Formula 1 Is Back in Malaysia—and AirAsia Has Launched a Flight Sale

AirAsia has launched a snap sale on flights to Kuala Lumpur from Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney, after Formula 1 and the FIA confirmed the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix will move to Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. The relocated event, still subject to final agreements and sign-off from the FIA World Motor Sport Council, will run from October 2 to 4, 2026, and keep its official name, the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Travel Weekly first reported the sale on July 27, 2026, a day after F1 and the FIA made the relocation official.

The move follows the postponement of the original Bahrain race earlier in the 2026 season, after conflict in the Middle East raised safety and logistical concerns for F1 teams. AirAsia’s sale offers one-way flights and flight-and-hotel packages from three Australian cities, with fares that must be booked by August 2, 2026. The timing gives Australian motorsport fans a shorter, more accessible trip to see the rescheduled race than a Gulf-region alternative would have offered.

AirAsia Offers Fares from $187 One-Way Across Three Australian Cities

AirAsia’s Snap Sale covers Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney, with different pricing and travel windows for each city, according to Travel Weekly. The sale applies to bookings made through the AirAsia MOVE platform and covers travel through March 31, 2027. Fares must be booked by August 2, 2026, and remain subject to availability.

The fare details by departure city are:

• Perth: one-way fares from $187; flight-and-hotel packages, including a six-day, five-night stay, from $379 per guest; travel valid October 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
• Melbourne: one-way fares from $384; packages from $762 per guest; travel valid July 20, 2026 to June 30, 2027
• Sydney: one-way fares from $313; packages from $672 per guest; travel valid over the same window as Melbourne

The sale also includes checked baggage discounts of up to 35 percent from Perth, up to 50 percent from Melbourne, and up to 40 percent from Sydney. AirAsia’s main hub, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), sits roughly 50 kilometers from Sepang International Circuit, making it the natural gateway for fans traveling to the relocated race.

Why the Bahrain Grand Prix is Moving to Sepang

The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix was originally scheduled for April as the third round of the season. F1 postponed it, along with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, after conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran broke out in February while F1 teams were in Bahrain for a Pirelli wet-tire test, according to Yahoo Sports. Continued instability in the region ruled out holding the event at its original venue, the Bahrain International Circuit, later in the year.

Rather than drop the round from the calendar, Bahrain, Malaysia, F1, and the FIA agreed to move the race to Sepang for 2026 only, according to Speedcafe. The relocated race fills a previously open weekend between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix. Formula 1 said the rest of the 2026 calendar remains unchanged.

F1 and Malaysian Leaders Confirm the Deal

F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed the agreement in an official statement published by Formula 1. “We are delighted to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026,” Domenicali said. He thanked the leaders of Bahrain and Malaysia for what he called an extraordinary outcome, and credited FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for his partnership through the process.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the return of F1 to Sepang after a nine-year absence, saying the arrangement reaffirms Malaysia’s readiness to host major international events. Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said the deal reflects close relations between the two countries and called it a positive step for fans worldwide. Sepang last hosted a round of the championship in 2017, and F1 said ticket details for the October event will be released soon.

How this Compares with AirAsia’s past Sepang-Linked Promotions

AirAsia has a long history of running promotional fares tied to Sepang race weekends, dating back to when the Malaysian Grand Prix was a fixture on the F1 calendar through 2017. Those earlier campaigns typically targeted regional Southeast Asian markets rather than long-haul Australian departure cities. The 2026 sale marks a shift in approach, since it specifically targets Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney passengers with fares timed around a single relocated race rather than an annual home event.

The current sale also differs in scale from AirAsia’s routine seasonal promotions. Rather than a broad, open-ended discount, this Snap Sale carries a tight booking deadline of August 2, 2026, tied directly to the confirmed October race dates. That structure reflects the short lead time airlines and travel sellers had to react once F1 and the FIA finalized the Sepang relocation on July 26, 2026.

All in All

The relocated Bahrain Grand Prix still needs formal approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council before it becomes an official part of the 2026 calendar. F1 has not yet released ticket information for the October 2-4 event at Sepang, though the sanctioning body said details would follow soon.

AirAsia’s fares remain available only until the August 2 booking deadline, giving Australian fans a narrow window to secure the advertised rates. Whether other airlines serving Kuala Lumpur launch similar promotions will likely depend on how quickly ticket sales for the race itself pick up once the World Motor Sport Council gives its approval.