KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- AirAsia X, Malaysia's first long-haul budget carrier, will launch operations by flying to Australia's Gold Coast in November, the company said Friday.

The airline will commence four direct return flights per week between Kuala Lumpur and the Gold Coast Airport beginning Nov. 2, with fares starting from 99 Australian dollars (US$87; ?62) for one-way travel departing from Gold Coast, AirAsia X said in a statement.

The first flight is expected to carry 315 passengers aboard an Airbus A330, comprising 279 economy seats and 36 premium seats, the statement added.

"We are keen to position Gold Coast as the gateway to Australia as the airport also offers strong domestic connections for low cost travel to Sydney and Melbourne," Azran Osman-Rani, chief executive officer of AirAsia X, said in the statement.

AirAsia X is operated by Fly Asian Xpress, or FAX, which is owned by Tony Fernandes and his co-founders of the region's largest low-cost carrier, AirAsia.

Last month, billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group purchased a 20 percent stake in AirAsia X for an estimated US$7.2 million (?5.24 million).

AirAsia X officials recently said they also hope to fly to China by year-end. The airline expects to fly eventually to other Asian, European and Middle Eastern destinations such as Japan, South Korea, India, Britain and the Czech Republic.