Kuala Lumpur International Airport—commonly known
as KLIA—is Malaysia’s main international gateway and one of the largest
transportation hubs in both Southeast Asia and the world. Located
in Sepang, about 45 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur city center,
the airport is a key connector for global travelers.
In 2018, KLIA handled nearly 60 million
passengers, making it the 23rd busiest airport in the world by
passenger volume.
Spanning 100 square kilometers, the airport was
built on what was once agricultural land. Today, it features three runways
and two main terminals, with Terminal 1 also including a satellite
building to accommodate international flights.
History of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
The story of Kuala Lumpur International Airport
(KLIA) began on June 1, 1993, with the groundbreaking ceremony
for what would become one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most advanced
aviation hubs. The need for a new airport arose because the existing Sultan
Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (also known as SkyPark Subang) could no
longer support the growing volume of air traffic.
The new airport was designed by renowned Japanese
architect Kisho Kurokawa, known for blending modern design with natural
elements.
Following the completion of KLIA:
- The first terminal at Subang Airport was demolished.
- The third terminal was repurposed for charter flights.
- The IATA airport code KUL was transferred to KLIA, while SZB was assigned to the former Subang Airport.
KLIA officially opened on June 27, 1998, and
features three runways, capable of handling up to 78 aircraft
landings per hour.
One of the unique highlights of KLIA1’s
satellite terminal is the Jungle Boardwalk—a lush indoor leisure
area that brings a touch of Malaysia’s tropical rainforest into the airport
environment.
The Main Terminal – KLIA1
KLIA1 is the
airport’s primary terminal and is located between two runways, covering
a total area of 390,000 square meters. It features 216 check-in
counters, and since 2007, has also offered self-service check-in
kiosks, introduced by KLM—one of the first airlines to implement
this technology at the airport.
Gate
Layout:
- Domestic flights use Gates A and B
- International flights use Gates G and H
- Gate C is located in the satellite terminal, which is connected to the main terminal via the Aerotrain
The Aerotrain journey takes just 2
minutes, with trains running every 5 minutes. However, this short
trip can become slightly inconvenient if your departure gate is changed
between the satellite terminal and the main terminal. In such cases, you’ll
need to travel between terminals again, so it’s important to monitor
flight information displays carefully while at the airport.
Satellite
Terminal Highlights:
- Covers approximately 176,000 square meters
- Exclusively serves international flights
- Offers a wide range of Duty-Free shops, boutiques (such as Burberry, Harrods, Montblanc, and Salvatore Ferragamo), and restaurants
So if you didn’t spend all your
ringgit in the main terminal, you’ll have plenty of opportunities here.
Amenities
at KLIA:
- Free internet access
- Multiple lounges, including those with children’s playrooms and small movie theaters
KLIA2 – The New Terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport
KLIA2
is the second terminal
at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, built specifically to handle low-cost carrier flights.
It replaced the former Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)
and represents a major upgrade in both capacity and passenger experience.
🏗️ Construction & Launch
- Construction cost: ~4 billion Malaysian ringgit
- Opening date: May 2, 2014
- By May 9, 2014, all operations were officially transferred from LCCT to KLIA2
- A third runway was built alongside the terminal to support increased traffic
📐 Terminal Specs
- Total area: 257,845 square meters
- Passenger capacity: Up to 45 million annually
- Departure gates: 68
- Aerobridges: 80
- Environmental certification: LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for eco-friendly construction
✈️ Gate Information
- Domestic flights: Gates J and K
- International flights: Gates L, P, and Q
- Gates P and Q are located in the satellite terminal, which is connected to the main building via a covered walkway
🛍️ Gateway@KLIA2: Shopping & Dining
Integrated directly into KLIA2 is Gateway@KLIA2, a large shopping and dining complex with a wide variety of retail options.
