Indonesia is open to international tourism
Indonesia (including the resort island of Bali) welcomes all foreign tourists, recently abolishing nearly all travel restrictions to enter the country. There is a no-quarantine and no tests pre- and post-arrival for fully vaccinated international travelers. Visa-on-arrival (VoA) has been resumed on 28th April 2022 for passport holders from 60 countries. Citizens of nine ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) are eligible for visa exemption.
When entering Indonesia, you must show a copy of a return ticket or ticket continuing the journey to another country.
Foreign passengers are allowed to transit through Indonesian airports as long as they remain airside, have proof of their vaccination status and onward flight tickets.
Practical tips
- If you are flying to Indonesia from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Jakarta
CGK, BaliDPS, SurabayaSUB, YogyakartaYIA, MakassarUPG, BatamBTH, and MedanKNO.
CGK in Jakarta (Java), I Gusti Ngurah Rai DPS in Bali, Yogyakarta Airport YIA near Yogyakarta (Java), Kualanamu KNO in Medan (Sumatra), Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepingganand BPN in Balikpapan (Borneo), Pattimura AMQ in Ambon (Maluku) and Sentani DJJ near Jayapura (Papua).
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of AirAsia, Batik Air, Cebu Pacific, Flynas, Jetstar, Lion Air, Saudia, Scoot, and VietJet Air.
Flights to Indonesia
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Indonesia. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Indonesia, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop.
- Indonesia is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Indonesia with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Indonesia from the US and Canada are: Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Etihad Airways, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Philippine Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
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What is the best time to book flights to Indonesia?
The best time to book flights to Indonesia is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Indonesia flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Indonesia flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in Indonesia. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Indonesia less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Indonesia, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Indonesia from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Indonesia — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Currently only Garuda Indonesia and Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) are offering direct flights from Europe to Indonesia. Garuda operates few flights a week from Amsterdam (Schiphol airport
AMS) to Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta airportCGK), while KLM connects AmsterdamAMSwith Bali (Denpasar airportDPS). These direct flights cover the route in about 14-16 hours at the cost of around $600-$800 if booked early. If you are looking for the shortest journeys, consider airlines that operate flights from Europe to Indonesia with only one stop Singapore Airlines (from Frankfurt via Singapore), Malaysia Airlines (from Amsterdam or Frankfurt via Kuala Lumpur), Thai Airways (from Brussels or Frankfurt via Bangkok) or Cathay Pacific (from Amsterdam via Hong Kong). - Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Indonesia include Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Garuda Indonesia, KLM, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Indonesia from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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Destination Bali? Consider flying to Jakarta or Singapore first
Depending on your departure airport, you may find flight prices to Jakarta and Singapore much lower than airfare directly to Bali’s Denpasar. Jakarta to Bali is just a 2 hours flight, and if you switch to a local budget airline (AirAsia, Citilink, Batik Air), it shouldn’t cost you more than $50 – $80. You can find similar flight deals from Singapore to Bali with local carriers such as Scoot, Jetstar, and AirAsia (~ $100 – $150).
The cheapest time to fly to Indonesia
Being a tropical country, Indonesia has just two seasons – the dry season and the wet (rainy) season.
Weather patterns vary across the country, but as a rule, the best time to fly cheaply to Indonesia is during the rainy season (off-peak tourist season) – November to March (except the dates around Christmas and New Year). Despite frequent downpours, the rainy season in Indonesia has temperatures hovering around 30 degrees. The rains usually come in the late afternoon or evening, and it is often a heavy but short blast. If you plan your sightseeing in the morning and early afternoon, you can still make the most of your vacation – while saving money on flights.
However, if you wish to visit Papua or the Maluku Islands where the monsoon season deviates from the Indonesian “norm”, choose to travel between April and October to get the best deals on flights.
The dry season (high tourist season) in Indonesia is between July and August when the weather is sunny and dry but still cool and inviting. These months coincide with the European summer holidays and the Australian winter, so the archipelago is packed with foreign tourists crowds. If you plan to visit Indonesia during these months, it’s best to book your flight ticket well in advance.
