Airport Tax Guide
Last updated: October 16, 2014
A guide to Indonesia’s infamous and confusing passenger service charge.
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NEWSFLASHStarting 1 October 2014, Garuda Indonesia has stopped including airport tax in its ticketed price. Garuda says this is a temporary thing while other airlines (and airports) prepare to implement a new national system of including airport tax in prices. Fingers crossed… In the meantime, Garuda’s budget airline, Citilink, is now the only airline that includes airport tax in the ticket price. Source: Liputan 6 On 1 January 2015, domestic airport tax will increase at Medan Airport to Rp75 000 per person and at Tanjung Pinang to Rp40 000 per person. |
Indonesia is one of the few countries where airport fees are NOT included in the price of the ticket. Visitors to Indonesia often call it “departure tax”, but that is not correct because domestic passengers also pay it. Its official name is PJP2U (Indonesian for passenger service charge), but its working title is airport tax.
How Much Is Airport Tax?
Airport tax is up to Rp40 000 Rp75 000 ($7 €5 £4) per person for domestic flights, and up to Rp150 000 Rp200 000 ($18 €13 £11) per person for international flights. As a general guide, smaller and more remote airports have cheaper airport tax.
When/Where/How to Pay Airport Tax?
At most airports, passengers at a special booth after checking in, on the way to the departure gate (right). At a few airports – e.g. Surabaya – passengers can pay at the check-in desk.
Passengers then receive a sticker on their boarding pass as a receipt/proof of payment, which is scanned at the security checkpoint near the departure gate. Some airports try harder than others with the presentation of the airport tax sticker:
Airport Tax Across Indonesia
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Airport tax must be paid in Rupiah cash. It is recommended that visitors prepare the required amount of money in advance, and save it for later. If you are arriving in Indonesia and then transiting/connecting to a domestic flight, you will need to get some Rupiah from an ATM or moneychanger before checking in for the second flight.
What Happens If I’m Transiting?
Transiting passengers on domestic flights do not have to pay airport tax twice. If you are flying from e.g. Medan to Denpasar (Bali) via Jakarta using the one airline and the one ticket/booking code, you only pay airport tax in Medan. The exception is budget airlines (e.g. AirAsia) that do not allow passengers to transit and do not check bags through to their final destination. If you are flying e.g. AirAsia from Medan to Denpasar (Bali) via Bandung, you will pay airport tax twice.
Similarly, passengers taking a domestic flight then an international flight do pay airport tax twice; 1 x domestic airport tax, 1 x international airport tax. For example, if you are flying from Surabaya to Perth via Denpasar on Garuda Indonesia, you will pay domestic airport tax in Surabaya, then international airport tax in Denpasar (even though your bags are checked through to Perth).
Airport Tax To “Disappear”?
According to reports, the Indonesian airport operator is going to commence incorporating airport tax into the price of domestic flights. The schedule is:
- September 2012: Garuda Indonesia domestic flights from Jakarta
- End 2013: All domestic flights from Jakarta
- 2014: Domestic flights at other airports
It seems international airport tax will remain a cash payment.
Questions about airport tax or updates for a specific airport are welcome; please write it below in a comment.
185 Comments on “Airport Tax Guide”
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Thanks for the feedback, Angela.
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Ng Mk says:
What the international airport tax from Bali for foreigner ?
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International airport tax in Bali is the same for all – Indonesians and foreigners. As written at the start of the article, it recently changed from Rp150 000 to Rp200 000.
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Indira says:
We will be travelling from malaysia to surabaya n within 5 hours to bali n returning from bali to surabaya n within 3 hours to malaysia by Airasia, how much tax will i have to pay in surabaya i dont leave the airport
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Hi Indira,
Airport tax is calculated not on how long you stay in each airport. It’s about whether you checked in at each airport.
You would only avoid airport tax on the way to Bali if you were transiting Surabaya on connecting flights. Based on what you have written, I don’t think you are on connecting flights. Even if you are on connecting flights, on the way back to Malaysia you would need to pay internatinal airport tax in Surabaya regardless. For example, when I fly from Surabaya to Australia, I pay domestic airport tax in Surabaya and international airport tax in Bali, even though my luggage is checked through to Australia in Surabaya.
Therefore, you will need to pay:
1. Domestic airport tax for Surabaya to Bali: Rp75 000 per person
2. Domestic airport tax for Bali to Surabaya: Rp75 000 per person
3. International airport tax for Surabaya to Malaysia: Rp200 000 per person
The only exceptions for domestic airport tax are Garuda and Citilink, who now include domestic airport tax in the ticketed price.
Please check our guide to Terminal 2 at Juanda Airport to determine whether you will need to change terminals while transiting Surabaya.
