Is The World's Best Low-Cost Airline Really That Good? My Experience After Dozens Of Flights

Published Oct 28, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT Aaron is an aviation enthusiast and world traveler with a deep interest in aerospace history and technology. He has traveled around the world numerous times, often incorporating visits to aviation museums and historic aircraft collections into his journeys. A native of New Zealand, he is an expert in aviation and maintains a broad interest in a variety of other subjects. Having been based in Southeast Asia over the last few years, I have flown with the AirAsia group (legally AirAsia Berhad) dozens of times. The AirAsia group includes its subsidiaries AirAsia Cambodia, Thai AirAsia, and Indonesia AirAsia. The group's structure is somewhat complicated and confusing, with further restructuring and renaming in July 2026. AirAsia X, along with Thai AirAsia X, generally operates longer-haul routes mostly with the group's widebody A330s, although they also have A321s in their inventories. I have mostly flown with AirAsia, AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, and likely others. The group's subsidiaries are legally separate airlines, with AirAsia operating under the code AK and AirAsia X under the code D7. For the purposes of this review, all airlines of the AirAsia Group will be treated as a single airline. The core AirAsia brand operates from its hub at Terminal 2 of Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2). The Highest Ranked Low-Cost Carrier Credit: Aaron Spray AirAsia is somewhat remarkable as it is a low-cost airlinebut it receives an international ranking comparable to, and even above, many of the world's mainline carriers. In Skytrax's 2026 review of world airlines, AirAsia ranked as the best low-cost airline and the 26th-best overall airline in the world. This put it only modestly behind its full-service flag-carrier rival, Malaysia Airlines, at 21st. It is only one place below the top-ranked US-based airline, Delta Air Lines, at 25th. United Airlines trails at 45th, Alaska Airlines at 51st, and JetBlue at 54th. Passengers and readers can decide whether they agree with that ranking. I have no issue with AirAsia as a low-cost and regional airline, but placing it alongside the world's mainline carriers seems a bit far-fetched. The standard economy class fare does not include checked baggage, and carry-on baggage is limited to just 15 lbs (7kg). While US-based carriers may charge more for checked baggage, they typically have no weight limit for carry-on baggage. In the US, carry-on baggage is typically defined by size, not weight. Carry-on trolley suitcases are weighed before emigration; backpacks are generally waived through. Upgrading the fare to include checked baggage is generally best done with AirAsia's bundle option, which includes a complimentary meal and seat selection. AirAsia meals are reasonably decent for a low-cost carrier. Credit: Aaron Spray AirAsia is based at Kuala Lumpur's (KL) Terminal 2. Full-service airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and long-haul flights operate through Terminal 1. The two terminals are connected by airport transportation, but you can't walk between them. Terminal 2 connects KL with domestic airports across Malaysia and with international destinations across Southeast Asia and beyond. Terminal 2 is unusual because it includes a reasonably large shopping mall adjacent to the building, even though the airport is far outside the city. This lets passengers dine affordably at a range of restaurants and shop before checking in. In many airports I have flown through in the world, I have never seen anything quite like it. The mall shops aren't typical airport shops; they are regular shops, including a supermarket. The taxi pick-up and drop-off are on the mall side, with passengers walking through the mall to reach the terminal. Arriving passengers also pass through the mall to reach transportation from the airport. The express airport train to central Kuala Lumpur is accessed via the mall. AirAsia check-in is generally self-service, with passengers printing their own baggage tags and dropping off their baggage themselves. Thai AirAsia's Bangkok Don Mueang Hub Credit: Aaron Spray I have flown with AirAsia on domestic Malaysia routes and on routes to Indonesia and Vietnam. Between Vietnam and Bangkok, I have flown with its sister airline, Thai AirAsia. I have also flown domestic Thai AirAsia routes within Thailand. Thai flights depart from Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), the secondary international airport that mostly serves low-cost and regional flights. Bangkok's primary international airport is Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). In my experience, Don Mueang works well as a gateway to Bangkok and a regional hub. The airport is connected to Bangkok's metro system and is roughly as easy to reach as Suvarnabhumi, located on the other side of the