The national airline of Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines is one of the four airlines in the world to have been awarded a 5-star rating by Skytrax and has the largest fleet size in South East Asia. Its origin can be traced back to 1937 when Malay Airways Limited was incorporated on October 12, 1937. On April 2, 1947, the airline moved its first commercial flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. With in three months, the airline started international services with flights to Jakarta, Medan, Palembang and Saigon.

Malaysia Airlines secured the 'Best Economy Class' at the World Airlines Award 2006 organised by Skytrax, the leading research Advisors to the world airline and air transport industry. Malaysia Airlines received the "Reader's Digest Trusted Brand Platinum Award 2006" for the Airline Category. Readers of The Travel Weekly in UK nominated MH for the Best Airline to Asia category at their Annual Globe Awards presentation in London and voted the overall winner of this prestigious industry award.

Malaysia Airlines won the following global traveller awards in 2006

• Best in the World - 8th Place
• Best Business class - 10th Place
• Best New Business class - 1st Place
• Best on-board Service - 3rd Place
• Best Trans Pacific Airline - 4th Place