BKI

$633 Find Cheap Flights to Kota Kinabalu

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to Kota Kinabalu departing on 12/29. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Kota Kinabalu

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Kota Kinabalu
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Kota Kinabalu
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$654
Overall average: $1,065
China Eastern
Mon 11/24Fri 12/5
LAX - BKI • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$633
Multiple Airlines
Mon 12/29
JFK - BKI • 3 stops
Our travelers' advice
AI-generated summary based on content written by travel experts
JAL's Sky Wider seats offer a 2-4-2 layout on 787s.
China Southern's lounges have buffets and showers.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
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We hope you love your trip to Kota Kinabalu!
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights to Kota Kinabalu

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights to Kota Kinabalu that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals to Kota Kinabalu

Mon, Nov 24 - Fri, Dec 5
China Eastern Logo
11:30 am - 12:30 amLAX-BKI
21h 00m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
1:30 am - 9:05 amBKI-LAX
23h 35m1 stop
$654China Eastern
Find Deal
Thu, Apr 9 - Thu, Apr 23
Multiple Airlines Logo
4:50 pm - 11:55 amLAX-BKI
28h 05m2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:50 am - 6:45 pmBKI-LAX
26h 55m2 stops
$719Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Mar 24 - Tue, Jun 23
Singapore Airlines Logo
11:05 pm - 3:20 pmLAX-BKI
49h 15m2 stops
Singapore Airlines Logo
3:00 pm - 7:05 pmBKI-LAX
43h 05m2 stops
$828Singapore Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, Apr 3 - Sat, Apr 18
Singapore Airlines Logo
11:40 pm - 3:35 pmLAX-BKI
24h 55m2 stops
Singapore Airlines Logo
3:00 pm - 7:05 pmBKI-LAX
43h 05m2 stops
$838Singapore Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Apr 2 - Sun, Apr 19
China Southern Logo
12:35 am - 6:20 pmSFO-BKI
26h 45m2 stops
China Southern Logo
7:20 pm - 8:30 pmBKI-SFO
40h 10m2 stops
$961China Southern
Find Deal
Sun, Mar 15 - Sat, Apr 4
China Southern Logo
11:00 pm - 6:00 pmLAX-BKI
28h 00m1 stop
China Southern Logo
7:20 pm - 7:40 pmBKI-LAX
39h 20m1 stop
$983China Southern
Find Deal
Tue, Mar 3 - Wed, Mar 11
Etihad Airways Logo
3:40 pm - 9:30 pmBOS-BKI
40h 50m2 stops
Etihad Airways Logo
11:00 am - 3:10 pmBKI-BOS
40h 10m2 stops
$1,038Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Sat, Mar 7 - Mon, Mar 23
Etihad Airways Logo
1:10 pm - 9:30 pmORD-BKI
66h 20m2 stops
Etihad Airways Logo
11:00 am - 8:35 amBKI-ORD
58h 35m2 stops
$1,040Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Sun, Mar 1 - Fri, Mar 13
Qatar Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 6:20 pmBOS-BKI
32h 40m2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
10:00 pm - 2:55 pmBKI-BOS
28h 55m2 stops
$1,123Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Mon, Mar 2 - Fri, Mar 13
Qatar Airways Logo
8:40 pm - 5:05 pmBOS-BKI
55h 25m2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
10:00 pm - 2:55 pmBKI-BOS
52h 55m2 stops
$1,124Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Kota Kinabalu

Get data-powered insights and trends for flights to Kota Kinabalu to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What are the most popular airlines flying to Kota Kinabalu?

The most popular airline among KAYAK users flying to Kota Kinabalu is China Eastern, followed by Singapore Airlines and China Southern.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight to Kota Kinabalu

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airlines
Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines' onboard chefs ensure high-quality meal preparation in business class.


Turkish Airlines offers free Wi-Fi up to 1GB in business class.

China Eastern

China Eastern's Business Plus offers suites with doors and enhanced catering on A350 flights.


China Eastern's extra legroom seats are recommended for long-haul comfort in economy class.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines offers free Wi-Fi for all passengers; sign up for a frequent flyer account.


