AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur International) is evaluating launching direct services to the US West Coast from Osaka Kansai once it starts taking deliveries of A330-900s, CEO Benjamin Ismail told the Aviation Wire.

"(The first) A330neo will be delivered next year. Our current A330-300s cannot fly from Kansai to the west coast, while (the) A330neo will reach San Francisco and Los Angeles International", Ismail said.

In 2017, the carrier launched its first service to the United States, connecting Osaka Kansai with Honolulu. The route, which Ismail dubbed a great success, was also the first low-cost service connecting Japan and Hawaii.

Currently, Osaka sees a total of five carriers connecting it with Honolulu. In addition, United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) operates to the Japanese city from San Francisco and JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) flies to Los Angeles.

Osaka is already the third most served city in AirAsia X's network. The Malaysian long-haul low-cost carrier operates 18 weekly flights to Kansai, connecting it with Kuala Lumpur International, Honolulu, and Taipei Taoyuan.

AirAsia X currently operates twenty-four A330-300s. It has sixty-six A330-900neo on firm order with Airbus. During the 2018 Farnborough Air Show, the carrier added a further thirty-four units although they are not yet reflected in the manufacturer's order book.