AirAsia will provide better connectivity in Asia with the launch of a flight service that links Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) to Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) via Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
AirAsia said that this is its first time to operate a fifth freedom flight in Hong Kong. A fifth freedom flight is when a carrier flies between two cities that are not located in its home country.
The new service, which will commence on June 1, 2025, will operate seven times weekly from Don Mueang, Bangkok, with a short stopover in Hong Kong to pick up and drop off passengers before heading to Okinawa, Japan.
This latest DMK-HKG-OKA service will complement another of AirAsia’a fifth freedom flights from Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to Okinawa, which also originates from Bangkok.
“This new route marks Thai AirAsia’s groundbreaking service with a stopover in Hong Kong, a key strategic market and global financial hub,” said Santisuk Klongchaiya, Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia..
“Our objective is to serve the continuously increasing travel demand between Hong Kong and Japan as strongly indicated by our market research. Notably, Okinawa ranks among the Top 5 most visited Japanese cities by Hong Kong tourists. With a flight time of approximately 2.5 hours, this short-haul route offers a convenient short getaway or year-round beach retreat, making it an attractive option for travelers,” Klongchaiya continued.
Klongchaiya also said that AirAsia’s expansion of its route network through fifth freedom rights is a “key strategy” for growth and increasing regional connectivity across Asia.
“Following our success last year connecting Japan via Taipei and Kaohsiung, we are now building on that momentum with Hong Kong as our latest transit point. We are confident that this route will receive strong support from the market,” Klongchaiya stated.