Singapore's Book the Cook lets premium passengers pre-order gourmet meals on select routes.

China Southern

China Southern's premium economy offers more recline and legroom than standard economy.


China Southern's lounges feature hot and cold buffets, open bar, and showers.

Japan Airlines

JAL's Sky Wider economy seats offer a spacious 2-4-2 layout on 787 aircraft.


JAL offers free Wi-Fi on all domestic flights equipped with the technology.

Asiana Airlines

Asiana's Economy Smartium offers 4 extra inches of legroom and priority boarding on A350 flights.


Asiana's A380 top deck economy seats offer more space and individual side lockers.

Our travel experts
Gabriel Leigh

Gabriel Leigh

Expert on Turkish Airlines

Gabriel Leigh

Gabriel Leigh

Gabriel is a writer and video creator. As senior content producer for Flightradar24 and Monocle’s transport correspondent, he keeps a close eye on aviation in particular. He has also written travel articles for the likes of The New York Times. Born in New York but raised around the world, he now lives in Sweden. He’s been to 75 countries, flying 2.3 million miles on 113 airlines and through 234 airports in the process.

Read more
Robert Schrader

Robert Schrader

Expert on China Eastern and Japan Airlines

Robert Schrader

Robert Schrader

One of the web's original travel bloggers, Robert launched his first site Leave Your Daily Hell in 2009. Since then, he's expanded into destination niche sites (one each for Japan, Thailand and Taiwan), in addition to having written for the inflight magazines of Singapore Airlines and Korean Air. Overall, he's visited nearly 100 countries, and flies business as often as possible.

Read more
Chris Dong

Chris Dong

Expert on Singapore Airlines

Chris Dong

Chris Dong

Chris is a consumer travel reporter covering aviation, trending travel news, hotels, and loyalty programs—all for leading global publications like Travel + Leisure, The Washington Post, AFAR, and more. In addition to writing, Chris is a video host for Travel + Leisure, giving consumers an inside look at the latest in air travel.

Read more
Ramsey Qubein

Ramsey Qubein

Expert on China Southern

Ramsey Qubein

Ramsey Qubein

An avid traveler and aviation expert who has visited 173 countries, all 50 states and seven continents, Ramsey Qubein flies nearly 400,000 miles a year. As a North Carolina-based freelance journalist for publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, USA Today and Bloomberg among others, he explores the latest trends in aviation, hospitality, cruises and business.

Read more
John Walton

John Walton

Expert on Asiana Airlines

John Walton

John Walton

Independent aviation journalist John Walton took his first flight at eight weeks old and hasn’t stopped travelling since. A world-renowned expert in airlines and the passenger experience, he writes in depth on aviation, is a resident expert on travel in Japan and France, and offers a uniquely queer perspective on travelling the world.

Read more

Good to know - Book Cheap Kota Kinabalu Plane Tickets

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$633
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 31% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 42% lower on average.
Flight from New York John F Kennedy Airport to Kota Kinabalu

When to book flights to Kota Kinabalu

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel to Kota Kinabalu based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. The information is for flights to Kota Kinabalu based on your location. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs - booking Kota Kinabalu flights

  • Where can I rent a car after landing at Kota Kinabalu International Airport?

    Cars provide a flexible and more convenient way of moving around Kota Kinabalu. It might thus be best if you consider booking your rental car online through Kota Kinabalu International Airport and picking it up immediately after you land. You can find the car rental desks past the baggage claim area. Thrifty, Green Matrix, and Hertz offer courtesy shuttles from the terminal to their off-airport locations.

  • What is the best way to connect from Kota Kinabalu International Airport to the city center?

    The choice of travel from Kinabalu International Airport to the city may depend on your budget, urgency or comfort. There are buses serving this route and departing every 30 minutes. If you miss the bus, you can hop onto Minivan Number 17, which is slightly faster. However, taxis are the most reliable and quickest, as they operate 24/7, and get there in under 15 minutes.

  • Do flights from JKF and BKI accept passengers with pets?

    With several animal relief areas in every terminal at JKF, you won’t have a problem bringing your furry family member on this trip. Those departing via Terminal 4 will find these spaces outside the terminal and post-security on the B Concourse between Gates B31 and B33.

