Travelling from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI): what you need to know
The average length of a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport is 2 hours 40 minutes.
Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu follow the same timezone, UTC+8.
Choose from 1,300 weekly Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport flights. The 05:45 departure with AirAsia is the earliest available. AirAsia operates the last service of the day at 23:40.
For a smooth journey, arrive at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and one hour before domestic departures. This way, you can comfortably catch your KUL to BKI flight.
You'll likely experience longer queues in popular months like August. Arriving up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours for domestic departures will give you ample time for security and boarding.
You can travel nonstop to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Jet off with one of these carriers that operate direct flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport:
The majority of travellers choose to fly with AirAsia on this route.
With 69.03% of its services landing as planned, Malaysia Airlines is the most punctual carrier operating KUL to BKI flights.
We make it easy to book a flight with a stopover. To see all your options for tickets from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Then, choose a flight with a stop long enough to explore your chosen city. Top stopovers between KUL and BKI include:
Labuan Airport
Senai Airport
Kuching International Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
The cheapest price we've seen for a one-way Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport flight is R 499. A round-trip fare right now is R 1,023. Depending on the availability and when you book, these fares can change.
To pick up cheap tickets from KUL to BKI, reserve your journey five months before your departure date.
The cheapest month for flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport is April. Use the 'Whole month' tool to see the lowest prices if you have a flexible schedule.
Landing cheap flights from KUL to BKI is a cinch with Price Alerts. All you need to do is create one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you when a new discounted fare appears.
Discover the perfect flight for you with the help of the filters. To see the 'Fastest,' 'Best' or 'Cheapest' flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, use the 'Sort by' function. You can also filter by airline, departure and arrival times, and journey duration.
Handy information about Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
When it comes to the on-time performance of Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 58.65% of flights complete their journey on time.
Central Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Lumpur International Airport is around 64 kilometres. Depending on traffic, it'll take about 1 hour 5 minutes to get there if you're driving, catching a cab or ride-sharing.
Planning to catch public transport? Expect a trip time of around 4 hours 30 minutes.
Get your travels off to a stress-free start by staying near KUL. Whether you're boarding an early flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport or want to avoid feeling rushed, these stays are ideal:
Arriving at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
The last thing you want is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport flight. Check in to one of these accommodation options near BKI instead:
Pick up a Kota Kinabalu International Airport rental car and discover Kota Kinabalu and beyond with your own set of wheels. NH Travel, Green Motion and Keddy By Europcar are well-known companies you can book with here.
Lock in the best possible rate by booking your ride from Kota Kinabalu International Airport around one week ahead of your departure.
Getting from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) to central Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu International Airport to central Kota Kinabalu has a drive time of about 15 minutes. It's approximately 8 kilometres away.
When to fly to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
August is the busiest month for flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. To avoid the crowds, go to Kota Kinabalu in February.
The warmest month in Kota Kinabalu is May, with the temperature ranging between 24ºC (75ºF) and 31ºC (88ºF). Lock in your flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport in this month if you enjoy this type of weather.
February has average temperatures of between 23ºC (73ºF) and 29ºC (84ºF). Look for cheap tickets from KUL to BKI around that time if you'd rather travel in cooler conditions.
Explore more of Malaysia
Sandakan is just one of the many places in Malaysia waiting to be explored once you've taken in the sights of Kota Kinabalu. Around 225 kilometres away to the east, check out popular attractions including Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan Memorial Park and Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC).
If you're eager to discover another major stop in Malaysia, head for Tawau, roughly 274 kilometres south-east of Kota Kinabalu. Teck Guan Cocoa Museum, Tawau Bell Tower (The Belfry) and Masjid Al-Khauthar, Sabindo Tawau, Sabah. Are among its highlights.
