Malaysia Airlines Restarts Busan Flights and Adds Asia, Australia Services

Malaysia Airlines is widening its network across Asia and Australia, with the Kuala Lumpur–Busan route returning on 2 December after a gap of nearly three decades. The national carrier has also launched flights to two Chinese cities and is adding frequencies on several existing routes, giving travellers more options to and from Malaysia.

Key facts

• Kuala Lumpur–Busan resumes 2 December with four weekly non-stop flights, the first services on the route since 1998
• New flights to Shenzhen and Changsha in China, plus renewed links to Chengdu and Fukuoka
• Fukuoka rises from five flights a week to daily; Brisbane from six a week to daily; Surabaya up to 16 flights a week
• 10.6 million passengers had flown with the airline by early September 2026, up 13 per cent year on year
• Average on-time performance of 91.38 per cent, reaching 93.8 per cent in April

Which routes are new or expanding?

Malaysia Airlines has recently started flights to Shenzhen and Changsha in China, and has reconnected with Chengdu, the capital of China's southwestern region, and the Japanese city of Fukuoka.

Existing routes are being strengthened as well. Fukuoka services increase from five flights a week to daily, Brisbane in Australia from six a week to daily, and Surabaya in Indonesia rises to as many as 16 flights each week.

When does the Busan service start?

Flights between Kuala Lumpur and the South Korean city of Busan resume from 2 December, with four weekly non-stop services. According to Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, this is the first time the route has operated since 1998. The new flights add to the airline's usual daily service to Seoul.

What is changing on board?

The airline's newest wide-body Airbus A330neo aircraft leads its Business Class offer, with fully flat beds, individual privacy doors, gourmet dining and 17.3-inch 4K screens with Bluetooth pairing.

In-flight dining has also been overhauled. Since catering was brought in-house in 2023 and the catering arm MAG Culinary Solutions was established in September last year, satisfaction with in-flight dining has risen from 72 per cent to 78 per cent, while catering on-time performance stands at 99.9 per cent. Recent menus have featured Vietnamese cuisine and dishes from the Malaysian state of Johor.

What recognition has the airline received?

At the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards in London last month, Malaysia Airlines won Best Airline Staff in Asia and placed third in the World's Best Airline Cabin Crew category, up from eighth place the previous year.

Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar, president and group CEO of MAG, said the airline is "continuing to grow with purpose, strengthening our network where there is demand".

What this means for travellers

Travellers planning trips between Malaysia and South Korea can consider the Busan option from 2 December, in addition to the daily Seoul service. Passengers heading to Japan, Australia or Indonesia should check current frequencies, as several routes now fly more often than before.

Malaysia itself continues to draw visitors: the country recorded 21.2 million international arrivals in the first six months of this year, up 2.5 per cent year on year, according to figures released at September's 59th National MATTA Fair in the capital.

Malaysia Airlines says its latest routes, schedules and offers are published on its website.