  • Are JKF and BKI accessible to disabled passengers?

    Both the departure and destination airports cater to the needs of disabled travelers and persons with limited mobility. There is a wheelchair service upon request, and all the standard amenities are accessible, including toilets and bathrooms. Lastly, you will find friendly airport agents ready to guide you through the high-traffic areas.

  • How far is Kota Kinabalu Airport from central Kota Kinabalu?

    The city center of Kota Kinabalu is 4 miles from Kota Kinabalu Airport.

  • What is the name of Kota Kinabalu’s airport?

    Kota Kinabalu is served by Kota Kinabalu Airport, also commonly referred to as Kota Kinabalu or Kota Kinabalu Intl. The airport code is BKI.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Kota Kinabalu?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Kota Kinabalu is Tuesday where tickets can be as cheap as $1,351. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Friday, where prices are $1,830 on average.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Kota Kinabalu?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Kota Kinabalu.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Kota Kinabalu?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Kota Kinabalu is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Kota Kinabalu?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Kota Kinabalu with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Kota Kinabalu?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Kota Kinabalu up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Kota Kinabalu?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to Kota Kinabalu is generally at night, when flights cost $1,203 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Kota Kinabalu is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,343.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Kota Kinabalu

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Kota Kinabalu flight deals.
  • Travelers from the United States to Kota Kinabalu use John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) as their main departure port. John F. Kennedy Airport operates the highest frequency of flights from the U.S. to Kota Kinabalu compared to O'Hare International Airport (ORD), and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which also serve as departure stations to Kota Kinabalu.
  • Suppose you are in Downtown New York and want to connect to John F. Kennedy Airport to in time for your flight to Kota Kinabalu, you will find the train as a cheaper and more convenient option, taking about 51 minutes to get there. For a quicker option, consider taking a taxi which takes about 23 minutes to cover the distance.
  • If you arrive at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) late at night, it might be best if you booked a room at one of the nearby hotels before proceeding to your next destination. Typically, such hotels provide complimentary shuttles to and from the airport to make your movement easier, especially if you have heavy luggage.
  • When booking flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Kota Kinabalu, you will find a wide range of carriers that operate one-stop or two-stop flights along this route. Usually, these layovers are at their hubs. For instance, Malaysia Airlines transits through Kuala Lumpur, while Emirates Airline makes a stopover in Dubai.
  • Those planning to fly with the first flight from John F. Kennedy Airport to Kota Kinabalu should consider relaxing at a nearby hotel. Plan and book a room at TWA Hotel, the online on-site property New York's JFK International Airport.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Kota Kinabalu

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to Kota Kinabalu. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from the United States to Kota Kinabalu. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Kota Kinabalu? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.3
Japan AirlinesOverall score based on 1604 reviews
8.2Comfort
7.7Food
8.7Crew
7.8Entertainment
8.4Boarding
Airline reviews

The seat was uncomfortable and seemed to be on its last days. Loose and sloppy

6.0 GoodWilliam, Oct 2025LAX - PDX
Read more Japan Airlines reviews

The seat was uncomfortable and seemed to be on its last days. Loose and sloppy

I traveled business class from Lax to Narita flight Jl61. The crew was attentive and polite. Food was good quality and service was as it should be. Narita to Bengaluru Jl753was another story in business class. The cabin was darkened for the 9hr:30min flight, food was mediocre, service was below standard and crew can't speak English to save their lives. When you ask for noodles soup from Ala carte they gave cup of noodles while Lax to Narita i was served the best Ramen noodles in a big bowl. Why the disparity on this leg of the journey.....or is it because there were mostly Indian passengers and it really did not matter to Jal to bother as its a poor country and Indians refrain from speaking up? A good airline but differentiation like this brings their reputation and business down.

put me in front row, screen was tiny, movie slection wasnt very good will be flying back on another airlines

Japan Airlines was excellent as usual once on the plane. Cabin crew was wonderful as usual. Boarding was solid on the Honolulu leg. For Thai Airways the boarding was less organized. I was in an earlier group but they weren’t clear with the numbers or instructions. Flight crew from Japan to Thailand was very good.

