Traveling from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI): what you need to know
Around 2 hours 10 minutes is how long you can expect to be in the air on a direct flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
Manila and Kota Kinabalu are in the UTC+8 timezone. That means you won't have to change your watch when you arrive.
Every week, there are six Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport flights. To take off early, take the 16:15 Philippines AirAsia flight. If you'd rather make the most of your time before flying, the latest flight is at 23:10 with Philippines AirAsia.
Your MNL to BKI flight won't wait if you're late, so don't forget to check in on time. Arrive up to one hour in advance for domestic flights and two hours ahead for international travel.
You can expect bigger queues during popular months like April. Arriving up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours for domestic departures is a good idea.
Philippines AirAsia has direct flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Book with this popular carrier, then get ready to see the sights in Kota Kinabalu — and maybe even more of Malaysia if your schedule allows.
Most passengers choose to fly with Philippines AirAsia on this route.
The carrier with the most consistent on-time arrivals for MNL to BKI flights is Philippines AirAsia.
If you want to add a stop to your trip, just deselect 'Direct flights only' when searching for your ticket from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. These are the top stopovers between MNL and BKI:
Hong Kong International Airport
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
$38 is the best price for a one-way Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport flight. A return flight starts from $84. These fares may change based on demand.
To pick up cheap tickets from MNL to BKI, book your journey eight months ahead of your departure date.
July is the cheapest month for flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. If you need to travel during a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices across every month.
Save time searching for cheap flights from MNL to BKI by setting up a Price Alert. You'll receive an email or push notification on the app when a lower fare becomes available.
Lock in the perfect flight for you with the help of the filters. To see the 'Cheapest,' 'Fastest' or 'Best' flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, use the 'Sort by' function. You can also filter by airline, departure and arrival times, and journey duration.
Handy information about Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
When it comes to the on-time performance of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, 70.07% of flights arrive within the scheduled timeframe.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport is around 13 kilometers from central Manila. If you're driving, catching a cab or ride-sharing from the center, it'll take you 35 minutes or so to arrive, depending on the traffic.
You can expect a journey time of roughly 1 hour 15 minutes on public transport.
Need a handy hotel close to MNL? If you're boarding an early flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, these accommodation options will put you moments from your departure lounge:
Arriving at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
Reserve a hotel near BKI if you have a late Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport flight. Choose one of these options and avoid the hassle of a long transfer:
Grab a Kota Kinabalu International Airport rental car and explore Kota Kinabalu and beyond with your own set of wheels. NH Travel, Green Motion and Keddy By Europcar are popular providers to choose from here.
To lock in the lowest price, book your vehicle from Kota Kinabalu International Airport around one week in advance.
Getting from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) to central Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu International Airport is approximately 8 kilometers from the center of Kota Kinabalu. The drive time takes about 15 minutes.
When to fly to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
August is the busiest month for flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. To skip the crowds, visit Kota Kinabalu in February.
The warmest month in Kota Kinabalu is May, with the temperature ranging between 24ºC (75ºF) and 31ºC (88ºF). Book your flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport in this month if this is the type of weather you like.
February sees average temperatures of between 23ºC (73ºF) and 29ºC (84ºF). Search for cheap tickets from MNL to BKI sometime then if you'd rather travel in cooler conditions.
Explore more of Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu is easy to fall in love with, but there are so many other parts of Malaysia waiting to be discovered. About 225 kilometers east of Kota Kinabalu, a trip to Sandakan will keep you on the move. Don't miss top attractions like Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan Memorial Park and Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC).
Around 274 kilometers south-east of Kota Kinabalu, Tawau is another essential stop in Malaysia. Get a taste of what this destination has to offer at Teck Guan Cocoa Museum, Tawau Bell Tower (The Belfry) and Masjid Al-Khauthar, Sabindo Tawau, Sabah..
