SINGAPORE— Gulf Air (GF) will launch daily fifth-freedom flights between Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL) from October 26, 2026, bringing a new carrier to one of Southeast Asia’s busiest air routes.
The Bahrain-based airline will operate the service with Boeing 787-9 aircraft as an extension of its Bahrain–Singapore operation.
Gulf Air will operate flight GF165 from Bahrain to Singapore before continuing to Kuala Lumpur, while GF166 will return from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and then continue to Bahrain.
The airline’s fifth-freedom rights will allow passengers to book the Singapore–Kuala Lumpur sector independently without travelling to or from Bahrain.
Gulf Air’s Fifth Freedom on a Dreamliner
The new service will operate once daily in both directions, with the Singapore–Kuala Lumpur sector scheduled to take 1 hour and 10 minutes.
GF165 will depart Singapore at 2:20 p.m. and reach Kuala Lumpur at 3:30 p.m., while GF166 will leave Kuala Lumpur at 5:35 p.m. and arrive in Singapore at 6:45 p.m.
The schedule gives Gulf Air an additional use for its Boeing 787-9 during the aircraft’s existing turnaround at Singapore Changi Airport. The aircraft will continue to Bahrain after returning from Kuala Lumpur, with GF166 scheduled to leave Singapore at 8:00 p.m.
The timing also creates an option for passengers seeking short trips between Singapore and Malaysia. However, the schedule does not support a same-day return because the aircraft remains in Kuala Lumpur for just over two hours.
Gulf Air’s New Kuala Lumpur Link
The Singapore extension follows Gulf Air’s return to Kuala Lumpur after a 14-year absence. The airline restarted direct Bahrain–Kuala Lumpur flights on September 29, 2026, initially increasing service around the Formula 1 event at Sepang before shifting to the Singapore routing.
Gulf Air previously operated Singapore–Bangkok fifth-freedom flights after returning to Singapore in 2021. Those services ended in October 2024 when the airline moved to a daily nonstop Singapore–Bahrain schedule.
The new Kuala Lumpur service will make Gulf Air only the second airline to offer fifth-freedom flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Ethiopian Airlines already operates fifth-freedom services on the route.
Fares And Configuration on the Route
Economy return fares for the new service start at around S$246, while Business Class fares begin at approximately S$1,025. The lowest Economy fare includes a 25-kilogram checked baggage allowance and 6 kilograms of cabin baggage.
Gulf Air’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft assigned to the route are configured with 282 seats, including 26 Business Class and 256 Economy Class seats.
The aircraft features the airline’s Falcon Gold Business Class cabin and Apex Suite seating, alongside a 3-3-3 Economy Class configuration, the Mainly Miles reported.
The addition gives travellers another option on the heavily served Singapore–Kuala Lumpur market, where multiple airlines already operate frequent services.
For Gulf Air, the fifth-freedom sector also expands its Southeast Asian presence while making greater use of its existing Singapore schedule.
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