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AirBorneo

AirBorneo at a glance

  • 138flights a day3rd busiest of 5 airlines
  • 72routes flown
  • 22airports served
  • 06:15 – 21:25first and last

Checked baggage included with the fares we recorded: 10–23 kg, varying by fare. Airlines sell more; this is what the cheapest fares carried.

Collected between 28 September 2026 and 30 September 2026. Not live — check with the airline before booking.

AirBorneo (flight code MY) has run all the services MASwings used to operate in Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan since 1 January 2026. Since 20 July 2026 it has also flown Boeing 737-800 jets between Kuching and Kuala Lumpur.

Baggage allowances, online check-in and boarding times depend on which aircraft operates your flight, so check the aircraft type on your booking before you pack.

Flying AirBorneo Between Kuching and Kuala Lumpur

AirBorneo's first Boeing 737-800 flight flew from Kuching International Airport (KCH) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) on 20 July 2026, opening the airline's first route to Peninsular Malaysia, Kuching to Kuala Lumpur. That first flight arrived at Terminal 1 of Kuala Lumpur International Airport; confirm the terminal on your own booking before you travel.

The 737-800 has Business Class and Economy Class, and AirBorneo asks jet passengers to be at the boarding gate at least 60 minutes before departure. That is twice the time it asks on its ATR 72-500 and Twin Otter flights.

A Malaysian flying the other way, Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, is arriving in Sarawak, and the Sarawak entry rules further down this page apply.

AirBorneo's Aircraft and Cabin Classes

AirBorneo's fleet page lists the Boeing 737-800, the ATR 72-500 and the Twin Otter. Its Conditions of Carriage set baggage, check-in and boarding rules by aircraft, and on the 737-800 by cabin class as well.

The aircraft type varies by route, even from the same airport. AirBorneo's first Kuching to Mukah flight in January 2026 was an ATR 72-500, while its first Kuching to Tanjung Manis flight was a Twin Otter.

AirBorneo Baggage Allowance by Aircraft

AirBorneo currently allows the following, according to its Conditions of Carriage, dated 15 July 2026 and in effect from 1 July 2026. Allowances change, so check yours with AirBorneo before you fly.

Aircraft and cabinFree checked baggageCabin baggageCabin bag size
Boeing 737-800, Business Class30 to 43 kg, depending on the fare selected15 kg56 x 36 x 23 cm
Boeing 737-800, Economy Class15 to 33 kg, depending on the fare selected10 kg56 x 36 x 23 cm
ATR 72-50020 kg1 piece, 7 kg56 x 30 x 18 cm
Twin Otter10 kg1 piece, 7 kg29 x 33 x 36 cm

On the 737-800 the conditions give each cabin a range that depends on the fare selected, without saying which fare carries which figure. Check the allowance attached to your fare when you book.

The Twin Otter has the smallest free checked allowance in the table, 10 kg, half the ATR's. A 56 cm cabin bag, within the jet and ATR limits, is longer than any of the Twin Otter's cabin bag dimensions.

Checking In With AirBorneo

AirBorneo's Conditions of Carriage say check-in deadlines vary by airport, and a passenger who reaches the counter after it closes is marked as a no-show. At the gate, AirBorneo asks for at least 60 minutes on the jet and at least 30 minutes on the ATR 72-500 and the Twin Otter.

ATR 72-500 Flights

Since 2 March 2026, flights on ATR-served routes can be checked in online on AirBorneo's website, using the booking reference and surname. Online check-in opens 48 hours before departure and closes 90 minutes before take-off, and lets you choose a seat and receive an electronic boarding pass before reaching the airport.

Twin Otter Flights

Twin Otter flights are checked in at the airport counter only, and the online check-in introduced on 2 March 2026 covers ATR routes, not the Twin Otter. AirBorneo's check-in page gives the reason as the physical weighing of each passenger's body weight and hand luggage at the counter.

AirBorneo's Conditions of Carriage say unaccompanied minors may be accepted on its flights, except those operated by the Twin Otter.

Delays, Cancellations and Haze on AirBorneo

On 1 September 2026, haze led AirBorneo to cancel flights from Kuching to Mukah and to Tanjung Manis, while runway visibility at Kuching International Airport stayed above the airport's minimum. AirBorneo's notice said selected flights were affected by the worsening haze.

Under its Conditions of Carriage, when a delay or cancellation is caused by circumstances beyond its control, including adverse weather, AirBorneo has no immediate obligation to carry, re-route or refund, though it will make reasonable efforts to assist. On a rural itinerary, leave room in your plans for a flight that does not operate.

AirBorneo also announced temporary schedule adjustments on selected routes from 6 July to 24 October 2026, because some ATR and Twin Otter aircraft were grounded. Check your flight close to travel if it falls in that window.

