Ben Mutzabaugh

USA TODAY

Asian budget carrier AirAsia X announced its first-ever route to the United States on Friday.

The airline – the long-haul unit of Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia – will begin flying from Honolulu on June 28. AirAsia X will fly non-stop from Honolulu to Osaka/Kansai, Japan, with continuing service to its main hub in Kuala Lumpur. Passengers traveling between Honolulu and Kuala Lumpur will have a stopover in Osaka of about two hours.

Introductory fares on the new route were on sale for as little as $99 one way to Japan and $149 to Malaysia, though regular fares will be higher.

AirAsia X’s Honolulu-Oaska-Kuala Lumpur service will operate four times a week on 377-seat Airbus A330-300 widebody jets. The planes include 12 lie-flat seats and 365 economy seats. Fares for the flatbed seats begin at $699 one way during the introductory period, though typical fares will be higher.

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The carrier’s first route to America comes little more than two weeks after the company revealed it had gained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to begin U.S. flights.

"This is the game-changing route we have all been waiting for,” Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia X CEO, said in a statement. "We thank all relevant authorities and governments for their support. Their vote of confidence made today's unique route launch possible and we will continue to work closely with all parties to ensure we can connect more people through this flagship intercontinental route."

While AirAsia X’s Honolulu service will bring it to the U.S. for the first time, Hawaii’s relatively remote location likely means the flights will not be a practical option for most Americans. Still, the service is sure to be welcomed by the tourism industry in Hawaii, a popular holiday destination for travelers from Japan and elsewhere in Asia.

More broadly, the arrival of AirAsia X continues an influx of international budget carriers to U.S. airports.

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Until now, it’s been budget carriers from Europe that have drawn most of the attention.

Norwegian Air and Iceland’s WOW Air have led a new breed of international “ultra low-cost” carriers adding nonstop routes between the USA and Europe. They’ve already sold fares for as little as $69 one way on flights to Europe and have promised more such fares will come.

It remains to be seen whether AirAsia X’s foothold in Hawaii paves the way for it to add flights between Asia and the U.S. mainland, but carrier has expressed an interest in such service previously.

In 2012, for example, AirAsia X acknowledged interest in one-stop service between California and Kuala Lumpur. And in 2009 the company took the unusual step of rolling out a plane painted in the colors of the Oakland Raiders football team, revealing the aircraft at a press event at Oakland International Airport. That came even though AirAsia X otherwise had no presence in the United States.

For now, however, the Air Asia X CEO told Malaysia's Bernama news agency that no other U.S. destinations are imminent.

TWITTER: You can follow Today in the Sky editor Ben Mutzabaugh at twitter.com/TodayInTheSky

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