Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia

Malaysia: Air transport, passengers carried was 46.70 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
46.70 million
Change on year
up 66.7%
World rank
24th
of 183 countries
All-time high
63.62 million
in 2019
All-time low
748,900
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023

Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia, 1970–2023

020.0M40.0M60.0M197019962023

Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Analysis

In 2023, air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia stood at 46.70 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 66.7% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia peaked at 63.62 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 748,900, in 1970.

That places Malaysia 24th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia, 1970 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1970 748,900
1971 875,100 +16.9%
1972 1.02 million +16.1%
1973 1.86 million +83.6%
1974 2.33 million +25.1%
1975 2.50 million +7.4%
1976 2.67 million +6.7%
1977 2.86 million +7.3%
1978 3.10 million +8.1%
1979 3.49 million +12.7%
1980 4.52 million +29.4%
1981 5.35 million +18.4%
1982 5.24 million -2.0%
1983 5.36 million +2.3%
1984 5.69 million +6.1%
1985 5.69 million +0.0%
1986 6.31 million +11.0%
1987 7.40 million +17.2%
1988 7.68 million +3.9%
1989 8.69 million +13.2%
1990 10.24 million +17.8%
1991 11.84 million +15.6%
1992 12.76 million +7.8%
1993 13.10 million +2.7%
1994 14.25 million +8.8%
1995 15.42 million +8.2%
1996 15.12 million -1.9%
1997 15.59 million +3.1%
1998 13.65 million -12.4%
1999 14.98 million +9.7%
2000 16.56 million +10.5%
2001 16.11 million -2.7%
2002 16.28 million +1.1%
2003 16.70 million +2.6%
2004 19.23 million +15.1%
2005 20.37 million +5.9%
2006 17.83 million -12.4%
2007 21.33 million +19.6%
2008 22.42 million +5.1%
2009 23.77 million +6.0%
2010 34.24 million +44.1%
2011 38.22 million +11.6%
2012 39.17 million +2.5%
2013 48.00 million +22.5%
2014 49.67 million +3.5%
2015 50.35 million +1.4%
2016 53.82 million +6.9%
2017 58.71 million +9.1%
2018 60.48 million +3.0%
2019 63.62 million +5.2%
2020 15.89 million -75.0%
2021 4.97 million -68.8%
2022 28.01 million +464.0%
2023 46.70 million +66.7%

Malaysia compared with similar countries

  • Malaysia's 46.70 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.37 million, 34.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Malaysia's 46.70 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.05 million, 22.7× the median. (29 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2022 +464.0% 4.97 million 28.01 million
2020 -75.0% 63.62 million 15.89 million
1973 +83.6% 1.02 million 1.86 million
2021 -68.8% 15.89 million 4.97 million
2023 +66.7% 28.01 million 46.70 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.15 million 748,900 3.49 million 10
1980s 6.19 million 4.52 million 8.69 million 10
1990s 13.70 million 10.24 million 15.59 million 10
2000s 19.06 million 16.11 million 23.77 million 10
2010s 49.63 million 34.24 million 63.62 million 10
2020s 23.89 million 4.97 million 46.70 million 4

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 21 Thailand 51.92 million compare
  2. 22 Saudi Arabia 47.98 million compare
  3. 23 Singapore 47.50 million compare
  4. 25 Austria 46.04 million compare
  5. 26 Colombia 42.40 million compare
  6. 27 Philippines 41.50 million compare

See the full ranking of 230 places →

More infrastructure data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia?
Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia was 46.70 million in 2023, according to Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
What is the highest air transport, passengers carried recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 63.62 million in 2019.
What is the lowest air transport, passengers carried recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 748,900 in 1970.
How does Malaysia rank for air transport, passengers carried?
Malaysia ranks 24th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
Is air transport, passengers carried rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as part of Air transport, passengers carried. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Air transport, passengers carried in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/air-transport-passengers-carried/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Air transport, passengers carried
Source
Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
230 places, 10,242 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Air carrier data per country refers to passengers carried by airlines registered in that country regardless of the origin or destination of the passengers.