Entry Documents for Sabah and Sarawak

Under Section 66 of the Immigration Act 1959/63, a Malaysian citizen needs a pass or permit to enter and be in Sabah or Sarawak. The Immigration Department sets out the documents below, and the Sarawak and Sabah details differ in places.

Arriving in Sarawak

For a short stay, a Malaysian from Peninsular Malaysia can use the Document in Lieu of Internal Travel Document, issued free at the Immigration Department counters in Sarawak airport arrival halls. It is for a single journey, allows a Social or Business Visit Pass of up to three months, and needs an identity card (age 12 and over) or a birth certificate (under 12).

For a stay of more than three months, the Restricted Travel Document is valid for five years. The Immigration Department's list of Sarawak offices issuing it includes Kuching, Sri Aman, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Limbang and Lawas/Ba'kelalan.

Arriving in Sabah

The Document in Lieu of Internal Travel Document and the Restricted Travel Document are federal documents, and the Immigration Department words them for Sabah and Sarawak together. Its list of Sabah offices issuing the Restricted Travel Document includes Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, Tawau, Sandakan, Sipitang, Kudat, Tenom, Semporna and Lahad Datu.

Sabah also has the Section 66 exemption endorsement, which the Immigration Department says is issued only by the Sabah State Immigration Department. It exempts federal civil servants transferred to Sabah from Peninsular Malaysia or Sarawak, and their spouses and children under 18, from needing a pass to live or work in Sabah.

Leaving Sabah or Sarawak on a Domestic Flight

The Immigration Department asks domestic travellers leaving Sabah or Sarawak for an identity document (such as a passport, Restricted Travel Document, identity card or birth certificate), a valid pass, and a boarding pass.

Loyalty Points and FLYsiswa Student Vouchers

From 1 January 2026, Malaysia Airlines Enrich points are not earned or redeemed on AirBorneo flights, according to AirBorneo's travel notice.

FLYsiswa is a Ministry of Transport initiative, not a loyalty scheme. It gives vouchers for economy-class AirBorneo flights between a student's permanent home and university address, for students enrolled in selected public universities in 2026 whose university is in a different region (Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia or Labuan) from their home.

Where AirBorneo Flies

Airports Served

AirBorneo is recorded flying to and from these airports:

Direct Routes Recorded

Direct AirBorneo flights recorded, listed by departure airport:

FromDirect flights recorded to
Kuala LumpurKuching
Kota KinabaluLabuan, Lahad Datu, Limbang, Mulu
KuchingLimbang, Mukah, Mulu, Tanjung Manis
MiriBintulu, Labuan, Lawas, Limbang, Long Akah, Long Banga, Long Lellang, Long Seridan, Marudi, Mukah, Mulu, Sibu
SibuBintulu, Mukah
SandakanLahad Datu, Tawau
MarudiBario, Long Akah, Long Banga, Long Lellang, Long Seridan
LawasBa'kelalan, Kota Kinabalu, Limbang
BarioBa'kelalan, Long Banga, Long Lellang, Miri

Who Owns and Runs AirBorneo

AirBorneo is wholly owned by the Sarawak state government. A state circular dated 17 July 2026 made it the preferred airline for official Sarawak government travel, effective immediately, with exceptions that include a fully booked flight and a destination it does not serve.

The federal government defines the Rural Air Service as non-economic air services to remote and sparsely populated areas of Sabah and Sarawak, where air transport is the primary link with the outside world. AirBorneo operates that network under a public service obligation agreement with the federal government, and its chief executive said in July 2026 that any schedule change first needs Ministry of Transport approval.

AirBorneo's contact page lists ticket offices at the airports in Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Miri, Labuan and Lahad Datu.

From MASwings to AirBorneo

MASwings began operating on 1 October 2007. The handover to AirBorneo followed a sale and purchase agreement between Malaysia Aviation Group and the Sarawak Government, signed on 12 February 2025, and on 1 January 2026 AirBorneo took full legal and operational responsibility for all former MASwings services, including flight operations and customer service.

  • 22 December 2025: Malaysia Aviation Group announces the handover.
  • 1 January 2026: AirBorneo takes over all former MASwings services across Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
  • 14 January 2026: the first flight under AirBorneo's own MY code operates, Miri to Labuan; by 15 January the airline had moved its departure control systems off MASwings' systems.
  • 2 March 2026: online check-in opens for ATR-served routes.
  • 1 July 2026: the current Conditions of Carriage take effect.
  • 17 July 2026: a state circular makes AirBorneo the preferred airline for official Sarawak government travel, effective immediately.
  • 20 July 2026: the first Boeing 737-800 flight, Kuching to Kuala Lumpur.

As of September 2026, the Ministry of Transport's own Rural Air Service page still named MASwings as the operator, although AirBorneo has run those services since 1 January 2026.

Airports AirBorneo flies to

Routes flown by AirBorneo

Show all 72 routes

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