Thai AirAsia X Adds Almaty, Sendai and Riyadh Routes as Carrier Seeks Growth Beyond Stagnant Revenues
Bangkok-based long-haul budget airline expands to Central Asia, Japan and Saudi Arabia while forecasting flat 2025 revenues and modest profit
Thai AirAsia X will begin operating three new international routes in December 2025, launching flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Almaty in Kazakhstan, Sendai in Japan, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Each route will be flown four times weekly using Airbus A330 aircraft, marking a strategic expansion beyond the carrier’s traditional markets.
Fares will start at 4,990 baht for Sendai, 6,690 baht for Almaty, and 7,190 baht for Riyadh.
For the Almaty service, flights will commence on December first, departing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
A promotional fare of 6,690 baht one-way to Almaty is being offered for bookings made between September eighth and twenty-first, for travel from December through late March.
Chief Executive Pattra Boosarawongse said the airline’s financial performance reflects the slow pace of Thailand’s tourism recovery and rising competition in Asia.
She expects full-year 2025 revenues to remain in line with 2024 at about 13 billion baht, delivering a modest profit of 75 million baht.
Thai AirAsia X projects it will carry 1.7 million passengers this year, with an average load factor of 82 percent across its network.
Pattra acknowledged that third-quarter results were particularly weak, affected by the seasonal slowdown and earthquake-related safety concerns in Japan.
The airline has also announced plans to exit debt rehabilitation by mid-2026 and to raise 1 billion baht in new capital to reinforce its financial position and support future growth, including further network expansion.
Each route will be flown four times weekly using Airbus A330 aircraft, marking a strategic expansion beyond the carrier’s traditional markets.
Fares will start at 4,990 baht for Sendai, 6,690 baht for Almaty, and 7,190 baht for Riyadh.
For the Almaty service, flights will commence on December first, departing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
A promotional fare of 6,690 baht one-way to Almaty is being offered for bookings made between September eighth and twenty-first, for travel from December through late March.
Chief Executive Pattra Boosarawongse said the airline’s financial performance reflects the slow pace of Thailand’s tourism recovery and rising competition in Asia.
She expects full-year 2025 revenues to remain in line with 2024 at about 13 billion baht, delivering a modest profit of 75 million baht.
Thai AirAsia X projects it will carry 1.7 million passengers this year, with an average load factor of 82 percent across its network.
Pattra acknowledged that third-quarter results were particularly weak, affected by the seasonal slowdown and earthquake-related safety concerns in Japan.
The airline has also announced plans to exit debt rehabilitation by mid-2026 and to raise 1 billion baht in new capital to reinforce its financial position and support future growth, including further network expansion.
