There are two major aviation facilities serving Kedah: Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in the state capital Alor Star and Langkawi International Airport on Pulau Langkawi.

The former airport is situated just 13kms outside of Alor Star and is a modern facility which recently added a new terminal to its operations in 2006. Flights are currently operated by AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines and run to domestic destinations only.

Langkawi International Airport, which is situated at Padang on Pulau Langkawi, is a much larger facility with a capacity to serve up to 2.5 million passengers per year. The journey between the airport and Padang takes about 25 minutes. The airport terminal offers basic facilities including ATMs and bureaux de change and dining and shopping outlets.

Flights at Langkawi International Airport are operated by AirAsia to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. Dragon Air serves Hong Kong and Korean Air manages flights to Seoul, while national airline Malaysia Airlines handles domestic flights to Kuala Lumpur. Singapore is served by Singapore Airlines and Silk Air.

Visitors on the mainland can make use of speedy air-conditioned boats from Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah to Pulau Langkawi.

Ferry services also operate from Penang to Pulau Langkawi with the journey taking around three hours and calling at Pulau Payarand Pulau Langkawi en route.

Once on Pulau Langkawi, visitors can rent cars, motorbikes or bicycles to get around.

Taxis are also readily available on the island and a good means of getting between beaches.

Alor Star is well served by Kedah’s road network. Drivers are able to reach the city by Federal Route 1 and the North South Highway. By car, the highway route takes about five hours from Kuala Lumpur while by bus it takes six hours. By train from Kuala Lumpur, travellers can take the Langkawi Express to Alor Setar in Kedah, an eight-hour journey.

Public buses operate across Alor Star, commencing and terminating at the bus station near Mergong Industrial Area just outside the city centre. While buses are a cheap way to get around, they can be crowded and difficult to use. Taxis are reasonably priced and a better form of transport for tourists as drivers often speak English.