Fly to Indonesian Papua, it’s worth it!
Papua, the world’s second-largest island, is split in half between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The Indonesian province of West Papua is a nature lover’s paradise, famous among adventurous travelers, divers, and trekking enthusiasts.
Flying is the easiest and fastest way to travel to Papua. Popular domestic routes start in Jakarta and Bali with transit in Makassar or Ambon, and you can fly to the airports of Sorong SOQ (suitable for Raja Ampat), Jayapura DJJ (Baliem Valley and the Korowai), and Timika TIM (Asmat, Carstensz Pyramid).
An average flight time is around 4-6 hours, and the ticket prices range from IDR 3–4mln (~$200–$340) if booked well in advance. The routes are served by local budget carriers AirAsia, Citilink, Lion Air, Batik Air, and the national carrier Garuda Indonesia.
Know your time zone
Being a massive archipelago, Indonesia has three different time zones: WIB (Indonesia Western Standard Time) – UTC+7h, WITA (Indonesia Central Standard Time) – UTC+8h, and WIT (Indonesia Eastern Standard Time) – UTC+9h.
For example, Bali is within WITA and its time is one hour ahead of Jakarta, which is within WIB.
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure time on your plane ticket is always listed based on the time zone of the departure airport. We suggest resetting your watch during the flight – it will help your brain adjust to the new time zone and to deal with jet lag.
Don’t use currency exchange kiosks at airports
Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Indonesian airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.
Plan ahead and exchange some money for Indonesian rupiah at home.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, Singapore Airlines, and others).
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@IndonesiaGaruda”). The customer care team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Flying on Indonesian public holidays is expensive
Big holidays and events such as Chinese New Year (February), Ramadan and Idul Fitri (May), and Idul Adha (July) will undoubtedly affect your trip to Indonesia – adjust your travel dates to avoid expensive tickets. Accommodation prices during these holidays go up, and transportation may be limited.
Prices also skyrocket during such national holidays as Hari Merdeka (31 August), Wesak Day (10 May), and Hari Raya Puasa (May). Last but not least, try to avoid school holidays in May, June and December.
Avoid the last flight connection of the day
When flying domestically, try not to book the last flight out of your connecting airport. If you miss it or the flight is canceled, the airline will put you on its next flight, but this will require an overnight stay and arrival a day later. Please note that Indonesian airlines are not in the habit of offering a free hotel in such cases.
Airlines of Indonesia
Most domestic routes in Indonesia are operated by local airlines. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Bali, Lombok, Komodo, Maluku, Papua or Yogyakarta, you’ll be flying with one of the Indonesian airlines.
The government-owned Garuda Indonesia is the national flag carrier, operating full-service flights to several destinations, including overseas (it is also the only Indonesian airline that flies to Europe). Garuda’s low-cost subsidiary Citilink operates shuttle services between Indonesian cities. Lion Air focuses on budget travelers, and with its subsidiaries Batik Air and Wings Air, it’s the country’s largest airline group. Founded in 2021, Super Air Jet is a newcomer focusing on air travel between islands in Indonesia and targeting the millennial generation. Sriwijaya Air is a private low-cost airline that serves more than 40 domestic destinations. Truly affordable ticket prices can be found at Indonesia AirAsia, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s AirAsia – repeatedly named Asia’s best low-cost airline.
Flights to Indonesia
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, Indonesia included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Indonesia. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. - Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to Indonesia could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.
Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: SydneySYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, DarwinDRW, and in New Zealand: AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, and QueenstownZQN. - If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to Indonesia with a regional budget airline such as AirAsia, Batik Air, Cebu Pacific, Flynas, Jetstar, Lion Air, Saudia, Scoot, and VietJet Air.
For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.
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Flights to Indonesia
from major hubs in Asia
- Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Indonesia look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Indonesia will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Indonesia and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
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Flights to Indonesia dataset
