History and Inception Ipoh Airport was originally planned to be developed in 1983 under the Fourth Malaysia Plan. During that period, the airport could only accommodate smaller aircraft such as the
Fokker models. In response to rising air travel demand, a
new terminal was proposed in late 1988, with an allocated budget of RM35 million.
Revitalisation and Upgrades To revitalise the airport, a new terminal building was constructed along with an extended runway at a cost of RM45 million. The runway was lengthened to to allow operations by larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and
Airbus A320 families. The new terminal featured expanded departure and arrival halls, full air-conditioning and an increased capacity to handle a larger volume of passengers. Despite these upgrades, the runway was initially restricted to
turboprop aircraft due to the emergence of potholes shortly after construction. Although the issue was resolved, similar runway maintenance issues recurred before being permanently addressed, allowing the runway to be used daily by various aircraft.
Recent Services and Operations In September 2014,
Firefly resumed operations at Ipoh Airport with a route to
Singapore, followed by
Malindo Air (now Batik Air Malaysia) in October 2014, which introduced routes to
Subang,
Johor Bahru and
Medan,
Indonesia.
Srivijaya Air also launched a route to Medan in November 2014, expanding the airport’s connectivity within the region. In May 2015,
Tigerair, now
Scoot, began services to Ipoh, further enhancing its international reach. AirAsia resumed its Johor Bahru-Ipoh service in October 2018 and added a new routes to Singapore in December 2018 and
Langkawi in 2020. These additions strengthened Ipoh Airport’s position as a growing regional airport, offering more options for both domestic and international travel. In May 2025, Airasia suspended the International route from Ipoh to Singapore, leaving Singaporean airlines company Scoot being the sole airlines company operating the Ipoh - Singapore route. The local state government has expressed strong dissatisfaction over this decision, citing that it might negatively impact tourism between the two countries.
Future Growth and Expansion Plans The Malaysian Government has explored relocation options for Ipoh Airport, constrained by surrounding residential areas that limit further expansion. Potential sites considered include areas farther from the city center, such as
Seri Iskandar or
Batang Padang near
Tapah, though no concrete actions have been implemented. Another proposal suggested utilizing Ipoh as a feeder airport, as it faces challenges competing with larger airports in
Penang and
Kuala Lumpur. While several airlines have expressed interest in adding routes to Ipoh, only Tigerair (now Scoot) has established operations. Airlines from China and Indonesia have also indicated interest in future services. In March 2017, the Perak state government announced plans to expand the terminal to increase passenger capacity. Additional upgrades, including an extension of the runway from , were anticipated the following year to better support larger aircraft and enhance connectivity. These improvements are aimed at making Ipoh Airport more competitive as a regional hub while addressing the space limitations of its current location. ==Airlines and destinations==