city. In many ways, Don Mueang functions similarly to KL's Terminal 2 as a low-cost, primarily AirAsia group hub for the country and region. There are some differences. Because Don Mueang is in an urban area, plenty of low-cost accommodation options are located next to the airport, unlike KL. Check-in counters are also staffed, unlike the self-check-in kiosks in KL's Terminal 2. Southeast Asia Has Multiple Acceptable Low-Cost Airlines Credit: Aaron Spray Booking AirAsia fares is seamless through its AirAsia Move app. The app includes the various AirAsia flights and options, as well as flights from a range of other airlines in the region, like VietJet and Singapore Airlines. Personally, I would choose AirAsia flights over VietJet whenever possible. My VietJet flights have been repeatedly delayed, including by a full day, but never for AirAsia. VietJet's check-in facilities at Ho Chi Minh International Airport (Saigon) are also frequently terrible, with long queues and wait times, though this can be a matter of luck. Vietnam is in the process of building its new Long Thanh International Airport to serve as the primary international gateway, which is expected to significantly improve the situation. The existing Tan Son Nhat International Airport will remain open for domestic and some regional international flights. Southeast Asia has some other low-cost options, like Indonesia's Citilink and Lion Air, Singapore's Scoot, and even India's IndiGo (not technically Southeast Asia but serving many destinations). All of these low-cost Asian airlines are fine in my experience, and I have flown them without complaint. Low-cost airlines in the region typically operate A320 family aircraft instead of Boeing 737 aircraft, with some exceptions, such as Thailand's modest Nok Air low-cost airline. AirAsia's Rapidly Expanding Fleet Credit: Aaron Spray According to Planespotters.net, the AirAsia group fleet totals 239 aircraft, all Airbus. AirAsia's website currently puts the figure at 244 aircraft. Planespotters.net's breakdown includes 196 A320s, 20 A321s, and 23 widebody A330s. Thai AirAsia X operates A330-300s with A330-900s on order. AirAsia X operates A330-300s and is taking delivery of new A321neos. The core Malaysia-based AirAsia brand operates around 104 aircraft, Thai AirAsia operates around 62, and most of the rest are operated by Indonesia AirAsia and Philippines AirAsia, with around 23 aircraft each. The core AirAsia and Thai AirAsia airlines only operate narrowbody A320s and A321s. The AirAsia group is one of the world's fastest-growing airline groups, with around 520 aircraft on firm order and considerably more options. This is among the largest order books by any airline in the world. In 2026, AirAsia made headlines for ordering 150 regional Airbus A220-300s with options for another 150 examples. Deliveries are to commence in 2028. AirAsia Group (per AirAsia, Planespotters.net) Current group fleet Firm orders Options/rights A220-300 150 150 A320 Approx. 196 A321neo/LR Approx. 18 Approx. 324 A321XLR 50 20 (conversion rights) A330-300 18-23 A330-900 15 Total 244 (per website) Approx 520 150 (+20 conversion rights) The group no longer has A320neos on order and is instead ordering the stretched and longer-range A321neo series, including the A321LR and A321XLR subvariants. It has over 300 A321neos on order in total, though the exact number is dynamic as deliveries occur and options are exercised. AirAsia's 2026 A220 announcement says the group intends to phase down its A330 fleet as it transitions towards higher-utilization narrowbody operations. AirAsia Is Comparatively Hassle-Free Credit: Aaron Spray AirAsia is expanding rapidly and moving toward a future focused on Airbus A220-300s and A321neos. It is the leading airline connecting Southeast Asia and arguably 'as good as it gets' when it comes to low-cost options. That said, I would personally rank India's low-cost IndiGo as comparable or even better given it generally includes meals and checked luggage. Skytrax's ranking disagrees, giving IndiGo an overall ranking of 61. AirAsia often offers the lowest fares, and in my experience, it delivers consistently. When other low-cost carriers, like VietJet, do offer lower fares on some routes, it is often worth paying a little extra for AirAsia. One tip when flying on low-cost carriers in Southeast Asia is to book meals in advance, as they may not otherwise be available on the aircraft. I flew the eight-hour long-haul flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Brisbane with VietJet hungry, as there was no option to buy a meal in-flight and no meal was included in the fare. Part of the attraction of flying with AirAsia is that it is comparatively hassle-free for a low-cost airline. The airline typically parks at the boarding gates where possible, so passengers generally don't need to take the shuttle bus. This is a feature that distinguishes it from some other low-cost carriers at some airports (e.g., VietJet at Ho Chi Minh City).