AirAsia X Malaysia: Passenger Load Factor solid at 83% as capacity surged by 35% in 2024 with over 4 million passengers carried

Spread wings further with maiden flights to Nairobi, Kenya and Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2024

AirAsia X Thailand: Back to full operational capacity and posted firm Passenger Load Factor of 83% for FY2024; strategic relocation to Don Mueang International Airport and launched inaugural flight to India with services to Delhi

SEPANG, 13 February 2025 - AirAsia X Berhad (“AirAsia X” or “the Company”) has announced its operating statistics for the Fourth Quarter of 2024 (“4Q24”) and the Full Financial Year Ended 31 December 2024 (“FY2024”) today.

Driven by the reactivation of additional aircraft and a commitment to operational excellence, AirAsia X has expanded its network and increased flight frequencies, leading to higher passenger numbers, improved load factors, and stronger route performance, fueling remarkable growth momentum in 2024. 

The Company carried close to 1.1 million passengers in 4Q24, up by 20% year-on-year (“YoY”) in line with a 20% YoY increase in seat capacity to over 1.3 million seats. This precipitated the solid passenger load factor (“PLF”) of 82%, unchanged YoY even as Available Seat per Kilometre (“ASK”) capacity increased by 21% YoY at 5,794 million in 4Q24, signifying continued robust demand for travel in the market as the growth of Revenue Seat per Kilometre (“RPK”) charted 4,711 million, up by 23% YoY. In terms of network for 4Q24, AirAsia X launched flights to Chongqing in China and Nairobi in Kenya, marking its maiden venture into the African region. Frequency was further enhanced in select markets for the peak travel season, with additional flights introduced for routes in Australia, Japan and South Korea.

On a full-year basis, the Company’s PLF rose by three percentage points to 83% compared to the preceding year. Seat capacity grew by 35% YoY to 4.8 million seats and outpaced by an over 41% surge in the number of passengers carried at over 4.0 million passengers carried in the last 12-month period. As more aircraft resumed service, the number of flights rose by 35% YoY at 13,262 flights, driving the 31% YoY increase in AirAsia X’s ASK capacity to 20,369 million for the financial year under review. In 2024, the Company served a total of 24 destinations, with a total of seven routes launched over the 12-month period.

The Company’s associate, AirAsia X Thailand (“TAAX”) carried a total of 463,463 passengers in 4Q24, up by 20% YoY, while PLF stood at 78% for the quarter under review, underpinned by the move of TAAX’s operational hub from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueang International Airport beginning October 2024; the relocation availed one-off service recovery options to passengers who wish to change their travel plans during the period, and is expected to return to standard levels in the coming quarter. Nonetheless, market demand remains sound, particularly as aforementioned PLF trended on the back of seat capacity up by 31% YoY with the addition of two A330 aircraft in 4Q24, driving up ASK capacity to 2,545 million. As of 31 December 2024, TAAX’s fleet returned to targeted full operational capacity:

In 4Q24, TAAX launched operations to Delhi, marking its first flight to India. On a full-year basis, TAAX charted a solid PLF of 83% even as seat capacity rose by 21% YoY to 1,940,174 seats with the expansion of its fleet. For the financial year under review, TAAX carried a total of 1.6 million passengers, up by 21% YoY. As of 31 December 2024, TAAX served a total of eight routes, providing essential connections across key markets of Japan, South Korea, Australia, China and India. 

AirAsia X’s total fleet size remained at 18 A330s as of 31 December 2024, with 17 aircraft now activated and operational. TAAX’s fleet size stood at ten A330s, with all aircraft fully operational.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Operating Statistics

Full Year 2024 Operating Statistics

(1) Number of earned seats flown. Earned seats comprise seats sold to passengers (including no-shows) and seats provided for promotional purposes
(2) Number of seats flown
(3) Passengers Carried / Capacity
(4) Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) measures an airline’s passenger capacity. Total seats flown multiplied by the number of kilometres flown
(5) Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) is a measure of the volume of passengers carried by the airline. Number of passengers multiplied by the number of kilometres these passengers have flown
(6) Number of flights flown, *excluding charter and cargo flights