When AirAsia first launched as a low-cost carrier in 2001, the focus was simple: make flying accessible to more people across Asia. Fast forward to today, and you’ll find AirAsia doing a whole lot more than selling plane tickets. They’re rewriting the script on what a travel app can be — transforming it from a functional tool into a dynamic, community-driven platform that offers real-time updates, personalized recommendations, and social connection all in one place.
At the center of this evolution is AirAsia Move — the company’s travel super app. It’s no longer just about getting from point A to point B. It’s about building a connected, personalized, and rewarding journey for every traveler — and doing it by leaning into community at every touchpoint.
Let’s dive into how AirAsia pulled this off — and why it might just be setting the blueprint for the future of travel apps.
From budget flights to digital frontiers
AirAsia was founded by Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun with a bold mission: democratize air travel in Asia. They succeeded spectacularly. AirAsia quickly became one of the region’s biggest airline success stories, opening up routes to underserved cities and making travel accessible to millions who’d never flown before.
But the team behind AirAsia knew that if they wanted to keep innovating, they couldn’t just stay in the air — they had to go digital in a big way.
That push gave birth to AirAsia Move (formerly known as AirAsia Super App). What began as a simple flight booking app is now a sprawling platform serving over 10 million users, offering everything from hotel bookings to local experiences and loyalty rewards. And perhaps most importantly, it’s built to connect people, not just itineraries.
Travel that feels more like you
Ask any traveler today what they want from their trip, and chances are, you’ll hear words like “personal,” “real-time,” or “connected.” That’s not just anecdotal — research shows that over 80% of travelers expect experiences tailored to their preferences. They don’t want to scroll through generic options. They want recommendations that feel handpicked.
AirAsia Move gets this. The app uses previous behaviors, preferences, and destinations to suggest flights, stays, and experiences that feel relevant and exciting. It’s a subtle shift, but a powerful one — instead of planning a trip around what’s available, you plan around what feels right for you.
And the personalization doesn’t stop with recommendations. The platform is designed to evolve with you. The more you use it, the smarter it gets, curating everything from real-time alerts to restaurant picks based on where you are and what you like.
Turning flyers into a travel community
Most airline apps help you get to your destination. AirAsia Move is trying to help you enjoy the journey — and that means building community into every step of the experience.
Take the app’s real-time chat features. You can connect with customer support instantly, of course — but you can also tap into live travel updates, advice from locals, or social recommendations from other travelers. Got a question about what to do during a layover? Someone’s probably answered it already.
This isn’t a byproduct. It’s a strategy. AirAsia isn’t just offering services. It’s facilitating a kind of digital travel companion experience — where advice, recommendations, and tips come from other users, not just a faceless algorithm or company rep.
And just like social platforms, the more people interact, the richer the ecosystem becomes. Travelers feel like they’re part of something — and they keep coming back not just for the flights, but for the feeling of connection.
Building the platform around people
So what makes AirAsia Move’s approach to community work? It comes down to a few core strategies — all deeply human, all designed to scale.
First off, there’s the social design. AirAsia Move treats every user like both a customer and a contributor. Whether it’s sharing reviews, answering questions, or just leaving feedback, the app is designed to make it easy to connect and collaborate.
Then there’s the real-time layer — the idea that travel should feel live, not static. If your flight changes, you know immediately. If there’s a cool event near your hotel, the app can nudge you. This live feed of updates, recommendations, and alerts creates a rhythm that mimics social media but with purpose: helping you navigate and enjoy your travel in the moment.
And finally, there’s the hyper-local integration. This isn’t about flooding you with ads or listings. It’s about giving you curated, relevant suggestions based on where you are — restaurants, cultural spots, events, or even local tips from the community. It makes the app feel like a smart, well-traveled friend, not a sales pitch.
Raising the bar for what travel apps can be
What AirAsia Move is doing isn’t just clever — it’s reshaping expectations.
In an era where everything from streaming to shopping is tailored and social, it’s only natural that travel — arguably one of the most personal and emotional experiences — should follow suit. AirAsia Move is ahead of the curve by baking in features that make travel feel more human, more social, and more adaptive.
Other airlines and travel platforms should take note. This isn’t just about bells and whistles. It’s about meeting people where they are — on their phones, in real-time, looking for connection and relevance.
If AirAsia can do this while staying true to its low-cost, high-accessibility roots, there’s no reason other companies can’t follow suit.
Lessons from AirAsia’s community-driven playbook
So what can other companies — in travel or beyond — learn from this transformation?
The first big takeaway is that community doesn’t have to be built from scratch. AirAsia had millions of users long before it introduced social features. The magic was in giving those users a way to talk to each other and contribute to the platform. Whether it’s through chats, tips, or reviews, turning users into participants changes everything.
Next, personalization isn’t a trend — it’s table stakes. Travelers today expect their experience to reflect who they are. That means apps and platforms need to invest in the infrastructure to collect, process, and respond to user data in meaningful, ethical ways.
Third, real-time functionality is critical. In a world that moves fast — and sometimes unpredictably — people want to feel informed and in control. Real-time updates don’t just improve convenience; they build trust.
And finally, community doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s as simple as giving people a way to share their experience. AirAsia Move didn’t invent a new social network. It just connected the dots between travelers — and let them help each other out.
Final thoughts: travel Is changing, and so should the apps we use
AirAsia Move isn’t just a great travel app. It’s a glimpse into the future of how brands can serve, engage, and grow with their users. By centering the experience around personalization, connection, and real-time value, AirAsia has moved from being a carrier to a connector — not just of places, but of people.
And in doing so, it’s carved out a new kind of journey — one where the destination matters, but the experience of getting there feels like part of something bigger.
Whether you're a founder building the next big platform or a product manager rethinking user experience, the lesson is clear: community isn’t an add-on. It’s the difference between being useful — and being unforgettable.