AirAsia and HYROX Unite to Transform Fitness Travel Across Asia Pacific

 

 

Airline partnership targets 250,000 athletes across 15 cities with exclusive travel perks and co-branded livery.

 

 

AirAsia has officially launched its partnership with HYROX APAC, marking a strategic collaboration that positions the airline at the forefront of Asia's rapidly expanding fitness travel sector.

 

The partnership, unveiled on Friday (January 23rd) at an event in Kuala Lampur, will see AirAsia serve as the official airline partner for HYROX throughout 2026, connecting what is expected to be over 250,000 athletes across more than 15 cities in the Asia Pacific region.

 

"Sports has always been a huge part of AirAsia's DNA," said Amanda Woo, Chief Commercial Officer of AirAsia X, highlighting the airline's 25-year heritage of supporting major sporting platforms including the ASEAN Football Club, Southeast Asian Games, and the UFC. "We are not just connecting athletes to competition venues. We are bringing fitness enthusiast communities together across ASEAN and beyond."

 

The partnership comes as HYROX experiences exceptional growth in the region.

 

Since entering the Asia Pacific market two years ago, the global fitness race has expanded to nine markets with 26 events, drawing over 196,000 participants to date. Currently, 100,000 people are training for HYROX on a daily basis across the region.

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Network Advantage

Operating nearly 5,000 weekly flights across Asia Pacific, AirAsia's extensive network spanning over 130 destinations positions it as an ideal partner for HYROX's expansion strategy.

 

The collaboration addresses a key participant behaviour: an average of 30% of HYROX racers are international travellers, with some events seeing this figure reach 40%.
 

 

 

 

"By leveraging the AirAsia network across 130 destinations, we're making travelling to races easier and more accessible for our athletes," explained Gary Wan, HYROX APAC Managing Director. "We're not just connecting athletes to races. We're here to make fitness, travel, and community one seamless experience."

 

 

 

Flagship Events Across Key Markets

The partnership will see AirAsia serve as title sponsor for seven HYROX races across its network in 2026.

 

Woo revealed that the calendar will include flagship events in Jakarta in June, a homecoming event in Malaysia by year's end, and races in Japan, amongst other destinations.

 

The two marquee events confirmed are AirAsia HYROX Jakarta, scheduled for 6-7 June 2026 at the Nusantara International Convention Exhibition (NICE), and AirAsia HYROX Kuala Lumpur in December 2026.

 

These events mark HYROX's debut in the Malaysian and Indonesian markets.

 

"This will be our first time to enter the market of Malaysia and Indonesia," said Wan during the announcement. "We're super excited because finally we get to bring the sport to our long-waiting community in these key markets."

 

Additionally, AirAsia HYROX Osaka, taking place from 30 January to 1 February 2026, kicks off the partnership with one of the season's earliest events, demonstrating the collaboration's immediate activation across the region.

 

 

 

Beyond Race Day: Building Community

The collaboration extends well beyond race sponsorship, with AirAsia and HYROX planning community-driven initiatives and on-ground activations throughout the year.

 

The airline is partnering with selected HYROX Training Club gyms to maintain close engagement with the fitness community across key markets including Osaka, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Incheon.
 

 

 

 

Registered participants for selected AirAsia-partnered HYROX races in 2026 will receive an exclusive 10% discount on flights within a designated booking period, making it more affordable for athletes to compete across multiple events.

 

During today's announcement, the partners unveiled a special co-branded aircraft livery themed "Keep Moving, Keep Rising" – a visual representation of the partnership's shared values of progress and community connection. 

 

Woo explained that the livery design focuses on blending both brands' colours – AirAsia's signature red and grey with HYROX's black – creating a unified visual identity for the fitness community campaign throughout 2026.

 

 

 

 

Broader Sports Strategy

The HYROX partnership forms part of AirAsia's wider sports and wellness strategy for 2026.

 

The airline will also launch its own AirAsia RedRun across 10 different cities throughout the year, with Indonesia confirmed as one of the key markets for the marathon event, demonstrating its commitment to the active lifestyle sector.

 

"This partnership is not about dollar and cents," Woo explained during a media Q&A session. "It's about bringing value to communities. Being the number one airline in terms of connectivity in Southeast Asia, we focus on bringing passengers around. With most events happening over the weekend, our partnership allows passengers to get good value whilst pursuing their passion."
 

 

 

 

Tapping into Fitness Tourism

The collaboration aligns with the continued rise of sports and lifestyle travel across Asia Pacific.

 

HYROX's unique format – comprising eight 1km runs alternating with eight workout stations – attracts a diverse community ranging from serious athletes to fitness enthusiasts, with race completion times averaging around 90 minutes.

 

"If you're racing in singles, average finish time is one hour 30 minutes. Once you finish, you're not going to be dead. You can still travel the city a bit, go to the after party, enjoy a good holiday," Wan noted, describing HYROX as a "racecation" concept that appeals to modern travellers seeking purposeful experiences.

 

The Bangkok race last year demonstrated this appeal dramatically, selling out within seven hours of launch and attracting over 60% international travellers, predominantly from Southeast Asian markets. 

 

 

 

Market Expansion and Future Vision

Looking ahead, both partners expressed ambitions to scale the collaboration further.

 

Wan hinted at plans for multi-day events that would allow HYROX to build "one massive event" and establish destination race locations across the region.

 

Unlike marathons that require road closures, HYROX's indoor format allows for extended weekend events, opening up possibilities for larger-scale activations.

 

When asked about expansion plans in Thailand following Bangkok's success, Wan playfully declined to reveal specifics but confirmed: "It will come."

 

"We share the same vision," said Woo. "We want to work with communities for sports across Asia in particular. At AirAsia, we believe that travel is beyond getting from one place to another. It's about bringing people together and creating meaningful journeys."

 

With HYROX aiming to inspire and impact 100 million lives globally while pursuing Olympic recognition, and AirAsia's unmatched regional connectivity, the partnership positions both brands to capture the growing intersection of fitness, travel, and experiential sports across Asia Pacific.

 

Further details on upcoming HYROX races and booking information are available at www.hyrox.com and through AirAsia's booking platforms.

 

 

 

 

About HYROX

HYROX is a global ecosystem of events, training, and coaching designed to inspire and impact 100 million lives. Built around a unique race format of 8 x 1km runs and 8 workout stations, HYROX has established the gold standard in fitness competition and is driving towards Olympic recognition. For more information, visit www.hyrox.com.