🧴 Beauty & Health
- AEON Wellness
- Guardian
- Quick Nails
- The Body Shop
- Watsons
👕 Fashion & Accessories
- Amaze Creative, Brands Outlet, F.O.S, Giordano, H&M, Padini Concept Store, Pierre Cardin, Polo Haus, Soxworld, The Travel Store, Uniqlo, Vincci
- Footwear: Crocs, Jelly Bunny, Hush Puppies
- Bags & Leather Goods: MnB, Wings
- Lingerie: Young Hearts
📱 Electronics
- Canon
- iGadget
- TopGate Telemobile
🍔 Cafés & Restaurants
A mix of local favorites and international chains:
- Fast food & casual dining: McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Subway, Nando’s, Sushi King
- Cafés & sweets: Starbucks, McCafé, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin-Robbins, Llao Llao, Garrett Popcorn, Famous Amos, Auntie Anne’s
- Asian flavors: Ah Cheng Laksa, Boat Noodle, Hometown Hainan Coffee, Ipoh Vintage, Liang Sandwich Bar, Nyonya Colors, OldTown White Coffee, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks
- Healthy & organic options: BMS Organics Café, Boost Juice
- Others: Chatime, Gong Cha, Tealive, Regiustea, Xing Fu Tang, Isaac Toast & Coffee, Nam Heong, Toast Box, I Love Yoo!, Baiwago Plus Café, NZ Curry House, PappaRich, Quizinn by Rasa Food Court, Daily Fresh, Wincaa Bubble Tea
🕶️ Watches, Optics & Accessories
- AWG Fine Watches
- City Chain
- Pandora
- Sunglass Hut
- Tissot
🛒 Convenience Stores
- 7-Eleven
- FamilyMart
- Jaya Grocer
- KK Super Mart
📊 KLIA Passenger Statistics (2018)
✈️ Top 5 Destinations Served
- Singapore Changi Airport – 4,097,000 passengers
- Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport – 2,716,808 passengers
- Bali Ngurah Rai Airport – 1,587,021 passengers
- Hong Kong International Airport – 1,580,320 passengers
- Don Mueang Airport (Bangkok) – 1,416,402 passengers
🛫 Top 4 Airlines by Passenger Volume
- AirAsia – 22,749,737 passengers
- Malaysia Airlines – 13,403,931 passengers
- AirAsia X – 5,643,538 passengers
- Malindo Air – 4,438,320 passengers
Transport Within and Between KLIA Terminals
KLIA1: Aerotrain
Within KLIA1, the main terminal and
the satellite terminal are connected by an automated Aerotrain:
- Capacity: 250 passengers per train
- Throughput: Up to 3,000 passengers per hour
- Speed: 56 km/h
- Travel time: 2–3 minutes
- Frequency: Every 5 minutes
- Fully automated: Operations, speed, stops, and door control are all managed automatically
🚨 Tip: Gate
changes between the satellite and main terminal can require a return trip via
Aerotrain. Be sure to monitor gate assignments on
airport displays to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth.
KLIA1 ↔ KLIA2: Inter-Terminal Transfer
If you mistakenly arrive at the wrong terminal,
you can easily transfer between KLIA1 and KLIA2 in two ways:
🚆 KLIA Ekspres
- High-speed train connecting KLIA1 and KLIA2
- Travel time: ~3 minutes
- Fare: 2 MYR
- Convenient, especially if you're in a rush or prefer not to wait for a bus
🚌 Free Shuttle Bus
- 24/7 service, running every 10 minutes
- Pickup locations: Level 1 at both KLIA1 and KLIA2
- Available for all passengers, especially those in transit
Transport to Kuala Lumpur City Center
KLIA is connected to KL Sentral (Kuala Lumpur's
central station) via the Express Rail Link (ERL). The
journey is approximately 57 kilometers.
