Travellers in the Klang Valley and northern Malaysia will soon have more direct options to Indonesia as Batik Air launches two new international routes connecting Subang with Bali and Penang with Batam this October.
The new services come as travel between Malaysia and Indonesia continues to grow, with Indonesia remaining one of Malaysia’s key international visitor markets.
Malaysia welcomed 4.3 million Indonesian visitors in 2025, up 2.9% from the previous year.
At the same time, Malaysia continues to be an important source market for Indonesia, particularly for destinations such as Bali and Batam.
Subang gets direct Bali connection
Starting 20 October 2026, Batik Air will launch a direct service between Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang and Bali.
The new route will operate four times weekly, giving travellers in the Klang Valley another option to reach Bali without travelling to KLIA Terminal 1.
Bali remains one of the region’s most popular tourism destinations, recording 6.95 million direct international tourist arrivals in 2025, an increase of 9.72% from 2024.
PHOTO CREDIT: BATIK AIR
The new Subang service will complement Batik Air’s existing KLIA-Bali service, which operates 35 times weekly.
For travellers based around Kuala Lumpur, the new route could make Bali trips more convenient by bringing the international service closer to the city.
Penang gets direct link to Batam
Meanwhile, travellers in Penang and northern Malaysia will gain a direct connection to Indonesia’s Riau Islands with the launch of the Penang-Batam route on 18 October 2026.
The service will operate three times weekly, complementing Batik Air’s existing KLIA-Batam service, which operates seven times weekly.
PHOTO CREDIT: BATIK AIR
Batam recorded 738,186 international visitor arrivals in the first six months of 2025, with Malaysian visitors accounting for 188,713 arrivals.
Malaysia was the second-largest source market for Batam during the period.
The new direct connection is expected to support both leisure and business travel between northern Malaysia and Batam.
Connectivity also supports healthcare travel
The stronger air links come amid broader travel flows between Malaysia and Indonesia, including healthcare-related travel.
Malaysia continues to attract Indonesian visitors seeking medical treatment, health screenings and specialist healthcare services, supported by the country's established medical facilities.
Improved connectivity between the two countries could therefore benefit more than just holidaymakers, providing easier access for Indonesians travelling to Malaysia for healthcare and other purposes.
Batik Air expands beyond KLIA
According to Batik Air Chief Executive Officer Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, the two new routes are part of the airline’s efforts to expand its regional network while giving passengers more international options from Malaysian airports.
“Malaysia and Indonesia have strong and established travel ties, and the demand continues to grow. Bali and Batam are both important destinations for Malaysian travellers, while Malaysia remains a significant market for Indonesian visitors,” he said.
He added that the new services would allow Batik Air to build on existing demand while strengthening its international presence from Subang and Penang.
The expansion also comes as Malaysia continues to promote the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign, which has been extended into 2027.
With additional capacity and new international links, the airline expects the routes to support continued travel between Malaysia and Indonesia while improving access to Malaysia’s tourism, business, healthcare and leisure offerings.
For Batik Air, the move also signals a broader push beyond KLIA, giving passengers more choices to fly internationally from Subang and Penang.
This is a original article followed by Batik Air official press release that was shared to the author.This work is the intellectual property of the author and must not be copied, reproduced or republished without prior permission and proper attribution.
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