While most routes from Singapore have long returned to (or even exceeded) their pre-pandemic flight frequencies and capacity over the last couple of years, there’s one major destination that’s been lagging behind and that’s the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

Last week the route saw 184 flights in the Singapore – Jakarta direction, with 37,080 seats, a far cry from December 2019’s schedule that boasted 267 flights per week with 52,330 seats.

It means flight frequencies are only at 69% of pre-COVID levels on this route, while seat capacity has only reached 71%, and that’s led to some high fares and limited award space between these two cities as demand outstrips supply.

Current snapshot: Singapore – Jakarta

Here’s how current weekly flight frequencies and capacity look for the Singapore – Jakarta route, based on the week of 11-17 November 2024, compared to pre-COVID (16-22 December 2019).

Singapore – Jakarta Flight Frequencies & Capacity
Airline		Pre-COVID Dec 2019	Current Nov 2024	Change
Batik Air	Flights	35	35	—
	Seats	5,460	5,544	2%
Citilink	Flights	0	14	n.m.
	Seats	0	2,520	n.m.
Garuda Indonesia	Flights	63	27	57%
	Seats	10,206	6,321	38%
Indonesia AirAsia	Flights	28	28	—
	Seats	5,040	5,040	—
Jetstar	Flights	30	14	53%
	Seats	5,400	2,520	53%
Lion Air	Flights	28	0	100%
	Seats	5,474	0	100%
Scoot	Flights	20	17	15%
	Seats	3,600	3,060	15%
Singapore Airlines	Flights	63	42	33%
	Seats	17,150	10,857	37%
TransNusa	Flights	0	7	n.m.
	Seats	0	1,218	n.m.
All Airlines	Flights	267	184	31%
	Seats	52,330	37,080	29%

n.m. – not measurable

Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia hiking frequencies

The good news is that this week sees frequency and capacity increases from the two primary carriers operating between Singapore and Jakarta – Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia.

Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines (SIA) will boost flight frequencies between Jakarta, Indonesia, and Singapore in the fourth quarter of 2024, increasing capacity and enhancing connectivity between the two South East Asian hubs.

Singapore Airlines

From 22nd November 2024, Singapore Airlines will increase to eight daily services, up from the current six.

Here’s how the schedule looks, with newly-reinstated services highlighted.

Singapore Airlines
Singapore Jakarta
22nd November 2024 – 29th March 2025

All services operate daily

			Aircraft	Dates
	SQ950		777-300ER	22 Nov – 30 Nov 1 Jan – 29 Mar
SIN 06:50		CGK 07:35	A350 MH	1 Dec – 31 Dec
	SQ952		A350 LH	All
SIN 07:40		CGK 08:25
	SQ956		A350 LH	All
SIN 09:20		CGK 10:15
	SQ958		A350 LH	All
SIN 12:30		CGK 13:15
	SQ960		777-300ER	All
SIN 15:15		CGK 16:05
	SQ962		A350 LH	All
SIN 16:10		CGK 16:55
	SQ964		777-300ER	All
SIN 17:20		CGK 18:05
	SQ968		777-300ER	22 Nov – 30 Nov 1 Jan – 29 Mar
SIN 22:40		CGK 23:25	A350 MH	1 Dec – 31 Dec

Singapore Airlines
Jakarta Singapore
22nd November 2024 – 29th March 2025

All services operate daily

			Aircraft	Dates
	SQ951		777-300ER	22 Nov – 30 Nov 1 Jan – 29 Mar
CGK 05:25		SIN 08:05	A350 MH	1 Dec – 31 Dec
	SQ953		777-300ER	22 Nov – 30 Nov 1 Jan – 29 Mar
CGK 08:25		SIN 11:10	A350 MH	1 Dec – 31 Dec
	SQ955		A350 LH	All
CGK 09:20		SIN 12:15
	SQ957		A350 LH	All
CGK 11:15		SIN 14:00
	SQ959		A350 LH	All
CGK 14:10		SIN 16:55
	SQ961		777-300ER	All
CGK 17:00		SIN 19:45
	SQ963		A350 LH	All
CGK 18:00		SIN 20:55
	SQ965		777-300ER	All
CGK 19:00		SIN 21:55

By early December, that will increase the carrier’s weekly one-way seat capacity between Singapore and Jakarta by 38% to 15,022 on 56 flights, though this will remain 12% less than pre-COVID when the airline offered nine daily services, a frequency it boasted from mid-2013 until the pandemic hit.

The only SIA service operated before the the pandemic on this route that still hasn’t made it back to the roster is:

• SQ966: SIN-CGK
  18:40 – 19:25
• SQ967: CGK-SIN
  20:20 – 23:05

Nonetheless Jakarta is now once again be the carrier’s busiest route, with more seats than second-place Bangkok (13,900 per week) and more frequencies than second-place Kuala Lumpur (54 per week).

For a full rundown on the Business Class and First Class seats you’ll experience on all the carrier’s Jakarta flights for the rest of the season through to late March 2025, expand the boxes below.

