AirAsia is expanding its Australian operations by adding new routes and frequencies to major cities while suspending services to Darwin due to low demand. The airline launched a new direct route from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Bali’s Denpasar Airport (DPS) on March 21, 2026, adding 130,000 seats annually.
Adelaide Airport (ADL) sees its Bali service increase from four to seven weekly flights starting the same date, reaching 10 weekly during peaks and adding over 56,000 seats yearly. Sydney and Melbourne now offer daily flights to Kuala Lumpur with premium cabins and flatbed seating. Perth Airport (PER) remains the top gateway, with four daily Bali flights year-round and double daily to Kuala Lumpur, rising to three daily in peaks.
Overall, AirAsia targets up to 100 weekly frequencies across these four gateways in peak 2026 periods, up from 69 in 2025, serving nearly one million Australia-Asia passengers annually. The Fly-Thru product enables seamless connections to over 150 destinations, including long-haul to London-Heathrow, Istanbul, and Tashkent from Kuala Lumpur.
Conversely, AirAsia Malaysia and Indonesia AirAsia will suspend Darwin Airport (DRW) flights to Kuala Lumpur and Bali from April 28, 2026. These routes, operational for nearly a year, failed to achieve commercial viability. Affected customers will be contacted for refunds within 14 days, with thanks to Darwin Airport and the Northern Territory Tourism Board. The airline may return if demand improves.