Transfer at Kuala Lumpur Airport
Kuala Lumpur is very often the gateway for travellers to Southeast Asia, who use it for its ideal conditions for transit to other locations not only in Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia.
The airport operates 2 terminals, the first of which is for conventional carriers and the second for low cost carriers such as AirAsia.
Both terminals are modern, large and well laid out. Both also have a satellite building in the middle of the airport area, accessible only to passengers with boarding passes.
A free automated train runs from Terminal 1 to the satellite building every 3-5 minutes. The ride takes approximately 3 minutes.
From Terminal 2, a pedestrian overpass above the tarmac leads to the satellite building; the walk from security takes approximately 5-10 minutes.
Which terminal?
The terminals are referred to by the numbers 1 and 2, but the former designations "KLIA" for Terminal 1 and "KLIA2" for Terminal 2 still remain.
The buildings are divided according to the airlines that check in at them.
- Terminal 1 (KLIA) - all airlines except those that check in at Terminal 2
- Terminal 2 (KLIA2) - AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Jetstar, Scoot
Transfer between flights
If you are connecting at Kuala Lumpur Airport within the same booking, in the vast majority of cases you do not need to change terminals.
What checks do I go through when I transfer?
Be prepared for different types of checks for each type of transfer.
- International -> International: security check
- International -> domestic: immigration and security check
- Domestic -> international: immigration and security check
- National -> national: no check
- ℹ️ On this website we describe our experience of getting from the airport to the city centre and recommend top attractions to visit around the world.
In the case of Kuala Lumpur, security is always right up to each of the departure gates. Be at your departure gate ideally at least 60 minutes before departure.
Do I have to leave the transit area when I change planes?
If you have a guaranteed transfer (connecting flight purchased on one booking), you do not need to leave the transit area.
You only leave the transit area if you are not checking in for the connecting flight or if you are changing terminals during the transfer.
Do I need to collect my luggage?
Baggage will be transferred automatically if you have purchased both flights as one booking. This also applies if you are changing from an international flight to a domestic flight or vice versa.
You will only collect your luggage if you combine the transfer on your own from two separate tickets.
What is the average transfer time?
- International -> International: 40-45 minutes
- International -> Domestic: 60-70 minutes
- Domestic -> Domestic: 30 minutes
- Domestic -> International: 50-60 minutes
Do I need a visa for Malaysia?
If you are transferring between two international flights, you do not go through immigration control and therefore do not need a visa.
How long does the immigration check take?
There are often long lines for immigration checks, however the process tends to be very efficient and you will rarely wait longer than 30 minutes.
Transfer accommodation
If you have a long layover at KLIA but don't want to leave the transit area, there are special transit hotels in both terminals.
Terminal 1 (KLIA)
- Sama Sama Express Transit KLIA ** - hotel inside the international transit zone (airsdie), prices from 85 usd
- Capsule Transit Sleep Lounge KLIA - capsule hotel inside the international transit zone (airsdie), prices from 70 usd
Terminal 2 (KLIA2)
- Sama Sama Express Transit KLIA2 ** - hotel inside the international transit zone (airsdie), prices from 85 usd
- Capsule Transit KLIA2 (airside) - capsule hotel inside the international transit zone (airsdie), prices from 70 usd
Transfer between terminals
As transfers between terminals are not common, you cannot move between KLIA and KLIA2 via the transit zone. You always have to exit to the outside public area.
A free airport bus runs between the terminals every 15 minutes. The journey takes 25 minutes and the buses run 24/7.
- Terminal 1 - stop on level 1 by door 4
- Terminal 2 - stop on Level 1, Transportation Hub, Bay A10
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
7 comments
Travelling from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur via Air Asia landing at 15.50 then from Kuala Lumpur via British Airways at 23.15. Booked on separate tickets. Assume will need to fully depart KLA2 and go to KLA1, hadn’t thought of this when booking, but have given plenty of time. Should I leave as is, as is doable or would it be easier if changed flight with Air Asia to Malaysia Airlines?
That's plenty of time. Yes, you have to exit at KLIA2 to the public area and take the free bus (or train for a few ringgit) to KLIA1 to check in again.
For me personally, the transfer took 90 minutes even with full check-in and going through security and passport control (there were quite a few people there at the time).
Good afternoon, question out of ignorance. I have a flight from kota bharu to singapore with a stopover of 1h 30 in kuala lumpur. I know it is all in terminal 2, the suitcase is checked in the same booking. Do you think I will have time to do everything? if it is the same terminal I should not have to go through immigration or check in again, right?
thank you
Hello, I want to ask, we arrive at 15:30 from Krabi airport - Terminal 1 - we have 2 hours time to transfer to Terminal 2 - we leave for Penang at 17:30. Is it realistic to make the transfer even with checked luggage? Thank you for your reply
There's no information if you have it on one ticket.
