Flying to Kuching?
Here is some helpful information for getting here.
Getting to Kuching is a two-step process because you must first get to an international airport that services Kuching. There are two International Airports in South East Asia that fly direct to Kuching – Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).
KUL and SIN are very large international airports that service 10’s of millions of people and thousands of flights from all over the world annually. Wherever you live, you most likely will be able to get a flight from a nearby international hub to one or the other.
Please note that flights from your initial destination to SIN or KUL may not be direct, there may be one or more stops in between, depending on which airline or booking method you use.
Unless you are in South East Asia, please note that even the most direct methods of travel to SIN or KUL will take take some time:
- From North America/South America/Africa, average travel time will be 35 hours with most locations requiring 1-2 layovers.
- From Europe expect an average travel time of 20 hours. With most locations requiring at least one layover.
- From the Middle East/India, the average travel time is 10 hours, with most locations having flights that are one layover.
- From Asia/Australia/New Zealand, average travel time is 10 hours, with some locations having direct flight and most having one layover.
Please note that these are estimates and can be shorter or longer depending on how many stops your trip takes.
The Price of flights to SIN or KUL from your destination will vary based on a number of factors. I recommend using a travel website to check on the costs of flights between 6 months and 6 weeks from your desired flight date, this is usually when you find the best prices.
Please feel free to contact us if you have a question about your trip.
From either SIN or KUL, you can access the Kuching International Airport (KCH). The airlines that service KCH are Malaysian Airlines, Malindo Air, Scoot, and Air Asia.
Flights from Both Locations take approximately 90min.
- Air Asia provides service from both KUL and SIN.
- Malaysia Airlines provides service from both KUL and SIN.
- Malindo Air provides service from KUL.
- Scoot provides service from SIN.
Air Asia and Scoot are low-cost commuter airlines with pay-as-you-go in flight service. Checked Baggage and seat selection is extra. The average cost of a flight varies between 100.00 - 400.00 MYR (Approx. $30.00 – $120.00 USD).
Malindo Air and Malaysia Airlines have included services with economy flights, such as checked bags and complimentary in-flight meal/drink service. Flights on these airlines will cost more, but not a lot more if you are patient and check for flights regularly.
These flights can obviously be booked together with flights from your starting destination through multiple methods (travel website, travel agent, airlines, etc.), but depending on your preferences, there is potential to save money by purchasing the tickets separately and spending a night in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.
We recommend if you decide to break your trip into two separate bookings that you leave at least 24 hours time between arrival and departure of different bookings in order to prevent a delay or cancellation from causing you to miss your second flight. The reason for this is that most airlines will not refund or exchange tickets on connecting flight if they are not booked together, so if you completely miss the second flight, you would be responsible for rebooking and paying for a second flight. ALWAYS make sure to read the fine print of an airlines missed flight exchange and cancellation policies before proceeding with this method.