TWU Airport: Tawau Airport at a Glance

TWU is the IATA code for Tawau Airport, known in Malay as Lapangan Terbang Tawau. It serves the town of Tawau on the south-east coast of Sabah, in Malaysian Borneo. The four-letter ICAO code, used by pilots and air traffic control, is WBKW. If your ticket says TWU, this is where you land, and there is no other passenger airport in Tawau to mix it up with.

The airport is operated by Malaysia Airports. The present airport opened in December 2001, taking over from the town's earlier airstrip. Its single runway measures 2,685 metres, enough for the narrow-body jets that fly most routes here.

For many travellers, Tawau Airport is less about Tawau itself and more about what lies beyond it. It is the usual gateway for divers heading to Semporna and the islands of Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai, so you will often see dive bags on the belts alongside business travellers and families visiting home.

Tawau Airport Departures and Arrivals: Airlines and Routes

Most searches for Tawau Airport are about flights, so here is what flies. Scheduled services are domestic and link Tawau with the main hubs of Malaysia.

• Kuala Lumpur: a flight of close to three hours across the South China Sea. It is the route most people use to connect to Peninsular Malaysia and to international flights.
• Kota Kinabalu (BKI): the short flight from TWU to BKI connects Tawau with Sabah's state capital and its wider network.
• Johor Bahru (Senai): a direct link to the southern tip of the peninsula, popular with travellers going to or from Johor.

The carriers serving Tawau are AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air Malaysia and Firefly. Which airline flies which route, and how often, changes with each schedule season, so check current options when you search.

Checking TWU departures and arrivals

Tawau Airport is a compact regional terminal, and live departure and arrival times are best checked with your airline, whose app or website shows gate changes and delays first. If you are meeting someone off a flight, the arrivals area is small and easy to find, and the car park is right outside.

Where Is Tawau Airport?

Tawau Airport lies roughly 30 km north-east of Tawau town. The drive usually takes around 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic and where in town you are staying. The airport is surrounded by plantation country, so there is little around it beyond the main road.

Semporna, the jumping-off point for the famous dive islands, is further away to the east. Allow roughly an hour to an hour and a half by road from the airport, depending on the vehicle and traffic.

Inside the Tawau Airport Terminal

Tawau Airport has one passenger terminal, which handles check-in, security and baggage reclaim for every flight. The layout is simple: you can walk from the entrance to check-in and then to security in a few minutes, which makes it a relaxed airport to use compared with the big hubs.

Facilities

• Food and drink: there are cafes and eateries in the terminal, with more choice on the public side than past security.
• Cash: ATMs are available at the airport, handy if you need ringgit for a taxi coupon or a minivan.
• Car rental: car hire companies have counters at the airport, useful if you plan to drive to Semporna or the national parks.
• Parking: an open-air car park with around 500 spaces sits in front of the terminal.

Because it is a small airport, choices are limited compared with Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu. If you have a long wait, eat before you go through security.

Getting from Tawau Airport to Tawau Town and Semporna

There is no rail link, so every transfer is by road. You have several options.

• Airport taxi: taxis run on a coupon system. Buy the coupon at the counter in arrivals, then hand it to the driver at the rank.
• Ride-hailing: Grab works in Tawau and is a common choice for trips into town.
• Airport bus: a bus service links the airport with Tawau town. It runs to set times rather than meeting every flight, so check before relying on it.
• Car hire: pick up a car at the airport counters if you want flexibility.

Tawau Airport to Semporna

Many dive resorts and tour operators arrange a minivan or car from Tawau Airport straight to Semporna, timed around your flight. Otherwise, a taxi or Grab can take you directly. Travellers on a tighter budget can go into Tawau town first and take a bus or minibus to Semporna from there. From Semporna, boats continue to Mabul, Kapalai and the other islands.

Tips for Flying from Tawau Airport

Arrival time

For domestic flights from Tawau Airport, arriving around 90 minutes to two hours before departure gives you time for the drive, check-in and security. Queues are usually short, but a single delayed flight or a big tour group can slow the counters.

Diving and flying

If you have been diving around Semporna, remember the general safety guidance to leave a gap between your last dive and your flight. Dive operators usually recommend at least a day. Plan your final dive day with your return flight in mind.

Baggage

Dive gear adds weight quickly. Check your airline's checked-baggage allowance before you pack, since allowances differ between carriers and fare types on the same route.

Connecting in Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu

If you are flying in from abroad, you will usually connect through Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu. Leave a comfortable connection time, especially if the two flights are on separate bookings and you need to re-check your bags.

Tawau and the Dive Islands: What to See

Tawau is a working town rather than a resort, and it makes a practical stop before or after the islands.

• Sipadan: the island whose reefs draw divers to this corner of Sabah, reached by boat from Semporna.
• Mabul and Kapalai: nearby islands with resorts, house reefs and muck-diving spots.
• Semporna: the coastal town where most island boats leave and where the dive operators are based.
• Tawau town: closer to the airport than Semporna, so a hotel here suits a night before an early flight.

Planning a trip to Sabah's east coast? Compare flights to Tawau on Traveloka and set a Price Alert to track fares.