Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s dedicated low-cost terminal, KLIA2, was opened in May 2014 and is the world’s largest dedicated low-cost terminal. It can handle up to 45 million passengers per year.
All of the airport’s low-cost airline movements were moved to the terminal, leaving the original buildings to handle full service airlines and the mainline flights of Malaysia Airlines.
Paul Moiser recently visited the airport and got the low down on spotting at KLIA2.
Getting to KLIA2
There’s an excellent train service which connects KLIA to KLIA2, and the journey time is only 3 minutes. It costs RM2 which is less than $1 / 50p.
Where to spot
KLIA2 has an official spotting area, just like KLIA1. Once you arrive at the KLIA2 train station take the elevator to level 3 departures and follow the signs for the smoking area and food courts. You will come across the outside viewing area next to McDonald’s.
There are two sides to the viewing area. Both sides only overlook nine parking gates, so you need visit each side of this level to see all of the aircraft. The larger parking area is the central bay, and aircraft parked here can’t be seen from either end of the viewing areas. Only movements taxiing in and out of this central bay can be seen from the right hand side of this level. As you enter past McDonald’s the viewing area to your right offers the best overall view as you can see movements over at KLIA, however you may need to use SBS or FlightRadar24 to identify these; although any departing traffic off the central runway (32R/14L) are readable.
The viewing area to your left as you enter only gives views of the new third runway and nine parking gates. This runway was quite active while I was there, so that’s why you have to spend time at each end.
It is possible to just stay at the main KLIA’s observation hall as you can see all movements moving about over at KLIA2, but closeup photography will not be possible.
KLIA 2 spotting hotel
Kuala Lumpur KLIA2 has its own hotel which is reached via a covered ground-level walkway. The hotel is a Tune Hotel and I had a walk over there to check out the rooms to see what the views were like.
As the hotel was busy the only room I could be shown was room 601. From the room you can see all departures off the new runway. No parking gates could be seen and I couldn’t see anything over at KLIA. I could only see movements taxiing in/out to one side of the parking bays, so although the hotel is very cheap at £35 a night, compared to excellent Sama Sama spotting hotel you need (if it’s important to you!) to factor this point in regarding views. Going off the location I really don’t think any other rooms would offer much better than the one I was shown.
The Tune hotel was very nice and modern, and they offer free wifi in all areas. The room I was shown was a double, but they do have twins. Rooms are very small but all have a flat screen TV with air-con, but no tea/coffee making facilities etc.
The aircraft photos on this page are from Paul Moiser’s visit. You can find out more about KLIA2 at the official website:Â www.klia2.info
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4 comments
Stayed at the Sama Sama, and there are no views that i found, but one night was spent at the Concorde hotel, as they cancelled our flight, this seems to be at the end of the runway so lots were seen. A nice hotel, great bar and restaurant. Well worth a try if your staying over
Is the terrace an open air observation deck, or the same as KLIA 1 ? So photography through glass ?
Beware KLIA2 viewing area is the same as the smoking area. Yes, it is outside. No glass.
In Kuala Lumpur you can hire an air conditioned taxi for a whole day (8 hours) for about US$70 and go anywhere you want in KL. I hired one to take me from my hotel door to spot at SZB in the morning then KLIA in the afternoon. Then drop me off at the hotel (or anywhere you want) at the end of the day. The taxi driver usually doesn’t know the locations, you have to do the research and show the driver the location on google map. Great for spotting at KUL between 2 runways and the new official spotting spot.
It was slightly cheaper in PEN which I included sightseeing and spotting in a day.