Cheap flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu

Flying out of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is served by two international airports: Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB) and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). Sultan Airport is by far the smaller of the two. It is served by just two airlines, Firefly and Malindo Air. Though these two airlines fly to many destinations throughout Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu is not one of them.

Kuala Lumpur Airport is Malaysia's busiest airport. The airport serves over 50 million passengers per year and is a major hub for seven different airlines. KUL is also Malaysia's biggest airport in terms of size, with a gigantic almost-eight million square foot passenger terminal complex. The complex is made up of three buildings. Many domestic flights operate out of the Main Terminal but budget carriers use the low-cost carrier terminal, Kila2.

AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air all fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu. Direct flights between these two airports are available daily, multiple times per day. You will need a valid passport to fly this route and should arrive at least two hours in advance of your departure.

Kota Kinabalu International Airport Information

Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) is Malaysia's second-busiest airport. It is located about 8 km from central Kota Kinabalu. The airport consists of two terminals. Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air and AirAsia all use Terminal 1. Terminal 2 is reserved for cargo and charter flights.

There are limited transportation options available at Kota Kinabalu Airport. Public transportation links are currently not available. Taxis operate at flat rates of approximately $10 CAD for a ride to the Kota Kinabalu city center. At the customer service counter at arrivals, you will be able to purchase a flat rate taxi voucher to give to the driver as payment.Renting a car is another transportation option. There are five rental car companies located at the airport, including Avis and Hertz.

What to Expect in Kota Kinabalu

Canadians should exercise a high degree of caution when visiting Kota Kinabalu due to safety concerns. All non-essential travel is currently discouraged. If you visit Kota Kinabalu, be sure to stay alert and stay in a group when travelling throughout the city.

There is no time difference between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. The weather conditions in both cities are also very similar. Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu both experience consistently hot temperatures throughout the year which generally do not drop below 24° C. There are two yearly monsoon seasons in the city. The Northeast Monsoon, from November to March, brings strong winds and the Southwest Monsoon, from May to September, brings strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Kota Kinabalu has many beautiful outdoor attractions, such as Kinabalu Park and Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. The city is also well known for its many fresh seafood markets and restaurants as well as many delicious Malaysian food dishes.