AirAsia X to launch regular flights between Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent starting this October

Malaysian airline AirAsia X is set to launch regular flights to Uzbekistan in the fall of this year, according to the State Committee for Tourism.

On April 24, the airline’s Chairman Kamarudin Meranun and CEO Benyamin Ismail held talks with representatives of the committee and local tour operators. The discussions focused on expanding air connectivity and enhancing the bilateral tourism potential between Malaysia and Uzbekistan.

Starting from October, the airline plans to operate three weekly flights on the Kuala Lumpur – Tashkent – Kuala Lumpur route. The two sides also explored the possibility of establishing connecting flights to third countries via this route.

Another key topic of the meeting was the development of pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan under the “Umrah Plus” program. The Malaysian delegation highlighted the growing interest among Malaysian travelers in Uzbekistan’s Islamic heritage and religious traditions, noting the country’s significance as part of regional pilgrimage routes.

AirAsia X received official permission from Uzbekistan’s Civil Aviation Authority to operate regular flights to the country in early February. Around the same time, South Korea’s T’way Air was also granted approval to launch flights between Tashkent and Seoul.

Also, in February, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed relevant authorities to introduce a special “Umrah Plus” tourism package for Malaysian and Indonesian pilgrims. The package would include visits to religious sites and landmarks in Samarkand and Bukhara en route to Mecca.