Connection time at Kuala Lumpur Airport

Hi there, I’d like to know if it’s possible to catch a 9:00 AM flight to Lombok with Air Asia after landing in Kuala Lumpur at 6:10 AM from Paris with Malaysia Airlines (we don’t have checked baggage, but our tickets are separate, so we’ll need to go through immigration). Same question for the return: arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 9:20 PM from Lombok and departing for Paris at 11:40 PM. I’ve read that the two airlines are in different terminals at the airport. The other option is to take flights with a 7- to 8-hour layover. What do you think is better? Thanks!

Hi there, Less than 3 hours between two flights with separate tickets and a terminal change is risky. Malaysia Airlines arrives at T1, and AirAsia departs from T2, which is at the far end. You’ll need to take a free shuttle bus between the two terminals—the trip takes about 10 to 15 minutes if I remember correctly. If your flight from Paris is delayed, it’ll be tight. Plus, check-in closes 1 hour before departure for your AirAsia flight to Lombok (international flight). If you're feeling lucky, it’s doable, but you risk losing your ticket to Lombok. For your return trip, though, it’s a definite no—you should allow at least 4 hours of buffer time, especially since delays are common. My last AirAsia flight from KL to Phuket was delayed by 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Hi there,

When you want to make a connection with two separate tickets, there’s no secret or miracle solution. Not checking luggage is certainly an advantage, but that’s not all.

It’s impossible to predict the punctuality of the first flight or the time it’ll take to clear immigration. In Kuala Lumpur, there are e-gates, which usually help avoid losing too much time.

Either you’re feeling lucky and try it on the outbound trip—because on the return, it’s *very* risky. If you’re denied boarding, you’ll likely lose the ticket and face all the financial consequences.

Otherwise, plan for long layovers and just accept a much longer journey.

Another option is to spend a night in KL on the way there and back, and take the chance to explore the city. Zero risk and zero stress.

At the end of the day

Hi there,

No, it's too short. I’ve already waited 2 hours at the border in KL, then you have to collect your luggage and get to another terminal, Terminal 2... which is very poorly connected to Terminal 1 (you have to take a bus or a taxi). I’d recommend taking a later flight that day if there is one. It’s better to waste time in an airport than to try too hard to fill the gaps, miss your flight, and stress out. If you want to rest, there’s the Sama Sama Hotel, which is nice and not too expensive.

Safe travels.

Hi,

yes, Kuala Lumpur is a really interesting city—you can easily spend 2 to 3 days there to see everything. You can also take a flight to Denpasar or elsewhere before or after. It’s not just AirAsia (watch out, only 7 kg for luggage!).

Best regards

The best way to get from T1 to T2 is by train. Follow the sign for KLIA Express/Transit. It costs RM2 and takes less than 5 minutes.