AirAsia expands access to Europe through codeshare partnership
Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA) - AirAsia is expanding its international connectivity through the launch of its first codeshare partnership with Pegasus Airlines, Turkey’s largest low-cost carrier (LCC), announced in Selangor, Malaysia, on Wednesday.
This partnership opens up more travel options for Southeast Asian travellers, including those from Indonesia, to explore various European destinations with more practical connections through Istanbul.
The partnership brings together two LCC powerhouses from ASEAN and Europe, linking AirAsia’s extensive network in ASEAN and Asia with Pegasus’s network, which reaches various European destinations via its hub at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen.
For Indonesian tourists, this partnership provides an easier travel alternative for continuing journeys to Europe. Indonesian travellers can utilise Indonesia AirAsia flights to Kuala Lumpur, then continue via the AirAsia and Pegasus Airlines networks to various European destinations in a more integrated single journey.
Gradually, the partnership will bring AirAsia closer to Europe by providing access to more than 100 routes between Asia and Europe through the combined networks of AirAsia and Pegasus. In the initial stage, connectivity will cover five European destinations: Stansted (London), Vnukovo (Moscow), Esenboga (Ankara), Zurich (Switzerland), and Athens (Greece).
Passengers can travel from Kuala Lumpur to these destinations via Istanbul. To further strengthen connectivity between Asia and Europe, AirAsia will increase the frequency of the Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul (KUL-SAW) route from four to seven times per week starting in February 2027. This increase in frequency provides greater flexibility and travel options for tourists between the two regions.
The Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul route, operated by AirAsia X, has connected Southeast Asia directly to Istanbul since November 2025. Through this codeshare cooperation, passengers can enjoy a more seamless travel experience with a single booking, with baggage being checked through to the final destination. Passengers will also not need to re-check in or collect and re-deposit baggage during transit in Istanbul.
This new connectivity also applies to travel in the opposite direction. Tourists from Europe can travel via Istanbul to Kuala Lumpur, then continue using AirAsia’s extensive Fly-Thru network to various destinations in ASEAN, Asia, and Australia, including popular destinations in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and more.
With the increased flight frequency to Istanbul, connectivity between Europe and Asia is strengthened, while opening more options for European tourists to explore premier destinations in the region through the AirAsia network.
“As AirAsia’s first codeshare partnership, this collaboration is a significant milestone in AirAsia’s 25-year journey and marks a new chapter in our evolution,