Malaysia Airlines has identified India as its single largest market, overtaking Australia and Europe in both passenger numbers and revenue. The carrier currently operates 77 weekly flights to 10 Indian cities, carrying 1.3 million passengers in and out of India during the first half of 2025.

By December, the airline plans to raise flight frequency to 80 per week, with further increases expected next year. With bilateral air rights for metro routes fully utilised, the focus will shift to expanding services to high-potential non-metro cities in 2026.

Group Managing Director Izham bin Ismail said India offers strong growth opportunities across leisure, premium, and visiting-friends-and-relatives segments, supported by the country’s rising middle-class income, rapid urbanisation, and stable disposable income levels.

To boost its footprint, Malaysia Airlines has reallocated capacity from ASEAN and domestic routes to India and continues to leverage its codeshare with IndiGo for domestic connectivity. “We took a bet on India at the right time,” Ismail said, highlighting the strategic importance of the market for the airline’s long-term growth