AirAsia X Records Strong 1Q2026 Operating Performance With Passenger Growth of 9% YoY

AirAsia X Berhad has announced its preliminary operating statistics for the First Quarter of 2026 (“1Q2026”). This represents the inaugural consolidated report for the Group following the successful acquisition of the AirAsia aviation assets, bringing together all AirAsia branded airlines under a single listed entity.

Performance Highlights
- Passengers carried: 18.9 million in Q1, up 9% YoY
- Capacity: 22.1 million seats, a 10% YoY increase
- Load factor: 85%, showing strong demand recovery (98% of pre-pandemic levels)
- Fleet size: 240 aircraft at quarter end, up from 203 a year ago

Market Drivers
- Domestic demand: Double-digit growth across Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines
- International demand: Strong performance on North Asia routes, especially China, with load factors at 85%
- Central Asia corridors: Benefited from redirected global traffic flows, boosting “fly-thru” connections

March 2026 Surge
- 6.3 million passengers carried in March alone (+19% YoY)
- Load factor rose to 84% (+2 percentage points YoY)
- Growth driven by festive travel during Raya and Lebaran

AirAsia X Thailand (TAAX)
- Carried 599,198 passengers (+20% YoY)
- Load factor: 84% (+1 percentage point YoY)
- Strengthened long-haul network after hub relocation to Don Mueang Airport

CEO’s Comment
Bo Lingam emphasized that the consolidated model is proving resilient, with RPK growth (7%) outpacing ASK growth (6%), showing effective network optimization. Despite rising fuel costs, demand remained firm, and forward bookings into April are strong.

This report signals that AirAsia X is not only recovering but also leveraging its regional dominance and cost discipline to stay competitive in a volatile environment.