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Lahad Datu Airport (LDU)
Departures from Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) at a glance
- 5flights a day21st busiest of 30 airports
- 2routes from here
- 1airline
- 09:05 – 17:05first and last
Collected 28 September 2026. Not live — check with the airline before booking.
Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) serves Lahad Datu, the district capital on Darvel Bay (Teluk Darvel) on Sabah's east coast, in the Tawau Division. The terminal is reported to be about 1 km from the town centre. The airline recorded here is AirBorneo, which took over all services previously operated by MASwings from 1 January 2026.
The management of Danum Valley Conservation Area names Lahad Datu Airport as the way in by air, and Tabin Wildlife Reserve is also reached by road from the town. The town's economy rests on palm oil processing and its port.
Flights from Lahad Datu Airport
Direct domestic flights recorded from Lahad Datu Airport go to:
| Destination | Airport | Airline recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Kota Kinabalu | Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) | AirBorneo |
| Sandakan | Sandakan Airport (SDK) | AirBorneo |
This table shows destinations, not a timetable: check the current booking for days, times and aircraft.
Terminal reconfiguration reported in February 2025
On 25 February 2025, Jesselton Times reported a Ministry of Transport answer to Parliament that Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) would reconfigure the Lahad Datu terminal's check-in counters, security screening, baggage claim and the arrival and departure halls. The work was scheduled to begin in September 2025 and finish by the first quarter of 2026.
AirBorneo check-in and baggage rules by aircraft
AirBorneo sets different rules for its ATR72-500 and DHC-6 Twin Otter services, so which ones apply depends on the aircraft on your flight. Read the aircraft type on your booking before you pack. These figures are from AirBorneo's own Conditions of Carriage.
| Rule | ATR72-500 | DHC-6 Twin Otter |
|---|---|---|
| Free checked baggage | 20 kg | 10 kg |
| Cabin baggage | 1 piece, 7 kg, up to 56 x 30 x 18 cm | 1 piece, 7 kg, up to 29 x 33 x 36 cm |
| Check-in | AirBorneo has announced online check-in for its ATR-served routes | At the airport check-in counter only |
| At the boarding gate | At least 30 minutes before departure | At least 30 minutes before departure |
| Unaccompanied minors | May be accepted | Not accepted |
AirBorneo says check-in deadlines vary by airport and that allowing enough time is the passenger's responsibility. If your booking shows a Twin Otter, pack to its 10 kg free checked allowance, half the ATR figure, and plan to check in at the counter.
Sabah entry documents for Malaysians from the Peninsula
Under Section 66 of the Immigration Act 1959/63, a Malaysian citizen needs a pass or permit to enter and stay in Sabah. For a Malaysian from West Malaysia on a short visit, the Immigration Department issues a free, single-journey Document in Lieu of Internal Travel Document at the immigration counters in Sabah's airport arrival halls. It 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, and the Lahad Datu Immigration Office is listed as one of the Sabah offices that issue it. A separate Section 66 exemption endorsement, issued only by the Sabah State Immigration Department, 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 there.
When you later leave Sabah on a domestic journey, the Immigration Department asks for an identity document, a valid pass and your boarding pass.
When AirBorneo cancels for weather
AirBorneo's Conditions of Carriage treat adverse weather as a cause outside the airline's control. In that case the airline has no immediate obligation to carry, re-route or refund, though it says it will make reasonable efforts to assist. During haze on 1 September 2026, Malay Mail reported AirBorneo cancelling two flights from an airport in Sarawak even though runway visibility there stayed above the airport's minimum.
Danum Valley Conservation Area from Lahad Datu
Danum Valley Conservation Area's own management gives two ways in: by air to Lahad Datu Airport from Kota Kinabalu, or by road via Tawau or Sandakan. From Lahad Datu the road distance is about 80 km.
Its management requires visitors to get a vehicle permit at the Danum Valley office in Fajar town, Lahad Datu, before travelling on. Scheduled and private transfers to the Danum Valley Studies Centre are arranged through that office's reservations contact, and the steps are on the Danum Valley services page.
Tabin Wildlife Reserve
Tabin Wildlife Resort's own site says the reserve is reached by road from Lahad Datu. The Sabah Tourism Board names its sights as a mud volcano the size of a football field, used as a mineral salt lick with an observation tower nearby, and Lipad Waterfall.
The same board lists Tabin Wildlife Resort, run by Tabin Wildlife Holidays Sdn Bhd, as the reserve's only accommodation. Book the resort before you book the flight.
Lahad Datu town and Darvel Bay
The Lahad Datu district office describes the town as Sabah's fourth-largest city and its fourth most important economic centre. The district covers about 6,501 square kilometres. At the 2010 census, Lahad Datu town had about 27,887 people; the district office's current estimate for Lahad Datu and Tungku combined is about 306,360.
The district office says Darvel Bay is naturally sheltered from storms by the surrounding islands, including Pulau Sakar. It names the district's communities as Idahan, Chinese, Suluk, Bajau, Bugis and Javanese, with Indonesian, Philippine and Pakistani residents.
Palm oil and the port
The Sabah state government set up the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Lahad Datu in 2005 to develop downstream palm oil processing, within the Sabah Development Corridor. POIC has 2,000 acres developed with infrastructure and utilities, plans to expand to more than 4,400 acres, and runs its own port with container, dry bulk, liquid bulk and barge services.
The Sabah Ports Authority says Lahad Datu Port mainly supports the palm oil, oleochemical and biodiesel sectors through POIC Lahad Datu.
Buses from Lahad Datu
A local guide to the town lists three bus terminals: a newer one named FPCC for intercity coaches to Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan; the Kompleks Fajar terminal for local minivans and shared taxis; and an older terminal for rural village routes.