Business Class

First Class

As you can see, Singapore Airlines is also operating its 2018 Regional Business Class on the Airbus A350 Medium Haul on two of its eight Jakarta flights next month (SQ950/953 and SQ968/951), a rare seat type for the route which usually only features the 2013 long-haul Business Class.

Don’t forget you can see our updated list of aircraft types and seat types across all of SIA’s routes at our dedicated Business Class and First Class seats pages.

Garuda Indonesia will also increase to six daily flights in each direction from 1st December 2024, up from its current four, boosting capacity to 8,675 weekly one-way seats, a 37% increase.

Capacity increases further from January 2025 to 10,675 seats per week in each direction, as the carrier dedicates Airbus A330-300s to all but one of its daily services on the route.

Here’s how the schedule looks, once the Airbus A330s are more consistently dedicated to the route.

Again, newly-reinstated services are highlighted.

Garuda Indonesia
Singapore Jakarta
1st December 2024 – 29th March 2025

			Aircraft	Days
	GA823		737-800	Daily (ex. Sun)
SIN 06:55		CGK 07:55
	GA825		A330-300	Daily
SIN 09:35		CGK 10:35
	GA829		A330-300	Daily
SIN 12:20		CGK 13:20
	GA833		A330-300	Daily
SIN 15:20		CGK 16:20
	GA837		A330-300	Daily
SIN 19:00		CGK 20:00
	GA839		A330-300	Daily
SIN 21:35		CGK 22:30

As with Singapore Airlines, this doesn’t match pre-pandemic frequencies or capacity for Garuda either.

Garuda Indonesia
Jakarta Singapore
1st December 2024 – 29th March 2025

			Aircraft	Days
	GA824		A330-300	Daily
CGK 05:30		SIN 08:15
	GA828		A330-300	Daily
CGK 08:55		SIN 11:20
	GA832		A330-300	Daily
CGK 11:35		SIN 14:20
	GA836		A330-300	Daily
CGK 15:15		SIN 18:00
	GA838		A330-300	Daily
CGK 17:25		SIN 20:10
	GA822		737-800	Daily (ex. Sat)
CGK 19:00		SIN 21:45

In December 2019, the airline flew nine times daily between Singapore and Jakarta, offering 17,150 one-way seats per week, still significantly more than it will now offer.

Do note that on its A330-300 fleet Garuda operates a mixture of its newer Super Diamond Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, and its older 2-2-2 ‘Minipod’ product – you can end up getting either on the day as swaps are frequent.

More First Class seats to Jakarta

An additional Boeing 777-300ER service on the Jakarta route, in the form of SQ960/961, also means an additional fourth daily opportunity to redeem a First Class award ticket to or from Changi.

That’s interesting not because it offers great value for such a short flight (it doesn’t), but because it’s the most affordable way to gain access to The Private Room at Changi Airport Terminal 3, either for cash or miles, whether before departure or after arrival.

Even for those departing on SQ950 at 6.50am, there’s still time for a quick champagne breakfast in The Private Room when it opens at 5.30am, before heading over to the gate – though note you’ll have to then head to T2, so do allow sufficient time.

There’s also the option to check in the day before and spend the night in one of the the transit hotels, to maximise your visits to The Private Room before departure.

You can check in for any SIA flight up to 48 hours before departure, however access to the transit area where the lounges are located is only permitted up to 24 hours before your departure.

SIA and Garuda deepen partnership

Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia gained regulatory approval for a commercial joint venture in July 2024, and as part of this expansion of service on the the Jakarta route the two airlines have also announced that they will expand their commercial partnership.

This will include:

• Operating 390 weekly codeshare services, including these new Singapore – Jakarta flights, for a total of 362 flights per week between Singapore and Indonesia.
• Deepen the frequent flyer programme partnership, by allowing GarudaMiles and KrisFlyer members to earn and redeem miles on codeshare routes.
• Introducing joint fare products from early 2025, which will allow customers to book flights operated by both airlines between Singapore and Denpasar, Jakarta, and Surabaya within a single itinerary.

Other Jakarta increases

Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia aren’t the only airlines increasing their presence on the Singapore – Jakarta route over the coming weeks.

• Jetstar is increasing from 14 to 21 flights per week from 1st December 2024.
• Scoot is increasing from 17 to 19 flights per week from 24th November 2024.
• TransNusa is increasing from 7 to 11 flights per week from 1st December 2024.

That means by next month the Singapore – Jakarta route overall will have 225 flights per week across eight airlines, a sharp 36% increase from the 184 weekly flights currently offered, and a much more respectable 84% of pre-COVID levels.

Jakarta is once again the busiest route for Singapore Airlines, having suffered a very slow capacity ramp-up following the COVID-19 pandemic.

From today, eight daily services will be offered on the route, including four with a First Class cabin – a great way to redeem KrisFlyer miles for a pre- or post-flight experience in The Private Room at Changi Airport.

Garuda Indonesia is also finally ramping up services on the route – as are some other carriers – with a total of eight airlines offering 225 weekly departures by December 2024.

The increases come as Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia deepen their joint venture partnership, which will also see mutual earning and redemption options for frequent flyer members of both airlines on codeshare routes operated by both carriers next year.

(Cover Photo: Masahiro Takagi)