Thai AirAsia X begins new service to Brisbane

1 min readUpdated Jun 4, 2025Jul 19, 201911:24 PM

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Thai AirAsia X has started its newest service from Bangkok to Brisbane, with the first arrival touching down at 11:46 am local time on Wednesday. This marks the first AirAsia service to Brisbane Airport. The aircraft received a water salute on arrival, courtesy of the airport’s fire and emergency service.

The route is operated by Thai AirAsia X under flight number XJ310 (Bangkok to Brisbane) and XJ311 (Brisbane to Bangkok); duration of the flight is approximately nine hours and 20 minutes. Before this connection, the only non-stop service between Brisbane and Bangkok was operated by Thai Airways using the Boeing 777-200. The Malaysian AirAsia X serves Gold Coast Airport, which is located 90 kilometres (56 miles) south of Brisbane.

We are delighted to have a new home in Queensland, adding Brisbane to our Queensland ports after we commenced operating flights from the Gold Coast in 2007. This direct service between Bangkok and Brisbane strengthens our connections into Australia and adds to our extensive network of more than 140 destinations worldwide.Nadda Buranasiri, AirAsia X CEO

Asia is a key market for Queensland’s tourism industry and this new service will bring more than 235,000 inbound seats to Brisbane over the next three years, providing a $156 million boost to the state’s economy and supporting 660 jobs.Kate Jones, Minister for Tourism Industry Development

Thai AirAsia X is a sister airline of AirAsia’s long haul carrier AirAsia X. The Thai airline is based at Bangkok Don Mueang Airport. Together with AirAsia X and Indonesia AirAsia X, it operates a fleet of 36 Airbus A330-300 with up to 100 of the new generation A330-900neo on order. Thai AirAsia X will soon receive its first A330neo and become the Asian launch-customer of the aircraft type. The airplane, which is already due for delivery, was on display at Paris Air Show 2019.

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What this means

Thai AirAsia X's strategic expansion into Brisbane, paralleling Malaysian AirAsia X's Gold Coast operations, is a shrewd move to capture more of the Australian tourism market. This direct entry specifically challenges Thai Airways' previous monopoly on the Bangkok-Brisbane route, potentially driving fare competition and increasing market share for AirAsia. The promise of 235,000 inbound seats and a $156 million economic boost suggests confidence in sustained demand. While AirAsia has successfully expanded in Australia before, the key risk lies in maintaining load factors against an incumbent. This move is likely to work, using AirAsia's established network. We should closely watch the average ticket price point on this route over the next six months.

Aiko Tanaka · Retail News Asia newsroom

Questions & Answers

Which specific airport in Bangkok is Thai AirAsia X operating this new service from?

The Thai airline, Thai AirAsia X, is based at Bangkok Don Mueang Airport. This is the airport from which the new service to Brisbane has commenced.

What is the expected economic impact of this new service on Queensland?

This new service is projected to bring over 235,000 inbound seats to Brisbane in the next three years. This will provide a £156 million boost to the state's economy and support 660 jobs.

How long has AirAsia been operating flights into Queensland ports?

AirAsia commenced operating flights from the Gold Coast in 2007. Brisbane has now been added as a new Queensland port, expanding their presence in the state.

What kind of aircraft does Thai AirAsia X use for its operations?

Thai AirAsia X operates a fleet of 36 Airbus A330-300 aircraft. They also have up to 100 new generation A330-900neo planes on order.

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