International traffic grows at Subang, Ipoh and Penang airports
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In September 2026, international passenger traffic surged at three Malaysian airports: Subang, Ipoh, and Penang. Subang Airport saw a 24.1% increase, reaching 59,000 international passengers, while Ipoh Airport experienced a 16.6% rise to 31,000 passengers. Penang International Airport reported a 5.3% growth, with 348,000 international travelers.
These airports contributed significantly to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's overall network performance. Despite a 12% decline in total passenger traffic nationwide, international travel rose by 4.5% to 41.3 million passengers across the group's Malaysian airports. Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Kota Baru handled 5,000 international passengers after new services launched in June.
The expansion of KLIA's international connectivity, with new routes to Phu Quoc and Bahrain, played a crucial role in this growth. For the first nine months of 2026, MAHB's airports processed 75.2 million passengers, a 2.4% year-on-year decrease. However, international traffic grew 4.5% to 41.3 million. Malaysia Airports managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani emphasized the importance of regional airports in expanding the country's international connectivity, aiming to support tourism ambitions.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
