Spare Tickets Running Out, Flight Fares from Jakarta to Aceh and Medan Soar to Rp3 Million
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — The cost of Eid homecoming travel by air in 2026 is set to increase significantly, particularly on busy routes that attract large numbers of holidaymakers each year. Several flights from Jakarta to major Sumatran cities such as Aceh, Medan, and Padang are showing substantial price increases, with some seats already nearly sold out for the peak homecoming period dates.
Monitoring across several ticket booking platforms shows flight prices to northern Sumatra regions experiencing considerable increases compared to regular days. For Jakarta to Banda Aceh routes, one-way ticket prices on normal days typically range from Rp1.5 million to Rp1.9 million. However, as Eid approaches, ticket prices can soar above Rp2 million, depending on the airline and departure schedule.
Similar increases are occurring on the Jakarta-Medan route, one of the busiest homecoming corridors each year. During normal periods, aircraft tickets on this route typically sell for between Rp900,000 and Rp1.2 million. However, for departures approaching Eid, ticket prices can reach Rp2 million to Rp3 million per person. Price increases are also evident on the Jakarta-Padang route, which on regular days ranges from Rp900,000 to Rp1.3 million, but approaching Eid can exceed Rp2.2 million to Rp3 million.
Beyond Sumatra, price increases are occurring on other major holiday travel destinations, such as Jakarta to Denpasar. High demand is causing tickets on popular dates, particularly around five to two days before Eid, to sell out rapidly, with some airlines already fully booked.
The phenomenon of rising airfares approaching Eid is not new. Sharp increases in travel demand during this period cause airlines to typically apply fares approaching the upper limits set by the government.
This situation is exacerbated by aircraft fleet numbers that have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, meaning available seat capacity remains limited compared to the surge in travel demand.
This forces some prospective homecoming travellers to dig deeper into their pockets to return home by air. Should a family of four choose to travel from Jakarta to Aceh during the Eid period, total round-trip ticket costs could exceed Rp20 million, depending on the airline and flight schedule selected.
The government has prepared several measures to suppress rising air travel costs during Eid. One involves providing stimulus in the form of domestic economy-class ticket discounts estimated at approximately 17 to 18 per cent throughout the homecoming period. Additionally, the government is encouraging airlines to increase additional flights or extra flights to boost seat capacity and reduce price pressure.
Nevertheless, high travel demand during the holiday season means aircraft ticket prices continue to increase annually. Consequently, people planning to travel home by air are typically advised to purchase tickets well in advance to avoid price surges whilst securing seat availability.