They are not separate tickets
The lady wrote that these are not separate tickets, which is obviously nonsense. There are no guaranteed connecting tickets between KLIA1 and KLIA2, because only lowcost airlines fly from KLIA2 and they don't sell connecting tickets.
Btw. The translation you got here from cestee is worth all the money. 🙄 The word "letenka" from Slovak translates as "ticket" (why on earth?).
Each flight is a separate ticket
You're gonna have a tight squeeze. If you haven't booked your tickets yet, allow extra time to change planes.
Good morning, I hope someone can answer me.
I bought an aeroplane ticket with a route from Kota Kinabalu to Naples, the first flight is operated by Malaysia airlines to Kuala Lumpur and the following ones by Turkish airlines. I premise that I bought the ticket in a single reservation but on the site where I got it it tells me that I have to make two separate check-ins for the two companies. I will have a two hour stopover and none of the companies or the online agency can tell me if my luggage will be automatically transferred from the first airport to the arrival airport, have you ever had experience with these companies? And in case I have to collect my bags and re-check in and go through all the controls, do you think two hours is enough?
Thanks
Your luggage should be automatically transferred to the next flight. Check with Kota Kinabalu to make sure this is the case. The airlines are cooperating, so I don't see the problem.
Good morning everyone, thanks in advance if anyone replies.
In November I will have a flight with Malaysia airlines from China to Maldives.
I will have a stopover in Kuala Lumpur Terminal 1. Between the two flights there is 1.5 hours, do you think I should make it? Is it possible to request assistance at the airport to speed up the paperwork and take me quickly to the second flight?
Thank you
Hello, all connecting times offered by the airline can be accommodated. This applies if you have a flight from China to the Maldives purchased in one booking.
In this case, you do not need to complete any paperwork in Kuala Lumpur - there is no passport control and you will receive your boarding pass for both flights in China.
Hi, I am flying from Kota Bharu to Kuala Lumpur airport in July with Air Asia, I guess I will arrive at Terminal 2. Then I have to catch an international flight, which I guess is departing from Terminal 1, so I will have to take the bags from the flight I am arriving, change terminals, go through immigration, security and check in the bags. Between the 2 flights there are 3 hours, I am afraid that the time is insufficient, I have heard that the immigration control is long.... Would you recommend me to take an earlier flight to Kuala Lumpur or do you think it is enough?
Thank you
Hi, I personally would prefer more time between flights in case of delays. However, if the first flight from Kota Bharu arrives on time, 3 hours is plenty of time.
Net transfer time between terminals even with long queuing or waiting for a transit bus will be around 1.5 hours.
I'm at KUL quite often. 1.5 hours even with a long wait? After all, only checked baggage has to be deposited at Terminal 1 no later than about an hour before departure. I could see the 3 hours being just right unless the plane is delayed. I spent over an hour in line at immigration last year. This year they've already e-gated, so a matter of minutes. The gentleman is Spanish I assume, so his passport is eligible. That saves a lot of time.
Well, he's coming in on a domestic flight, so immigration won't be there.
How come he won't? The interviewer arrives at Terminal 2, has to re-check his baggage at Terminal 1 and go through exit immigration for the next international flight (as he says in his question).
There are automatic gates everywhere. Exit immigration is at 1-5min. It's just a matter of catching the bus and whether the plane will be delayed. 1.5hrs is realistic.
I wrote that they've had e-gates since last year in my first post, didn't you read it? However, they may be out of order, or one may not fill out the necessary eform in advance, or one may not have an eligible passport. Either way they have to go through immigration. Also, I wrote that the OP has to drop off the luggage at Terminal 1 at least an hour beforehand. So from arriving at Terminal 2, picking up his bag, walking to the bus (and waiting up to 15 minutes if he just missed it), taking the bus, walking from the bus to the Terminal 1 hurdle, he would have 1.5 hours 30 minutes to do all of that if the plane arrives on time. You can't do that. We are advising a specific person here on a specific query.
The net transfer time of 1.5 hours I meant that from the boarding gate to the departure gate can be reached in 1.5 hours, even with queues, so with a transfer time of 3 hours I think it's fine if the first plane arrives on time.
The exit immigration check is usually (not only in KL, but perhaps everywhere in the world) incomparably shorter than the entry one.
We arrive in Kuala Lumpur from Phu Quoc at 12:50 PM on AirAsia, then depart the same day at 4:45 PM on the same flight to Langkawi.
What are the terminals like?
From what I understand, we arrive and depart from the same terminal?After baggage claim, is it far to get to the departure hall, another security check, etc.? Tickets are not combined.
Yes, all AirAsia flights are handled from one terminal - KLIA2 (see information above).
You pick up your baggage, walk out to the public area and then just take the elevator or escalator up one floor to find the check-in desks (it takes no more than 10 minutes to walk from the baggage belts to the check-in desks).
After that, head to the standard security checkpoint.
The real transfer time, including any queues for check-in or security, will be no more than 1.5 hours. More like less.