Terrible. Our flight was delayed by 15 hours. We lost a full day of our vacation.

Not good. The flight from LAX to Tokyo was delayed 15 hours.

highly recommend for trip to japan only reason why i gave good not excellent is because their selection of movies and tv shows in English is more limited .

I avoid American Airlines for a reason. Our flight was delayed at LAX. The situation at the gate was chaotic. The woman making announcements wasn't being clear or transparent regarding why there were delays. There was a lot of confusion regarding flight and gate status. Other passengers were pretty rude. I was elbowed in the eye by someone who was in a hurry to get their bags from the overhead bin immediately after the flight landed. Ultimately, I will avoid AA as much as possible in the future.

Overall a great experience. One complain was the vegetarian food that my wife had which was mostly boiled vegetables with not much flavor.

We booked business class round trip from Delhi to San Diego and back. On our last leg from Bangalore to Delhi we were down graded to economy class which was big disappointment other than that everything was great.

The customer service was excellent. They noticed that our connecting flight was scheduled too closely for us to complete customs, so they changed the flight. Our initial flight was delayed, and they were able to get us on another flight, all without charging us any additional fees. I would fly them again anytime!

Better screens, it would have been nice to have more comfortable seats.

It was great, but my bag was not loaded onto the connecting flight. I'm currently getting it resolved. If this isn't a problem, everything else was excellent.

Very clean ,flight attendants very professional,nice , Boarding was very easy

The aircraft was massive (A-380) and became crowded with 400+ passengers on board.

My luggage didn’t arrive with my flight. Flight was delayed by nearly 2 hours while we sat on the plane and I almost missed my connecting flight and subsequently missed the last train from the airport so it took me another 2 hours to get to my destination after arriving, Crew skipped me several times when offering beverages, and I couldn’t get their attention at times because they wouldn’t even make eye contact with me. They didn’t give me a form for disembarking so I had to go to the back of the line after waiting an eternity for immigration. Paid for on flight wi- fi that didn’t work for most of the flight.

Love flying Asiana. Been using it for over a decade now.

The beefsteak on the lunch menu was excellent! I usually do not eat airplane food. I loved it.

Flight was too cold. I wore a regular cotton tee and it wasn’t enough. It was a night time flight so I would have thought a blanket would be provided to passengers. A 4 hour flight and no options for a meal? I flew Asiana the next day from Seoul to Manilla. Same duration, 4 hours. They give everyone a pillow and blanket and serve a meal. Why is United so cheap and holding back meals and amenities? Also, they promote too much gay stuff and DEI in their advertisements. Please be mindful of other beliefs and don’t shove your gay ideology down my throat.

Staff always with a smile and very helpful with my mom who has mobility issues.

Wish the seat don’t have restrictions, can’t fully insert backpack all the way inside.

Wish the underseat compartment don’t have a restriction, can fit a personal item such as backpack fully like most Boeing

I have difficulties to book wheelchair for my parents returned flight

Crew and service excellent. 2 hour delay for takeoff. SQ app showed flight on time.

Very good flight from Boarding to landing -efficient and comfortable with decent entertainment options

Construction at PDX resulting in very lung walk from the rental car to the gate. SFO, extremely long walk between terminals to get to connecting Singapore airlines flight. My smart watch recorded a total of 3 miles.

Crew and service was excellent, but passengers should be offered a welcome drink before take off which did not happen. Food was very good. Unfortunately the lie-flat bed in business class was one of the most uncomfortable I have experienced. The configuration forces you to sleep with your legs at an angle instead of in a straight line, plus there is very little padding on the bed so it wasn't possible to sleep for more than 2-3 hours on an 18 hour flight. For what the airlines charges for a business class ticket their hard product leaves a lot to be desired.

Everything was great keep up the good work 😁, can't ask for more.

Flight from SFO did not include entertainment as it was not working the entire duration of the flight. Was informed that there would be a $350 voucher for the inconvenience. Uncertain how the voucher will be provided.

The food options and quality could use some more excitement and variety.

