Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is the county’s main air gateway, serving the Greater Metropolitan Area of the capital of Jakarta. It began operations in 1985 and is situated some 13 miles from downtown. Recent statistics show that more than 51 million passengers use the airport on an annual basis, but the facility was only designed to accommodate about 38 million passengers, so overcrowding is a common issue within the terminals.
Both domestic and international flights are served at the airport, with Garuda Indonesia Airlines, Batavia Air, and Sriwijaya Air offering the largest number of routes. No US cities are served directly, so passengers coming from the US must connect at another major airport such as Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo, or Amsterdam. One of the busiest domestic routes is to Bali’s local airport.
There are three terminals found at Soekarno-Hatta International. However, all three are running at more than their designed capacity. Terminal 3 primarily services the airport’s international long haul flights, although domestic and regional ASEAN flights are handled by Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, as well. In 2013, the construction of Terminal 4 will begin to help with the overcrowding. The terminals are only a short distance from the airport hotel and plenty of shops, restaurants, and other services can be found in each of the areas. Terminal 1 is home to a brand new Shopping Arcade.
Several bus companies provide cheap and convenient transportation options for travelers. Damri buses come every 15 to 30 minutes, providing links to the downtown area of Jakarta from 4:00 a.m. Primajasa also provides bus transport for passengers as rail services are not yet available. However, taxis give passengers another option from all terminals.
Ngurah Rai International Airport
Also known as Denpasar International Airport, Bali’s main hub is another large international entry point into Indonesia. Ngurah Rai International Airport welcomes more than 12 million people a year, making it the second busiest and second most crowded. It is located just two miles from the heart of Denpasar, which is Bali’s biggest city.
There is a newer international terminal and an older domestic terminal found at the airport. A range of services are found in both buildings, including a huge array of stores and restaurants, prayer rooms, ATMs, banking services, and massage facilities. Garuda Indonesia Air and Indonesia Air Asia are the main airlines flying in and out of the airport. However, there are also plenty of Asian-Pacific carriers operating from Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Passengers can easily get to any place in Bali via taxis. They are not only cheap, but abundant from both terminals. Charter buses can be arranged from the terminals upon arrival, or via the internet prior to arrival. Car rental is also available from the arrivals halls of the international and domestic buildings.