Malaysia's budget carrier AirAsia said today it hopes to double its fleet of Airbus A320 jets to 200 in line with ambitious route expansion plans.

"We hope to make an announcement by the end of January. We hope to have a fleet size of 200 (A320) aircraft," AirAsia deputy chief executive Kamarudin Meranum told reporters.

"We are very happy with the A320 especially in terms of fuel use," he said of the single-aisle, short-haul aircraft it currently has in service.

Reports have valued the deal for an additional 100 jets at US6.7 billion based on list prices.

AirAsia, one of Asia's most successful low-cost carriers, has a fleet of 50 aircraft - 15 A320s and 35 Boeing 737-300s - and has opted to reduce costs by having its fleet made up of just a single type of jet.

Kamarudin said that with national carrier Malaysia Airlines' recent route rationalisation which handed AirAsia the bulk of domestic routes in the country, the carrier will try to expedite the delivery of the A320s.

"We hope to get 24 aircraft a year," he said.

AirAsia was launched as a budget carrier in December 2001 with just two aircraft. It now offers more than 100 domestic and international flights to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.