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Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR)
Departures from Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR) at a glance
- 11flights a day18th busiest of 30 airports
- 2routes from here
- 3airlines
- 08:45 – 21:05first and last
Collected 28 September 2026. Not live — check with the airline before booking.
Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR) is the airport for Alor Setar, the capital of Kedah. Malaysia Airports runs it, and it lies near Kepala Batas, 8.5 km north-east of the Telekom Tower in Alor Setar, measured in a straight line. The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) classes it as a domestic airport.
The runway is shared with the air force, and it has been closed more than once since late 2024: by floodwater, twice by air force aircraft incidents and by an airliner's burst tyre. In CAAM's aerodrome entry effective from 11 August 2026, the airport operator's hours convert to 06:30 to 22:30 Malaysia time, which are not round-the-clock hours. The same entry excepts scheduled flights from its notice rule for operations after the operator's hours, so check a late flight with your airline.
Direct domestic flights recorded from Alor Setar go to Kuala Lumpur, at two different airports, and to Johor Bahru. The BAS.MY Kota Setar bus network began phased operation on 1 June 2025, and its route K20 passes the airport in both directions.
Sultan Abdul Halim Airport at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| International Air Transport Association (IATA) code | AOR |
| International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) code | WMKA |
| Operator | Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd |
| Address | Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, 06550 Alor Setar, Kedah |
| Distance | 8.5 km north-east of the Telekom Tower, Alor Setar, in a straight line |
| CAAM classification | Domestic |
| Airport operator's hours | 06:30 to 22:30 Malaysia time daily (CAAM entry effective 11 August 2026) |
| Customs | 06:00 to midnight Malaysia time (same entry) |
| Immigration | By prior arrangement |
| Runway | One, designated 04/22, 2,745 m long and 45 m wide, asphalt; shared with the air force |
| Elevation | 14 ft |
Airport operator's hours, customs and immigration
CAAM's aerodrome entry for the airport, in the edition effective from 11 August 2026, gives the airport operator's hours as 22:30 to 14:30 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) daily, which is 06:30 to 22:30 Malaysia time. Customs is listed from 06:00 to midnight Malaysia time. Before booking an early start or a late connection, check the timing with your airline.
The same entry lists immigration by prior arrangement, and CAAM classes the airport as domestic. The Ministry of Transport's figures for 2025, which exclude transit passengers, record all of the airport's passengers that year as domestic.
A runway shared with the air force
The news agency Bernama described the airport on 30 December 2025 as handling domestic commercial and military aviation operations, and the airport has one runway. Runway closures since late 2024 include:
- 29 November 2024: the runway was closed because of rising floodwater, while the terminal remained open. It reopened on 9 December, after ten days.
- 6 May 2025: the runway was closed after an air force aircraft incident, to allow the aircraft to be removed. It reopened the same evening, and arrivals and departures were rescheduled, including flights carrying haj pilgrims.
- 19 August 2025: the runway was closed after a second air force aircraft incident, to allow the aircraft to be removed and the runway cleared.
- 30 December 2025: the runway was closed after a Malaysia Airlines aircraft bound for Kuala Lumpur aborted its take-off with a burst tyre. It reopened the same evening once CAAM had given final safety clearance, and Malaysia Airports said operations were running as normal.
During the May 2025 closure, Malaysia Airports told passengers to check with their airline, or with Lembaga Tabung Haji for haj flights. If the runway closes on your travel day, start with your airline.
Airlines and destinations from Alor Setar
Direct domestic flights recorded from Sultan Abdul Halim Airport are operated by AirAsia, Firefly and Malaysia Airlines, and go to:
| Destination | Airport | Airlines recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) | AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines |
| Kuala Lumpur (Subang) | Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB) | Firefly |
| Johor Bahru | Senai International Airport (JHB) | AirAsia |
Flights to Kuala Lumpur are recorded to two different airports: Kuala Lumpur International Airport with AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines, and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at Subang with Firefly. Check which one your ticket names before you arrange onward travel.
AirAsia's general advice is to arrive at the airport 2 to 3 hours before your scheduled departure. If you are flying Firefly or Malaysia Airlines, check that airline's own advice.
Getting to and from the airport
Taxi and e-hailing
Taxi is the ground transport listed in CAAM's aerodrome entry. A coupon system is reported for taxis, paid at a counter in the arrivals hall. Grab's airport rides index lists Sultan Abdul Halim Airport under Alor Setar.
BAS.MY Kota Setar buses
BAS.MY Kota Setar is a government-funded stage-bus network run by Gopi Travel Tours Sdn Bhd, appointed by the Land Public Transport Agency under the Ministry of Transport. It began phased operation on 1 June 2025, and Bernama's report of the launch names Sultan Abdul Halim Airport among the destinations its routes connect. The buses are low-floor and disabled-friendly, with cashless payment.
Route K20, between Shahab Perdana and Jitra, passes the airport in both directions, and the operator's timetable shows it running every day of the week. Check the route and its hours with the operator before relying on it for a flight.
Train via Anak Bukit
Anak Bukit railway station appears, northbound and southbound, on the rail operator's timetable in force from 1 June 2026. It is reported to be 5 to 8 minutes from the airport by taxi, so a rail journey still ends with a road transfer.
Car hire
Hertz lists a car hire location at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport. Confirm the location and hours with Hertz before you travel.
In the terminal, and services nearby
CAAM's aerodrome entry lists restaurants in the terminal and a cash machine at the airport, with hotels, banking, a post office and a tourist office in town. For medical help, it lists two hospitals, 11 km and 13 km away, the second of them Jitra Hospital.
The terminal building is reported to date from 2006, with departures on the upper level, arrivals on the lower level and two aerobridges.
Passenger numbers
The Ministry of Transport's Transport Statistics Malaysia 2025, which excludes transit passengers, records 645,311 passengers at the airport in 2025.
Frequently asked questions about Sultan Abdul Halim Airport
What are the airport operator's hours at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport?
CAAM's aerodrome entry, effective from 11 August 2026, gives the airport operator's hours as 22:30 to 14:30 UTC daily, which is 06:30 to 22:30 Malaysia time, with customs from 06:00 to midnight Malaysia time. The entry excepts scheduled flights from its notice rule for operations after the operator's hours, so check with your airline before an early or late flight.
How far is Sultan Abdul Halim Airport from Alor Setar?
CAAM puts the airport 8.5 km north-east of the Telekom Tower in Alor Setar, measured in a straight line, and it lies near Kepala Batas. Taxis are listed at the airport, and BAS.MY Kota Setar bus route K20 passes it in both directions.
Is Sultan Abdul Halim Airport a domestic or an international airport?
CAAM classes it as a domestic airport, and its aerodrome entry lists immigration by prior arrangement. The Ministry of Transport's figures for 2025 record all of the airport's non-transit passengers as domestic, and direct domestic flights are recorded from the airport to Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.
Has the runway at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport closed in the past?
Yes. It was closed by floodwater from 29 November to 9 December 2024, closed on 6 May and 19 August 2025 after air force aircraft incidents, and closed on 30 December 2025 after an airliner's burst tyre, reopening the same evening. If it closes on your travel day, check with your airline.
Which airlines fly from Sultan Abdul Halim Airport?
Direct domestic flights from the airport are recorded with AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with Firefly to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at Subang, and with AirAsia to Senai International Airport at Johor Bahru.