The airline is the first Asian low-cost carrier to secure approval to operate scheduled passenger flights to the US.

The approval allows AirAsia's long-haul, low-cost sister airline to operate services to any destination within the US.

AirAsia X is currently considering flights to several US states including Hawaii as part of its route expansion plans.

AirAsia X Group CEO Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said, "This is a major milestone for AirAsia X. Our expansion up until now has concentrated on Asia, Australasia and the Middle East, and we are excited about our first foray into an entirely new market as we look beyond Asia Pacific."

"I'm confident travellers will respond well to our award-winning service and the kind of connectivity we can offer with our Fly-Thru product. As part of our expansion plans, we are also looking to resume our very popular London route, and are working towards securing the necessary approvals."

He added: "None of this would be possible without our Allstars, especially Group Chief Operating Officer Anaz Ahmad Tajuddin, who sadly passed away two weeks ago. We wouldn't be where we are today if he had not laid the foundations with his blood, sweat and tears, and his bravery in the face of cancer showed us the true meaning of strength. This is for you, Anaz."

A pioneer in travel and technology, AirAsia offers a wide range of innovative products such as mobile app, extensive self-service options, inflight wifi, inflight entertainment, premium coffee, online duty-free shopping, Premium Flex and Fly-Thru.

Fly-Thru allows guests to seamlessly connect to anywhere within AirAsia's wide network with just one stop at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Asia's No. 1 low-cost carrier hub - and other convenient transit hubs in Thailand and Indonesia, without having to pass through immigration and with their baggage checked through to the final destination.

AirAsia Group boasts an extensive route network to over 120 destinations in Asia Pacific, including some 60 unique routes within the Asean region, and unmatched flight frequencies.