“As the world’s largest archipelagic country and strategically located between two continents and two oceans, Indonesia has a strong foundation to become an international air transit hub,” the ministry’s secretary of air transportation, Achmad Setiyo Prabowo, stated during the Indonesia Aero Summit here on Wednesday.
Indonesia’s airspace lies along flight routes connecting East Asia and South Asia, Australia and the Middle East, as well as Europe and Oceania. According to Setiyo, this offers a major strategic advantage for Indonesia.
Currently, he noted that Indonesia hosts several major international airports such as Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, which is currently one of the busiest airports in Southeast Asia, and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, a popular destination for international tourists.
He also drew attention to Kualanamu International Airport, strategically located in western Indonesia and projected to have direct connections to various cities in South Asia and the Middle East.
Moreover, Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar and Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado could be developed as important hubs for eastern Indonesia.
Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java, can strengthen connectivity with northern Australia and Southeast Asia, given its increasing passenger volume and proximity to regional economic centers.
Furthermore, he remarked that Yogyakarta International Airport is being developed as a transit hub for flights to Australia and the Pacific region.
Data from 2023 to June 2025 shows a promising growth trend, with 87.4 million passengers traveling through 20 major international airports in Indonesia.
The government is also focusing on deregulation and simplifying airline operational permits, as well as enacting regulations aimed at increasing air traffic and encouraging international cooperation.
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Translator: Aji, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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