Changi Airport Group exploring possible new flights to Semarang, Palembang, Belitung in Indonesia
Singapore travellers currently need to pass through Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to reach Semarang, Palembang and Belitung. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Changi Airport Group exploring possible new flights to Semarang, Palembang, Belitung in Indonesia
SINGAPORE – There could potentially be new flight connections between Singapore and three Indonesian destinations – Semarang in Central Java, Palembang in South Sumatra and Belitung Island off the east coast of Sumatra.
On June 20 , airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) told The Straits Times that it is in talks with carriers about potential services for these three routes.
This follows the recent approval for the airports in Semarang, Palembang and Belitung to operate international flights.
'CAG is constantly in talks with airlines to explore opportunities for expanding connectivity between Singapore and Indonesia,' it added.
This development comes after Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed his desire for more air links between Singapore and Indonesia, during a state visit on June 16.
He noted that he had directed his relevant ministries in Indonesia to enhance the opening of all the country's airports to direct foreign airline connections.
'Of course, we have to improve the infrastructure and the safety mechanisms, but, in principle, I would like to see easier and faster access to our airports,' said Mr Prabowo on June 16.
Air connections between Singapore and Indonesia were launched recently to Kertajati from September 2 024 and Padang from December 2024 , via flights operated by low-cost carrier Scoot.
In April 2024, the Indonesian authorities halved the number of airports that could operate international flights from 34 to 17, as part of a move to optimise local aviation operations.
And in May 2025, they recertified three more airports – in Semarang, Palembang and Belitung – to allow them to operate international flights , bringing the total number of international airports in the country up to 20 .
The port city of Semarang is known for its Dutch colonial architecture and cultural diversity and is home to a large ethnic Chinese population.
It is also relatively close to one of Indonesia's most popular attractions – the world's largest Buddhist temple and a Unesco World Heritage site, Borobudur temple.
Palembang is the second-oldest city in South-east Asia, and is known for its culinary scene and traditional attractions.
Belitung, meanwhile, is a resort destination with white-sand beaches for travellers seeking to snorkel and island-hop.
At present, there are no direct flights between Singapore and the three Indonesian locations CAG is exploring, so travellers need to make flight transfers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to get to Semarang, Palembang or Belitung.
The layover durations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for these routes can range from 2½ to nine hours.
According to CAG, Jakarta came third and Bali (Denpasar) fourth in the airport's top 10 city routes based on passenger traffic from January to May .
Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Bangkok in Thailand ranked first and second, respectively.
Mr Mayur Patel, head of Asia at aviation data consultancy OAG Aviation, said these enhanced air connections would increase transit traffic, tourism flows as well as growth opportunities for Singapore Airlines and Scoot, its budget arm.
Noting that 82 per cent of the total seat capacity on existing flight routes between Singapore and Indonesia belong to Jakarta and Denpasar, he said there is still travel demand among Singaporeans for several underserved destinations beyond the traditional hubs – including Semarang.
Mr Patel added that Scoot's 112-seat Embraer E190-E2 regional jets would be well-suited for launching such routes.
As Semarang and Palembang are large provincial capitals with populations exceeding 1.7 million people, he feels that new flight routes there will offer strong potential for business travel, tourists visiting friends and family, as well as cargo traffic, particularly because international access to Indonesia is currently routed through Jakarta.
And Mr Patel noted that Belitung is emerging as a niche tourism destination that appeals to short-haul leisure travellers.
'Developing direct links to these secondary cities would strengthen Changi's position as a regional hub, diversify its network, and tap into underserved yet growing markets across Indonesia,' he said.
Ms Mabel Kwan, managing director of Alton Aviation Consultancy, is of the view that Singapore already has very well-established flight connections with Indonesia, so the introduction of new destinations will not have a significant impact on passenger volumes.
On the three new air links CAG is exploring, Ms Kwan said the new city links will, nevertheless, strengthen Changi's connectivity to Indonesia and the region.
She added that improved international connectivity will stimulate local economies there, especially when it is accompanied by government efforts to attract investment and build supporting infrastructure.
As it may translate to higher incomes and a growing middle class in Indonesia, the potential increase in outbound traffic from Indonesia may benefit Singapore, noted Ms Kwan.
NUS geography professor Chang Tou Chuang , who researches tourism in Asia, said these three locations may offer travellers a quieter respite compared with other well-established hot spots.
He noted that travellers may want to go off the beaten track in Indonesia, and 'might prefer to flee tourists' in Bali and Jakarta.
Prof Chang added that these three destinations feature an abundance of nature, the exoticness of minority ethnic groups and Dutch colonial architecture, which are attractive to some Singaporean tourists.
Looking forward, Mr Patel said it would be beneficial for Changi Airport to attract Indonesian carriers to operate services from more secondary cities as these routes could stimulate demand within the low-cost segment.
He highlighted that the operational costs of flights to and from Changi need to remain affordable for airlines. This is crucial for the airport to stay competitive with Kuala Lumpur International Airport, known for its lower-cost operating environment.
As at June 15 , Singapore is connected to 13 points in Indonesia via more than 480 weekly passenger services operated by 10 airlines , said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore on June 19 in response to queries.
These destinations are Balikpapan, Jakarta, Bali (Denpasar), Kertajati, Medan, Labuan Bajo, Lombok, Manado, Padang, Pekanbaru, Surabaya, Makassar and Yogyakarta.
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