There are two train services on this
line:
🚄 KLIA Ekspres
- Non-stop service from KLIA to KL Sentral
- Travel time:
- From KLIA1: 28 minutes
- From KLIA2: 33 minutes
- Departure frequency: Every 15 minutes during peak hours
✅ In-Town Check-In Service
Available at KL Sentral for passengers flying
with:
Cathay Pacific, Emirates,
Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, and Royal Brunei Airlines
- Check-in available up to 2 hours before departure
🎫 Ticket Prices
Ticket Type | Adult (MYR) | Child (MYR) |
One-way KLIA1/KLIA2 → KL Sentral | 55 | 25 |
Round-trip KLIA1/KLIA2 ↔ KL Sentral | 100 | 45 |
Family fare (one-way) | 40 | 20 |
Group fare (3+ adults, one-way) | 40/person | – |
💡 Tip: Get a 10% discount when
booking through the KLIA Ekspres app or airport self-service kiosks.
🚉 KLIA Transit
- Same line, but includes 4 additional stops:
- Bandar Tasik Selatan
- Putrajaya & Cyberjaya
- Salak Tinggi
- KLIA (Terminal 1)
- Travel time:
- KLIA1 → KL Sentral: 35 minutes
- KLIA2 → KL Sentral: 39 minutes
- Frequency: Every 20 minutes during peak hours
- Best option if you're heading to Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital
🚌 Bus Services to Kuala Lumpur
Both public and private buses
operate between the airport and the city. You’ll find bus counters and pick-up
points on Level 2 of
the terminals.
💰 Bus Fares
- KLIA2 → KL Sentral: ~15 MYR
- KLIA1 → KL Sentral: ~12 MYR
- Travel time: ~1 hour
- Air-conditioned, clean, and available late at night
⏱️ Frequency
- Every 10–15 minutes during the day
- Night services are available for late arrivals
🗺️ Common Drop-Off Points in Kuala Lumpur
- KL Sentral – Major hub for trains and city transport
- Puduraya – Long-distance bus terminal
- Bukit Bintang – Shopping and nightlife district
- KLCC – Shopping area near the iconic Petronas Towers
🛑 Note: Always
double-check which terminal your flight departs from when buying return
tickets. It takes 15–20
minutes to travel between terminals, and that extra time could
make a difference if you're running late.
🔍 Finding the Bus Stop at KL Sentral
It can be slightly tricky to locate:
- Look for the KLIA Ekspres counters in the main hall
- Near the counters, you’ll find an exit to the station
- Just outside, take the escalators down to the bus station
- If unsure, ask a security guard—they’re usually happy to help
🚌 Travel Beyond Kuala Lumpur
At the airport, you can also buy bus tickets to:
- Major cities in Malaysia: Penang, Johor Bahru, Malacca, and more
- Singapore and Hat Yai (Thailand)
🎟️ Booking tip:
Use BusOnlineTicket.com
to book seats in advance.
🚖 Taxis & Ride-Hailing
🚗 Grab (Ride-Hailing App)
- Widely used and reliable in Kuala Lumpur
- If you already have the Grab app, you're good to go
🚕 Traditional Taxis
- Taxi booking counters are located inside the terminals (including options for limousine service)
- Metered taxis are
available at: Level
1 and Level 3 of KLIA terminal
✈️ Major Airlines Operating at KLIA1
Keep this in mind when booking flights, making
transfers, or during departures!
These full-service and international carriers
operate out of KLIA1
(Terminal 1):
- Air Canada (AC)
- Air France (AF)
- Air India (AI)
- Air New Zealand (NZ)
- All Nippon Airways (NH)
- American Airlines (AA)
- Bangkok Airways (PG)
- Batik Air (ID)
- British Airways (BA)
- Cambodia Angkor Air (K6)
- Cathay Pacific (KA)
- China Airlines (CI)
- China Eastern Airlines (MU)
- China Southern Airlines (CZ)
- Delta Air Lines (DL)
- Emirates (EK)
- Etihad Airways (EY)
- EVA Air (BR)
- Finnair (AY)
- Firefly (FY)
- Flynas (XY)
- Garuda Indonesia (GA)
- Japan Airlines (JL)
- Jet Airways (9W)
- Kenya Airways (KQ)
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL)
- Korean Air (KE)
- Lion Air (JT) ⚠️ Important note: Lion Air operates from KLIA1!
