AirAsia X Returns to London with Bahrain Stop

AirAsia X will resume flights between London Gatwick and Kuala Lumpur this summer, restoring a link that has been absent for more than a decade. Services begin on 26 June 2026 and will operate via Bahrain, rather than nonstop. The airline last served London in 2012, when it withdrew from Europe citing rising fuel costs, higher taxes and softer demand.

The revived service will connect Gatwick with Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with a scheduled stop in Bahrain lasting between 90 minutes and two hours. Total journey time is expected to be about 16 and a half hours. Tickets booked before 22 February for travel between 26 June and 30 November are advertised from €85 one way, though lower promotional seats appear limited.

AirAsia X has presented Bahrain as a key part of its European return. The carrier’s parent company, Capital A, describes the Gulf state as a strategic aviation hub linking Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The London route follows the launch of a direct Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen–Kuala Lumpur service in November, which takes around ten and a half hours and marks renewed activity in the region.

With Kuala Lumpur back on the Gatwick departures board, access to Malaysia’s capital and onward connections across Southeast Asia becomes easier again. The city offers a mix of street food districts, modern shopping centres and cultural landmarks such as the Petronas Towers. From there, short flights link to Penang, Langkawi and other beach destinations, while regional hubs across Thailand, Indonesia and Australia sit within reach.

The return of this route signals a cautious but clear re-entry into the European market for AirAsia X. The added stop in Bahrain reflects a different operating model to the former nonstop flights, yet it restores a budget option on a popular long-haul corridor. For anyone weighing price against convenience, the service reopens a once-familiar path between the UK and Malaysia.