TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Soekarno-Hatta Airport is bracing for a massive influx of travelers this holiday season. Mohammad Rizal Pahlevi, President Director of InJourney Airports, projects that over 3 million passengers will pass through the terminal gates during the 2025/2026 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) period. This figure shows a 1.3 percent rise from the previous year.
The surge is expected to unfold over a 20-day window, spanning December 22, 2025, to January 10, 2026. Data suggests the initial rush will peak between December 20 and 21, with daily footfall hitting 194,269.
"The next peak will occur on December 28, 2025, with approximately 181,888 passengers," Rizal said. This flow reflects the high demand for travel during the year-end season.
Besides Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali will also see a sharp rise in international travelers. Rizal expects international passenger numbers to grow by 37.02 percent. This brings the total to 868,080 passengers, up from 633,544 in the previous period. "The increase is due to international tourists coming to vacation in Bali," he said.
The heavy traffic is not limited to Jakarta and Bali. Major hubs, including Kualanamu, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Solo, and Ujung Pandang, are also preparing for high volumes.
"As for international destinations, similar to previous years, Singapore is a favorite, as well as Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. However, for us, Kualanamu and Bali are favored destinations," Rizal said, highlighting that Kualanamu and Bali are the primary domestic draws.
Across its entire network of 37 airports, InJourney Airports expects to serve a total of 10.5 million travelers this season, which is a 4.1% increase year-on-year. The peak for Christmas flight traffic is forecast for the weekend of December 20–21, with daily volumes reaching 590,000.
For the New Year, the peak is expected on January 3 and 4, 2026, with estimated totals of 560,000 and 522,000 passengers on those respective days.
Read: Indonesians Favor Domestic Travel in 2025, Bali Among Top Destinations
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