Must-read for budget airline fans: AirAsia’s new terminal in Kuala Lumpur, where planes take off and land right before your eyes

Reported and photographed by You Tu Ru / Kuala Lumpur
 
Malaysia’s low-cost carrier AirAsia moved to the world’s largest low-cost airline terminal—Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2)—on May 9. The terminal features upgraded hardware and, unusually for a budget airline, uses boarding bridges, so passengers don’t have to take shuttle buses. The airport also houses 10 nurseries and over 225 retail outlets. Just two months after its opening, what’s KLIA2 really like? A reporter from ETtoday EBC News took a three-hour layover to explore, capturing a simple look at the terminal’s internal facilities and transfer process for travelers’ reference.


▲ AirAsia moved to the world’s largest low-cost airline terminal—Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2)—on May 9.


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Setting aside KLIA2’s diverse entertainment options, once your plane parks, you can comfortably walk into the terminal via a boarding bridge. Plus, international transfer passengers no longer need to clear immigration and customs again. As long as your baggage is checked through or you have no checked luggage, you can directly check in for your connecting flight within the terminal and relax comfortably while waiting. For frequent AirAsia users transferring between various destinations, this offers a level of comfort and convenience that’s hard to beat.

However, a word of caution for travelers: KLIA2 is massive. The reporter’s flight happened to be parked at the far end, and it took a full 20 minutes to walk to immigration. Some areas lack flat escalators, but thankfully, there are trolleys throughout the terminal. Backpackers might want to watch out—sometimes, traveling lighter lets you go farther.


▲ Transfer passengers for international flights can head here to collect their boarding passes and enter the waiting area—it’s very convenient.

 
 
▲ The waiting area also includes dining, shopping, and rest areas. Notably, there’s even a dedicated space for watching soccer matches, so you won’t miss any goals even during a transfer during the World Cup.

The connected KLIA2 Gateway shopping mall boasts a design akin to a department store, which is genuinely impressive. After exiting immigration, the airport terminal connects directly to the mall. Inside, you’ll find restaurants serving Asian, Indian, Italian, and Western cuisine. It’s said that once the mall is fully completed, it will house a total of 60 restaurants. Taiwan travelers’ favorite “OLD TOWN WHITE COFFEE” currently has two branches here, both open 24 hours—a branch at the immigration exit and another at the departure area. However, the immigration exit branch doesn’t accept card payments, so for travelers making a quick transfer meal without cash, the L3 departure branch seems more convenient.