AirAsia X plots London Gatwick return with Airbus A330 flights via new Bahrain hub
February 11, 2026
AirAsia X has announced its long-rumoured return to London’s Gatwick Airport with daily flights starting in June 2026.
Services will run from Kuala Lumpur to London, reinstating the connection after more than a decade of absence. But while the service was previously operated with a widebody Airbus A340, AirAsia X will relaunch the route using its A330-300s.
Gatwick Airport confirmed the service will begin on 26 June, marking the eighth new airline to launch flights from the London gateway so far this year.
AirAsia X is launching the new services with limited-time promotional fares on a first-come, first-served basis, starting from BHD39 (approximately £82) one-way, all-in, from Bahrain to both Kuala Lumpur and London.
Following the initial promotion, standard entry fares will begin from BHD50 (around £105) to Kuala Lumpur and BHD41 (about £86) to London.
Tickets are on sale from today until 22 February 2026, valid for travel between 26 June and 30 November 2026. Bookings can be made via airasia.com and the AirAsia MOVE app.
Why AirAsia X is flying to London via Bahrain
The practical reason AirAsia is launching London service via Bahrain is that the A330ceos do not have the range to operate nonstop. But the choice of stopover location is about more than just making the route work.
The airline announced in November that it would be creating a new hub at Bahrain to facilitate expansion into Europe and Africa. Today, Capital A shared that its logistics arm, Teleport, flew into Bahrain for the first time.
Geographically, Bahrain is strategically positioned for reach into new markets, and AirAsia X hopes that by locating a new hub in this region, it will be able to replicate its successful low-cost model elsewhere.
“Bahrain as our strategic aviation hub allows us to connect Asia with the Middle East and Europe more effectively while creating a scalable platform for future growth,” says Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Advisor to AAX. “We are building a growth engine that balances connectivity, commercial performance and operational resilience, while staying true to our value proposition of affordable long-haul travel.”
In an interview with Reuters, Fernandes said that he could envision having Airbus A321s flying maybe 15 times a day to Bahrain from Southeast Asia, connecting to flights into Europe, Africa and even North America.
AirAsia X: Emerging from restructuring with big plans
AirAsia and AirAsia X have now been consolidated under a single brand following a major financial restructure. The airline is also investing in fleet changes, including introducing the Airbus A321XLR to support longer, low-cost services.
The airline signed for as many as 70 of the long-range narrowbodies in June last year, and has indicated that its fleet renewal is not over yet. The carrier was tipped to place a large order for smaller regional jets at the Paris Air Show, but that order never materialised.
Since then, AirAsia has been revealed to be in talks with COMAC regarding its C919 narrowbody, but a potential Airbus A220 deal is still on the table.
“Our focus remains on disciplined fleet expansion, strengthening core hubs, driving ancillary and digital growth, and ensuring every new market strengthens the overall network,” says Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia X. “This is how we create sustainable value for the group of airlines while continuing to democratise long-haul travel.”
AirAsia X launched flights to Istanbul in November, its first European route in a decade. With London Gatwick now confirmed as well, the airline is betting on breaking the curse of low-cost long-haul to make its comeback.
Featured image: AirAsia X