- Malaysia Airlines (MH)
- Malindo Air (MXD) ⚠️ Important note: Malindo Air operates from KLIA1!
- Myanmar Airways (8M)
- Oman Air (WY)
- Philippine Airlines (PR)
- Qantas (QF)
- Qatar Airways (QR)
- Royal Brunei Airlines (BI)
- Royal Jordanian (RJ)
- Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV)
- Shanghai Airlines (FM)
- Shenzhen Airlines (ZH)
- SilkAir (MI)
- Singapore Airlines (SQ)
- SriLankan Airlines (UL)
- Swiss International Air Lines (LX)
- Thai Airways (TG)
- Turkish Airlines (TK)
- United Airlines (UA)
- Vietnam Airlines (VN)
- Virgin Australia (VA)
- Xiamen Airlines (MF)
🛫 Airlines Operating at KLIA2
Mostly low-cost and regional carriers. Important
to confirm your terminal before travel.
The following airlines operate from KLIA2 (Terminal 2):
- AirAsia (AK flights)
- AirAsia X (D7 flights)
- AirAsia Indonesia (QZ)
- AirAsia Zest (Z2 flights)
- Thai AirAsia (FD flights)
- Cebu Pacific Air (5J)
- Jetstar Asia (3K flights)
- Scoot (TR flights)
- JC Cambodia (QD)
🔍 How to Check Your Departure Terminal
If you're unsure which terminal your flight
departs from:
- Use the electronic display board available online or in the airport
- Enter your flight number to confirm whether it's KLIA1 (Terminal 1) or KLIA2 (Terminal 2)
- The Kuala Lumpur Airport website
provides this service
📱 Mobile Connectivity at the Airport
Upon arrival, you can easily purchase and
activate a local SIM card
at the airport:
- Top Malaysian telecom providers are available at arrival halls
- A prepaid SIM card with around 5GB of data typically costs 30 MYR
- No need to shop around—most offer competitive, tourist-friendly packages
🧳 Luggage Storage at Kuala Lumpur Airport (KLIA)
If you’re planning to explore Kuala Lumpur but
don’t want to carry your bags around, luggage storage services at
KLIA are a convenient solution.
📦 Smart Lockers (Self-Service)
Located in the terminals and available 24/7, smart
lockers offer secure, automated storage. Prices are charged per day,
based on the locker size and duration of storage.
🟦 Medium Locker
Dimensions: 40 cm (H) × 32 cm
(W) × 75 cm (L)
- 1–6 days: 40 MYR/day
- 7–14 days: 36 MYR/day
- 15+ days: 32 MYR/day
🟥 Large Locker
Dimensions: 55 cm (H) × 43 cm
(W) × 75 cm (L)
- 1–6 days: 51 MYR/day
- 7–14 days: 46 MYR/day
- 15+ days: 42 MYR/day
🧳 Staffed Luggage Storage (by Item)
This service charges by the number of bags or suitcases
stored, also based on the size and duration.
🔹 Small Luggage
Dimensions: 43 cm (H) × 31 cm
(W) × 21 cm (L)
- 1–6 days: 19 MYR/day
- 7–14 days: 17 MYR/day
- 15+ days: 15 MYR/day
🔸 Medium Luggage
Dimensions: 60 cm (H) × 42 cm
(W) × 25 cm (L)
- 1–6 days: 30 MYR/day
- 7–14 days: 27 MYR/day
- 15+ days: 23 MYR/day
🔺 Large Luggage
Dimensions: 67 cm (H) × 46 cm
(W) × 31 cm (L)
- 1–6 days: 40 MYR/day
- 7–14 days: 36 MYR/day
- 15+ days: 32 MYR/day
🟪 Extra Large Luggage
For any luggage exceeding the dimensions above
- 1–6 days: 51 MYR/day
- 7–14 days: 46 MYR/day
- 15+ days: 42 MYR/day
🌐 Airport Website & Feedback
For updated information, pricing, and services,
visit the official Airport website.
💬 Share Your Experience:
- Was the airport easy to navigate?
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