AirAsia, founded in late 1993 by a Malaysian state-owned corporation, has become one of the leading low-cost carriers in Malaysia, starting flights in 1996.
Meaning and History
Over the years, it has grown to become the largest airline in the country. Initially a local carrier, AirAsia entered the international market in 2003, starting with destinations in Thailand, then China, Indonesia and the Philippines, before gradually adding more countries to its list in 2004. The airline now serves 78 destinations in 25 countries.
Throughout its history, the AirAsia logo has undergone several changes, but the overall style has remained unchanged, with bright colors playing a major role in the corporate design.
What is AirAsia?
AirAsia is Malaysia’s largest budget airline, flying to numerous global destinations but prioritizing local connections.
1996 – 2002
The first AirAsia logo, used for more than five years, featured a different red and white color scheme. It featured a solid blue vertically oriented rectangle with a thin green line at the bottom, on which a white outline depicted a bird. The emblem was accompanied by bold italicized lettering in modern sans-serif font.
2002 – 2009
In 2002, AirAsia completely redesigned the emblem, using a handwritten font in scarlet-red in a diagonal pattern. The new emblem, devoid of any graphic elements, resembled the iconic Virgin emblem. The logo lasted for six years, forming the airline’s new corporate color palette.
2009 – 2012
The 2009 update retained the relaxed style of the typeface, but changed the angle of the font, making it almost horizontal. With bolder lines and a direct orientation, the logo exuded stability and professionalism, representing the airline as a confident company rooted in traditional values.
2012 – 2020
During this period, the logo utilized the existing logo against a large red circle. The white lettering was boldly placed on the solid circle and looked more delicate than its predecessor.
2020 – today
The latest redesign saw the introduction of the airline’s new logo, consisting of lowercase letters. Typed in an italicized sans-serif font, the lettering stands out with its unique details. The dots above both letters “I” overlap the vertical bars to form white “smiles”, while the dot in the letter “R” overlaps the right vertical bar to form a vertical white arc.
Font
AirAsia’s stylish lowercase logo uses a custom design font based on a bold sans-serif italicized font. The characters are embellished with three solid circles overlapping the main stripes of both “I” and “R”.
Color
The airline’s visual identity predominantly relies on an intense and vibrant shade of red, which symbolizes dynamism and sets it apart from its competitors, positioning AirAsia as a powerful and progressive company.
