Malaysia Airlines triumphs at Asian Experience Awards 2025

MAB was recognised for redefining brand experience through strategic commercial transformation.

Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) has been recognised with two prestigious wins – Malaysia Brand Experience of the Year - Airline and Malaysia Brand Experience of the Year - Aviation at the Asian Experience Awards 2025, celebrating its remarkable transformation under the Commercial Elevation programme that has redefined how the airline markets, sells, and engages with customers. 

Reimagining the commercial core

At the heart of Malaysia Airlines’ win is its multi-year Commercial Elevation roadmap, a transformation that integrated strategy, marketing and sales execution to rebuild confidence and experiences, and elevate Malaysian Airlines on the global stage.

Through this transformation, Malaysia Airlines has repositioned itself as a premium carrier driven by data, creativity, and purpose, reshaping how teams across Marketing, Sales, and Revenue work, unifying them under one vision: to make every journey a reflection of Malaysia’s warmth, innovation, and hospitality.

This transformation is visible across every aspect of the airline’s commercial ecosystem: from strategic campaigns and digital activations to trade partnerships and pricing innovation.

The airline’s signature “Time For” campaign, which encouraged travellers to rediscover over 70 destinations across its network, went beyond advertising. It reignited aspiration, restoring Malaysia Airlines’ image as more than an airline, as an experience that places Malaysia back in the eyes of the world whilst enriching every passenger’s journey.

A marketing engine reinvented 

Under the Commercial Elevation project, Malaysia Airlines rebuilt its marketing engine from the ground up, uniting creative, digital, and performance marketing to drive precision and impact. The “Time For” campaign became the cornerstone of this reinvention, driving a 57% increase in flight selections and a 22% rise in digital bookings. This transformation in marketing was more than just visual; it represented a cultural shift towards data-driven creativity, where every piece of content was crafted to inspire action and connection.

A highlight of this renewed brand momentum was MATTA Fair 2025, where Malaysia Airlines captivated visitors with a 16,000 sq. ft. experiential showcase featuring a full-scale cabin theatre, AI-driven destination experiences, and appearances by Manchester United Legends. The MAG Arena fused innovation, entertainment, and travel inspiration, bringing together the brands of Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, AMAL, and MASwings under one immersive roof.

A standout milestone in this journey was the introduction of MAYA, Asia-Pacific’s first AI-powered cabin crew. Created using generative AI, MAYA embodies Malaysia Airlines’ spirit of grace, intuitive, and future-ready. Her debut at MATTA Fair 2025 marked a turning point, where she became the face of the airline’s “Future of Travel” showcase, alongside real crew and Manchester United Legends, drawing record-breaking attention both on-ground and online.

The marketing activations and initiatives have resulted in record-breaking engagement across platforms, with YouTube views hitting an all-time high and campaign recall at its strongest in five years, reinforcing Malaysia Airlines’ position as a global premium brand that connects authenticity with innovation.

A bold turnaround in numbers and experience

Beyond marketing, the Commercial Elevation initiative has been instrumental in strengthening business and driving performance. Over the past two years, the airline has accelerated its growth trajectory and launched 22 new routes (10 for MH and 12 for Firefly) and expanded frequencies by ~30% across key markets. This has strengthened Malaysia’s role as a regional connector bridging ASEAN, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, and India.

The airline’s dynamic, data-led pricing strategy and sales strategy have fuelled YoY revenue increase, marking its strongest financial performance in five years. Complementing this growth are strengthened trade partnerships, best exemplified by the Trade Elevation Summit 2025, the largest airline trade event in Malaysia, which gathered over 300 delegates from 68 cities and resulted in new strategic agreements, cementing Malaysia Airlines’ reputation as a trusted partner.

These achievements are the outcome of a deliberate and disciplined strategy championed by the Commercial team and driven by the vision of the Group’s leadership. Chief Commercial Officer, Dersenish Aresandiran, credits the win to the people behind the transformation.

“Captain Izham had this strong vision to transform commercial into a powerhouse and position Malaysia Airlines as a fully premium carrier to compete with the world’s top airlines. That vision united the team and shaped the way we built the commercial function together,” said Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer of Malaysia Aviation Group, Airlines Business.

Powered by people, purpose, and pride

At the core of this transformation is the passion of 13,000 MAG employees, who continue to carry the torch of Malaysian hospitality across every touchpoint. Looking ahead, Malaysia Airlines remains focused on network expansion, fleet modernisation, renewed in-flight offerings and marketing, all in pursuit of its ambition to rank amongst the Top 10 Global Airlines by 2030, as envisioned by Group Managing Director Captain Izham Ismail.

This achievement is more than a win; it is a statement proving that Malaysia Airlines is not just flying higher but flying smarter, stronger, and prouder, reaffirming its position as the nation’s flag bearer and a brand that continues to inspire connection amongst global travellers.

The Asian Experience Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for providing meaningful brand experiences to stakeholders, please contact Marni Marco at [email protected].