No Swan So Fine · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
Gulf Air has restarted flights between Bahrain and Kuala Lumpur, with its inaugural Boeing 787-9 service, GF158, welcomed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 on Wednesday 30 September 2026, ahead of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix being held at Sepang from 2 to 4 October, The Star reports. Gulf Air is the race’s title sponsor.
The nonstop phase is short. Gulf Air schedules nonstop 787-9 flights only until 23 October, and from 25 October the route becomes a daily Bahrain to Singapore to Kuala Lumpur service, AeroRoutes reports, so later bookings include a stop in Singapore.
- Route: Bahrain (BAH) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Boeing 787-9.
- Nonstop period: 29 September to 23 October 2026, up to five a week, then three a week from 8 October.
- From 25 October: daily via Singapore, Bahrain to Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
- Terminal: KLIA Terminal 1.
- Race weekend: F1 at Sepang International Circuit, 2 to 4 October.
Gulf Air Kuala Lumpur Schedule
AeroRoutes reported in August that Gulf Air planned nonstop 787-9 flights from 29 September to 23 October, up to five times a week, dropping to three a week from 8 October. The Star described the service as thrice weekly at launch. Schedules can change, so check your flight number and routing in the Gulf Air app after booking.
From 25 October, the service runs daily as a one-stop flight via Singapore, according to AeroRoutes. GF165 is scheduled to leave Bahrain at 23:55, reach Singapore at 12:50 the next day and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 15:30. The return, GF166, leaves Kuala Lumpur at 17:35, stops in Singapore, and reaches Bahrain at 23:25.
Flying to the F1 Race at Sepang
The 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is being held at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, and Gulf Air added capacity to Kuala Lumpur for fans, the airline said when it opened bookings in August, TradeArabia reported. Sepang is close to KLIA, so race fans flying in can reach the circuit without going through the city. Deep Arrival covered the Sepang and Singapore race doubleheader earlier.
“Adding Kuala Lumpur as a permanent destination further strengthens our network and supports year-round connectivity between Bahrain, Malaysia, and beyond,” said Gulf Air chief executive Martin Gauss.
Malaysia Connections From KLIA
The Bahrain route gives travellers from the Gulf access to onward Malaysian domestic flights to destinations including Langkawi, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak, and Gulf Air is the 10th Middle Eastern carrier serving KLIA, The Star reports, citing Bernama. Malaysia expects 103.8 million to 109.7 million air passengers in 2026, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia forecast cited by Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah.
“The return of Gulf Air provides timely capacity to help us meet these traffic projections and accommodate the growing demand from international travellers,” Hasbi said at the welcome reception at KLIA.
The deputy minister tied the route to Visit Malaysia 2026 and to the 34th Southeast Asian Games and 14th ASEAN Para Games that Malaysia hosts in 2027, saying convenient, year-round flights from key source markets like the Gulf are essential. Malaysia’s airports handled 104.4 million passengers in 2025, up 11.2 percent, with KLIA alone recording 63.3 million, The Star reports. Airport operator Malaysia Airports is working on baggage handling, automated immigration gates and terminal digitalisation to manage the growth, Hasbi said.
Booking Bahrain to Kuala Lumpur Flights
If you want the nonstop, book travel on or before 23 October and confirm the routing shows no stop. From 25 October, expect a longer journey with a scheduled stop of about an hour and a half in Singapore in each direction, based on the AeroRoutes timings.
Connecting passengers from Europe or the Gulf can use Bahrain as a transfer point, so check minimum connection times there, and make sure your passport and any visa requirements cover both Malaysia and, after 25 October, the Singapore stop.
| If you are | What to do |
|---|---|
| Flying to the Sepang race | Use the nonstop; KLIA is close to the circuit. |
| Travelling after 25 October | Expect a daily one-stop routing via Singapore. |
| Connecting onward in Malaysia | Look at domestic links to Langkawi, Penang, Sabah or Sarawak. |
| Booked already | Check your routing and flight times in the Gulf Air app. |
New link. Gulf Air is back at KLIA with a 787-9 service.
Nonstop for now. Direct flights run until 23 October.
Daily from 25 October. One stop in Singapore.
Does Gulf Air fly nonstop from Bahrain to Kuala Lumpur?
Yes, until 23 October 2026. From 25 October the flight is scheduled daily via Singapore, AeroRoutes reports.
Which terminal does Gulf Air use at KLIA?
Terminal 1, where the inaugural flight was welcomed on 30 September 2026.
What aircraft does Gulf Air use to Kuala Lumpur?
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
When is the F1 race at Sepang in 2026?
The Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix runs from 2 to 4 October 2026 at Sepang International Circuit.
