use our Great Circle Mapper to measure distances between airports — useful for distance-based award pricing on other airlines if you're mixing cash and points across your journey.

Gatwick continues to grow its long-haul network, and AirAsia X becomes the eighth new airline to launch at the airport in 2026. Kuala Lumpur will be the 15th Asian destination served from Gatwick, joining the likes of Norse Atlantic's Bangkok service and an increasing roster of leisure-focused long-haul routes.

For those flying from Gatwick, check FlightQueue for estimated security wait times, and have a look at the Gatwick lounge options if you want to start your trip in comfort. Gatwick's South Terminal (where AirAsia X will likely operate from) has a decent selection of pay-per-entry lounges.

I'll be honest — I'm cautiously excited about this. The history of low-cost long-haul is littered with failures (Norwegian's transatlantic, AirAsia X's own previous London attempt, and many others), so I'll believe it's sustainable when I see it running for a full year.

That said, the model has changed. The Bahrain hub strategy is smarter than the old nonstop approach, and the partnership with the Bahraini government gives this some institutional backing. AirAsia is also ordering 50 A321XLR aircraft, which could eventually replace the A330s on this route with better economics — that's a signal they're thinking long-term.

For points collectors, this won't earn you any Avios or airline miles with any major programme. But saving cash on flights to Asia means more budget for the things that do earn points — hotel stays on a Marriott Bonvoy card, spending on your Amex for the welcome bonus, or picking up a Capital on Tap card to earn Avios on your business spending while you're away.

The Premium Flatbed at around £600 each way is also worth considering if you want a lie-flat experience to Asia without burning 110,000+ Avios. It's not Club World, but it's not Club World prices either.

Route: London Gatwick (LGW) ↔ Kuala Lumpur (KUL) via Bahrain (BAH)

Starts: 26 June 2026

Frequency: Daily

Aircraft: Airbus A330-300 (12 Premium Flatbed + 365 Economy)

Economy from: ~£82 one-way (promo) / ~£300 return (standard)

Premium Flatbed from: ~£500-600 one-way (lie-flat seat, meals, 40kg baggage included)

Booking: airasia.com or AirAsia MOVE app. Promo fares available until 22 February 2026.

Will you be trying AirAsia X when it launches? Or would you rather stick with the Gulf carriers or burn some Avios on BA? I'd love to hear your thoughts — hit reply and let me know.

Happy travels,

Jack

P.S. If you're looking for the best credit cards to earn points on your travel spending, check out our best Avios-earning credit cards guide or our business credit card recommendations. Every pound you save on flights is a pound you can put towards earning more points!