How to Book Domestic Flights in Indonesia
Indonesia is renowned for its incredible diving in the heart of the Coral Triangle and holds a high spot on most divers’ bucket lists. The sprawling archipelago boasts expansive coastline and prolific and varied marine life. While major islands such as Bali and Java are easy destinations to reach via air, some of the more remote areas can present travel challenges – particularly with domestic flight bookings.
Bluewater’s travel advisors have the experience and knowledge to help you with your domestic flights in Indonesia. We recommend you book these flights through your agent to save yourself the grief that can come along with frequent flight changes, inconsistent notifications, and complicated booking and payment processes. Bluewater's experts understand the routes, potential delays, and the best transit hotels - making it easier for you to reach your resort or liveaboard on time and with minimal hassle. We can also prepay luggage, seat selection, and other add-ons that can save you money and may not be possible using an international credit card. If you choose to book your own domestic flights, we’ve compiled some information to help you navigate the options.
For airlines that do not accept international credit cards, it is best to book tickets via our agents or an online booking platform. The most popular platforms for Indonesian flights are Tiket.com, Traveloka, and Nusatrip.
Note that when we use the term “flight disruptions” we include delays, cancellations, schedule changes, and lost/missing luggage.
Direct Domestic Flight Routes in Indonesia
Many of Indonesia’s popular dive destinations require multiple flights, although direct flights may be offered from some hub airports. Using data collected on FlightConnections.com, we have prepared the following grid to assist you in understanding which airlines offer direct flights and on what days of the week. The information is accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change. Contact your travel advisor for information regarding destinations that require multiple flights.
Domestic Airlines in Indonesia
There are several airlines operating domestic flights in Indonesia, which range in price, service, and reliability. Some are easy to book online and offer flexible changes and fantastic customer service. Others can only be booked with an Indonesian bank card and are subject to frequent flight disruptions. We are including information for the most popular airlines below and have left ultra-budget airlines off our list.
Please note: Baggage allowances, conditions, and rules are subject to change. For multi-sector bookings with flights operated by multiple carriers, always check the baggage allowances carefully.
Garuda Airlines
Garuda, named after a Hindu deity, is Indonesia’s largest airline and operates both domestic and international flights. With great customer service, flexible booking options, reliable schedules, and an extra (free) piece of luggage for dive gear, Garuda is our preferred airline in Indonesia. As a Skyteam member, Garuda codeshares with some major airlines, including Emirates, KLM, and Singapore Airlines, which can make booking your international and domestic flights on one ticket a breeze.
Skytrax Rating: 5 stars
Baggage: Carry-on – 1 bag + personal item, total not exceeding 7 kg. Checked baggage is included for domestic flights, starting at one 20 kg bag for economy fares. One additional piece of checked baggage for your dive gear (23 kg) free of charge (subject to availability; some conditions apply). Visit Garuda’s website for more information on baggage allowances.
Pros: Easy to book. Accepts international credit cards. Free scuba gear baggage allowance. Good customer service. Most reliable. Fairly robust mobile app.
Cons: More expensive.
Where to book: Direct on Garuda’s website; FlyGaruda mobile app; online booking engines.
Payment options: International credit cards; Indonesian bank account holders can pay via various transfer methods.
Citilink
Garuda’s budget airline, Citilink, operates flights to a huge number of domestic airports and some international destinations. Established in 2011, Citilink has grown rapidly in terms of its fleet, routes, and popularity.
Skytrax Rating: 4 stars
Baggage: Carry-on – 1 bag + personal item, total not exceeding 7 kg. One piece of checked baggage is included for domestic flights, of either 10 or 20 kg, depending on the aircraft. A tariff is charged for sport equipment handling. Visit Citilink’s website for more information on baggage allowances and fees, including Handling Fee Sport Baggage.
Pros: Many routes and destinations. Relatively reliable.
Cons: Can be challenging to book directly when paying with international credit cards. Mobile app is rated very poorly.
Where to book: Direct on Citilink's website, online booking platforms.
Payment options: International credit cards; Indonesian bank account holders can pay via various transfer methods.
Batik Air
Another popular airline operating domestic flights in Indonesia is Batik Air (formerly Malindo Air) – a Malaysian-based airline under the Lion Air umbrella. Batik offers comfortable planes for short-haul flights and affordable upgrades to enjoy more legroom and checked luggage allowance. Batik also offers flights to select international destinations, however, we recommend booking expensive long-haul flights with more reliable carriers.
Skytrax Rating: 3 stars
Baggage: Carry-on – 1 bag + personal item, total not exceeding 7 kg (2 bags + personal item, total 10 kg Business Class). Checked baggage is included for most routes, starting at 20 kg; visit the website for additional checked baggage fees.
Pros: Inexpensive upgrades. Good onboard service. Relatively reliable.
Cons: Can be challenging to book directly when paying with international credit cards.
Where to book: Direct on the Batik Air website (can be challenging to book with international credit cards), Lion Air mobile app, online booking platforms.
Payment options: Major credit cards; Indonesian bank account holders can pay via various transfer methods.
Bluewater’s Batik Booking Tip: Upgrade to Business Class for a small fee to get extra legroom, some food, and extra luggage allowance.
AirAsia Indonesia
AirAsia is a popular budget carrier throughout Southeast Asia, with its Indonesian fleet offering domestic and international flights to various destinations. As a no-frills airline, we recommend you avoid using AirAsia for longer flights.
Skytrax Rating: 3 stars
Baggage: Carry-on – 1 bag + personal item, total not exceeding 7 kg, with additional available for purchase. Checked baggage may be included on some fare types; checked baggage fees are reasonably inexpensive, starting around $15 for 20 kg of sport equipment and $25 for regular luggage. Read more about AirAsia’s baggage allowance.
Pros: Well-rated mobile app. Relatively reasonable checked baggage fees.
Cons: Flights are not as reliable as other airlines.
Where to book: Direct on the AirAsia website, AirAsia MOVE app, Online booking platforms.
Payment options: Major credit cards; Indonesian bank account holders can pay via various transfer methods.
Lion Air Indonesia
Lion Air is a well-known budget airline offering many domestic routes in Indonesia and other parts of Asia. It offers seasonal direct flights from Jakarta to Sorong, but otherwise doesn’t have many direct options to our most popular destinations.
Skytrax Rating: 3 stars
Baggage: Lion Air includes 20 kg free baggage allowance on routes serviced only by Lion Air, with additional baggage available for purchase. Additional information is available on their website; however, it is not as clear as other airlines and prepaid baggage is relatively expensive.
Pros: Mobile app seems relatively easy to navigate.
Cons: Frequent flight disruptions. Limited direct routes to popular diving destinations.
Where to book: Direct on the Lion Air website, online booking platforms.
Payment options: Major credit cards; Indonesian bank account holders can pay via various transfer methods.
Other Airlines
If you look up domestic flights in Indonesia, you will notice some other airlines in the mix. Sriwijaya is a 3-star domestic airline with a booking process so cumbersome and complicated it is too frustrating to be worth attempting to book, especially with so many other options. Lion Air has two additional budget carriers: Wings and the ultra-low-cost Super Air Jet.
Book Domestic Flights in Indonesia with Bluewater Travel
Contact Bluewater's expert travel advisors to plan a customized dive trip to Indonesia, complete with domestic flights. Let us handle the logistics and we'll even keep you informed of flight schedule changes, so all you need to do is pack your bags and look forward to your dream vacation!
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Bluewater Travel can book you on a liveaboard or resort in Indonesia and 40+ other destinations in the world for the same cost or less than booking any other way. We know the diving, seasons, boats and cabins, and when to go better than anyone else!
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