Jakarta is the main transportation hub for Java as well as all of Indonesia. As such, it is well served by airlines, ships and trains from other parts of Java.
Airlines Serving Jakarta
Jakarta's huge Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (code: CKG) actually has it's good points. The departure lounges are among the most unique we've ever seen, but the rest of the airport is rather dull.
- Air Asia
- Air Asia is Malaysia's discount domestic carrier. If you book well in advance you can get some absolutely rock bottom fares.
- Batavia Air
- Small domestic airline. At last check, web site had no English language version and no online reservation capability.
- Garuda Indonesia
- Garuda is the national carrier of Indonesia. The have a global network of routes to bring visitors to Indonesia, and of course they have a domestic network which serves the major cities in Indonesia. They have, from time to time, offered heavy discounts (50%) on domestic flights for people coming to Indonesia via Garuda.
- Lion Air
- Very large carrier, covering about 20 cities in Indonesia, and international connections to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore.
- Malaysia Air System
- The Malaysian national carrier flies internationally between Kuala Lumpur and major cities around the world.
- Merpati Airline
- Another large Indonesian carrier, with an extensive domestic network and international connections to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Has a reputation for very bad service.
- Pelita Air
- Small domestic airline, serving only about eight cities with scheduled flights, but also has an extensive charter business for both fixed wing planes and helicopters.
- Singapore Airlines
- The Singaporean national airline flies daily between Singapore and Jakarta.
- Thai Airways
- The Thai national carrier flies daily to Jakarta from Bangkok.
- Vietnam Airlines
- The Viet national carrier flies to Jakarta from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
In addition to the above, other airlines include Air China, Air France, Air India, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, EVA Airways, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines International, Jatayu Airlines, KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Philippine Airline, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Saudia, SriLankan Airlines, Sriwijaya Air, Valuair, Wings Air, Xpressair and Yemenia Yemen Airways.
Visa on Arrival
Visitors from 36 nations, which includes the USA, EU and GCC countries, can get a visa on arrival. The visa needs to be purchased before going through immigration. Keep an eye out for the visa counters, which are located near the arrival gates. Do not get in line at immigration until you have your visa.
Airport Transfers
On exiting customs at the airport, you'll be practically assaulted by taxi touts offering to take you anywhere. These are best avoided, as they will often charge much more than the going rate. The best advice is to get a taxi from the booth just outside the arrival hall. The ride into the city will take anywhere from 45 minutes up to a couple of hours, depending on the time of day and traffic. If you'd like to book in advance, you can check out Jakarta Airport Transfer for both airport transfers and daily rentals of cars with drivers.
Departure Tax
The departure tax is 50,000 Rupiah (3.00 USD) for domestic flights and 150,000 (9.00 USD) for international flights.