Sleeping in Kuala Lumpur Airport

Whether you are an experienced airport sleeper or new to the game, this sleep guide will give you the essential information to better prepare you for sleeping in Kuala Lumpur Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Kuala Lumpur Airport. If you have a tip to share, write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

Read the latest traveller reviews.

Sleeping in Kuala Lumpur Airport

Locations & Seating

Expect plenty of seating and benches throughout most of the airport. But, the many travellers crowding the terminals means you may have to search around a bit. Whether the seats are comfortable is anyone’s guess: some benches may be padded, any others are equipped with armrests or curved, preventing rest. In general, travellers prefer the main terminals to KLIA2, which has fewer amenities and seating options. Sleeping on the floor isn’t the most glamorous, but you certainly won’t be the only person doing so – bring an extra layer for some cushion and warmth.

Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:

Many people congregate a the food court on Floor 2 when eateries close.
The Samsung movie lounge in KLIA2 may have comfortable sofas and a quiet vibe, especially at night.
An alcove near the movie lounge offers a little privacy.
Level 3 of Gateway@KLIA1, near Exit Door 3, there’s a small nook that is dark and a bit private.
Terminal 1’s Floor 4 may have padded benches lining the walls, often with staff and locals resting there.
The Mezzanine area may quiet down and get darker at night.

Rest Zones

A designated rest area is an oasis for travellers who want to relax in comfortable massage chairs. The Rest N Go is located in the pre-Security Main Terminal, across from the Air Asia check-in counter.

Temperature

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal temperature. Still, you can likely expect the airport to cool down at night, as air conditioning continues to run and fewer people are inside. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.

Lighting

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal brightness. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.

Noise

Thanks to flights coming and going 24-hours, the airport never quiets down too much. Daytime sleepers can expect to hear frequent announcements and the din of all the nearby travellers. At night, announcements and music continue playing, and many overnight travellers mean there’s always people chatting and milling about. Do come prepared with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Locations: free cold-water shower facilities are located on Floor 4, past the eateries. Additionally, showers can be found on Level 2 and 3, Main Terminal and Level 2 Satellite Building, it is not known if they are free or offer hot water. Hot-water shower facilities are available at Sama-Sama Express. A fee of RM 32 gets you a towel, soap, and shampoo. Showers are also available at the Capsule Transit (Landside) for RM29, although it is not known if this includes amenities. See our Kuala Lumpur Airport Guide for details.

Food & Drink

When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Both KLIA and KLIA2 offer a vast array of options to choose from. There are also plenty of convenience shops available which are also open 24 hours. See our Kuala Lumpur Airport Guide for details.

Hotels

Prefer some privacy and comfort? If you would like a good solid sleep between flights without the stress of going through security, two transit hotels are available. The Sama-Sama Express KLIA (Location: Satellite A Building, near Gate C5) is open to travellers who are transiting between flights, so do not clear through Immigration/Customs if you want to head here. Day rooms are with a 6-hour minimum. The Napzone KLIA offers 28 sleep capsules in the transit area. Another transit hotel, Sama-Sama Express KLIA2, is specifically for travellers transiting between international flights. Location: KLIA2, Satellite Building, Level 3. On the public side of the KLIA2 terminal you will find Aerotel, which offers small rooms with a 3 hour minimum. Several other hotels are located at or near the airport. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Kuala Lumpur Airport.

Lounges

If you are looking for a private place to nap for a few hours in between flights, check out the Plaza Premium Lounge in the Gateway@KLIA2 (Arrivals). In addition to offering a comfortable place to hang out, they have a few private sleep rooms that can be rented. Rooms can be booked at the lounge door. For more information on this and other pay-to-use lounges, check out our Kuala Lumpur Airport Guide.

Security & Safety

Airport staff and security generally ignore the many overnight travellers.

Several travellers reported feeling quite safe, but a couple others have reported somewhat sketchy experiences, both in pre-Secure zones and inside Security. As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with earphones and no ipod and a laptop bag strap and no laptop bag (or laptop). Same goes with important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body, so that no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, so that it would be hard for someone to access.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee and stay awake and be alert. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: If you are sleeping in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.