JETSTAR Asia took off on Tuesday for its maiden flight to Kota Kinabalu with 160 passengers.

Joining the travellers onboard was Jetstar CEO Chong Phit Lian, who described the flight as an 'important milestone' in the budget airline's expansion to Malaysia.

Tourism officials from Sabah, who were also present, added that they had seen a 'steady increase' in the number of Singaporean visitors, and expect to welcome more when Jetstar starts daily flights from Dec 20.

The carrier now flies four times weekly to the East Malaysian city.

MAS, AirAsia and SilkAir already offer a total of 18 direct flights to Kota Kinabalu a week, with Tiger Airways also set to launch daily flights next year.

The capital of Sabah is known for eco-tourism, offering, among others, snorkelling and whitewater rafting.