In my return flight they couldn’t identify my ticket or boarding pass, I had to go to 3 different counters until I was able to get my boarding pass. The food was on, it was the bear minimum. They didn’t even recognise that I was a Muslim and can’t eat meat, chicken or pork. In one of the trays I believe they served me pork. The staff were very pleasant, but they need to be aware of their surroundings more carefully, one of them stuck her lower belly right into my face! I was shocked and very uncomfortable.

Overall I had good experience with China Southern airline. Nothing to claim. I hoped they could improve the meal quality that is.

Wow very impressed by the quality and attentiveness of service of China Southern. Lived the blankets! Will definitely fly with them again. Despite language barriers, a few attendants know enough English to understand our rudimentary Mandarin and respond to basic questions. Although they don’t explain the beverage and meal service on the website or ticketing documents, they offered regular beverage cart and snacks during the beginning hours and end hours of the long, transoceanic flight. A full meal at the beginning and end of the flight as well, and a midflight small sandwich (dinner roll sized) but we weren’t hungry and didn’t try that one. The expectation is that every sleeps during the middle of the flight. We were on a “redeye” departure from LAX with a morning arrival in China, so I don’t know if this service pattern is the same for other flights. The domestic flight we took from Guangzhou to Harbin offered conventional refreshments and meals like a US flight service. Note that they didn’t offer diet sodas. If you like to stay hydrated, I recommend bringing plenty of your own. It is served in small cups like any other drink. You can ask for a bottle but they’re tiny - about 6 ounces.

China Southern was not the problem. I booked my flight through Kayak and also received a booking reference and alert details regarding departure time and gate numbers… however Kayak NEVER actually booked my flight! We were stranded at the airport without a flight for a long awaited holiday!

The connection between LA and Atlanta was too much stress

Terrible boarding experience,,food is very poor that I I . Never going book this airline again.

The crew were kind, patient and responsive. The service was excellent, even though we travelled the cheapest economy class. We arrived at our destination 40 min early, which for a 15+ hour flight is a great bonus. The boarding seemed a bit "loose", but got us boarded on time, and the plane was off exactly @ 0:30 hrs.

The airport didn‘t give me the ticket. I called customer service to ask for a refund but they kept giving me a perfunctory response and refused to refund me.

The flight was delayed hours and most flights from CS are always delayed. Plane was efficient and got us home but not the best food and no entertainment system at all.

Not good - chair back could not move back for premium economy. Not worth the price

Small plane with only two lavatories at the back. You must have a good plan to use it before or after the meal, if you make a bad decision, you will end up with standing in front of the toilet for a while till the food carts empty. The good thing is even there’s a slightly delayed, the plane is still arriving on time which is superb!!

The only personel that smiled at all were the flights attendants. Desk agents, lounge people none of them had a smile or even a hello. They were like dealing with dead fish. Again flight attendants were good. All other personnel looked like they didn’t want to be there or help.

good flight. food is only so so. I actually did not eat the snack. it does not look too good on the passenger next to me.

Food no variations only beef of chicken no veggie meals

Super surprised with the entire experience. Business class is incredible. Flight attendants around the world could learn customer service from these people. Simply fabulous experience all the way around.

Pillow and blanket are dirty. My son got multiple bites during the flight

Flight was on time. My group paid for seat’s so that us four can be seated next to each other. We all got separated. We all got middle seats, which made it more difficult to be able to get up and stretch or use the restroom. We tried talking to the employees at China Eastern and they were of no help. We will not be taking this flight or recommend this route to others in the future. Also I will be contacting customer service on how I can get our money back for paying for assigned seats.

China eastern was fantastic. I had read so many bad reviews that had made me nervous. However, I found that the flight attendant’s, and customer service check in etc. etc. was excellent. I had no problems. I would fly with them again!

Excellent! I had read some negative reviews but I found out that it was not all was not true! The staff was courteous and helpful. The flight take off and landing was nice & easy. The food was good! I asked for a second and I got it easily and without an attitude! All was wonderful!

Excellent experience however older aeroplanes used by China Eastern Airlines.

Everything you need to know for your flight to Kota Kinabalu

Information on the airport you'll fly into in Kota Kinabalu