RM 289 Find Cheap Flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu – Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Manila to Kota Kinabalu:

• Earliest: departs at 16:15 and lands at 18:20
• Latest: departs at 16:15 and lands at 18:20.

The flight takes about 2h 05m.

Only Economy class is available on flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu.

A direct flight from Manila to Kota Kinabalu takes 2h 05m, covering 1,764 km.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

Return flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu range from RM 481 to RM 764, with an average of RM 633 over the past 12 months. Anything below RM 481 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 10% above the RM 633 route average. Book 19 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, direct flights are cheaper than stopover options on average. Direct fares average RM 605 return, compared with RM 1,011 via a stopover through Singapore Changi (SIN).

Philippines AirAsia is the only airline operating Manila to Kota Kinabalu flights. 80% of its flights are on time.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge RM 100–RM 407 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Airbus A320-100/200 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Philippines AirAsia. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A321neo variants.

Afternoon is the busiest departure period on Manila to Kota Kinabalu flights, with 100% leaving in that window. Morning departures account for 0%, Evening flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about RM 626 to RM 4,660. That means the highest observed fare was about 7x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Manila to Kota Kinabalu are currently in line with typical prices for this route. Average one-way fares are about RM 323.

Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around RM 162 for economy cars. Top options include:

• keddy by Europcar
• GREEN MOTION
• Europcar
• MKAZ
• Suria Car Rental

Flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu usually depart from Manila Ninoy Aquino Intl (MNL) and arrive at Kota Kinabalu (BKI).

Night flights have the fewest delays on this route, while afternoon departures tend to have the most.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Manila to Kota Kinabalu route, 20% of flights were delayed in the past three months, with delays averaging 2h 09m.

One-stop flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu most commonly connect through:

• Kuala Lumpur Intl (KUL) – 44% of one-stop connections
• Singapore Changi (SIN) – 36% of one-stop connections
• Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Intl (BWN) – 8% of one-stop connections
• Hong Kong Intl (HKG) – 8% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 55% on flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu. Sunday is the cheapest departure day at RM 602 return on average, while Thursday is the most expensive at RM 1,314, a difference of RM 712.

Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

Only Philippines AirAsia operates flights between Manila and Kota Kinabalu.

Flying via Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 8h 32m, compared to 8h 47m via Kuala Lumpur Intl (KUL) and 15h 43m via Singapore Changi (SIN).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Philippines AirAsia: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Baggage allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so always check the fare details before booking.