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Loke says:
Hi, I will be flying off from Yogyakarta on 7 May 2014.
So airport tax will be IDR 100,000 as well?
Thanks! -
Hi Loke,
For international flights departing Yogyakarta, Rp100 000 per person
For domestic flights departing Yogyakarta, Rp35 000 per person
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Jane says:
Hi,
Just would like to check, how much is the airport tax from Medan, Kuala Namu to Penang? Are the airport tax still remain the same 75,000 IDR?
Thank you
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Hi Jane,
Yes, international airport tax remains Rp75 000 at this time, but is rumoured to increase soon.
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Sophia says:
Hi,
I would like to ask, does kid who aged 3 and 1++ need to pay for the airport tax?
Thank you.
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jenice says:
Hi, Im flying to Perth Via Bali by Air Asia airline in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia. The arrival time from Kota Kinabalu to Bali is 8.15pm on 21st august, and the transit flight to Perth is 5.55am next day (22nd August). If i stay a hotel in the kuta and back to Bali Denpasar airport, am i need to pay for air port tax?
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Hi Jenice,
Yes, you need to pay international airport tax in Bali: Rp200 000. You also need $US25 for visa on arrival.
You only avoid paying airport tax if you are on connecting DOMESTIC flights with the same airline.
For example, if I travel from Surabaya to Australia via Bali on Garuda Indonesia, I still have to pay domestic airport tax in Surabaya and international airport tax in Bali.
But if I fly from Surabaya to Medan and change planes in Jakarta, I only pay airport tax once, in Surabaya.
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Hi,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
1. What is the $US 25 Visa on arrival?
2. May i know how much i need to pay for my flight per person:21st
1745 BKI (Malaysia) – 2015 Denpasar (Indonesia)22nd
0555 Denpasar – Perth25th
Perth – Denpasar28th
Denpasar – BKI (Malaysia)Thanks!
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Hi Jenice,
1. Citizens of most countries have to pay $US25 for a visa on arrival in Indonesia. If you are from Malaysia (or another ASEAN country) you get free entry.
2. If you would like a quote, please fill in an enquiry. It asks some small but important questions.
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Hi Chris,
I meant I have booked my flight ticket. and actually kk-bali-perth is connecting flight, due to the reschedule on the bali-perth flight, thus i need to stay in bali for 1 day, then return to bali airport in the next early morning. M i need to pay for airport tax in this case?
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Hi Jenice,
AirAsia doesn’t do connecting flights except for AirAsia X, so you will need to clear immigration and customs, collect baggage and pay airport tax in both directions. The reschedule doesn’t change this.
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Rashiddi says:
How much is the Airport tax (International) from Bandung Airport. Does Baby below 2 years have to pay?
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Hi Rashiddi,
International airport tax at Bandung is Rp75 000 per person. All passengers pay, including children and babies/infants.
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nadzrul hamizi says:
Hi Chris,
I’m Malaysian travelling to DPS and coming back to KUL via JKT with GARUDA on 7 June 2014 and transit for about 10 hour in JKT.How much tax i have to pay?Thanks Chris. -
Hi Nadzrul,
You will need to pay:
1. Domestic airport tax in Bali: Rp75 000 per person
2. International airport tax in Jakarta: Rp150 000 per personEven if they are connecting flights, you still need to pay international airport tax for the second flight. When I fly from Surabaya to Australia via Bali on Garuda, I have to do the same thing: domestic in Surabaya and international in Bali.
You only avoiding paying airport tax of connecting domestic flights with the same airline. For example, if flying from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo via Bali, you would only pay airport tax in Jakarta and not Bali.
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Reshma says:
Hello,
Me and my family are visiting Bali in June 2014. I am from India. How much do we have to pay. we are 2 adults and 1 child.
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Hi Reshma,
On departure from Bali Airport, you will pay Rp200 000 each, total Rp600 000.
Don’t forget also $US25 per person for visa on arrival, total $US75.
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Jade Matthews says:
Hey would you be able to advise me on how much it would be for two people travelling from bali to Singapore?
How come the tax has to be in INd when the visa on arrival had to be paid in USD?
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Hi Jade,
International airport tax at Bali Airport is Rp200 000 per person, so Rp400 000 for two people.
Probably visa on arrival is in $US because Rupiah cash/banknotes is hard to get outside Indonesia. People leaving Indonesia don’t have this problem, so can pay in Rupiah (IDR).
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jian says:
1. Please let me know the Airport tax from Bali (DPS) to Yogyakarta (by Airasia, July 2014)
2. Please also let me know the Airport tax from Yogyakarta to Singapore (by Airasia, July 2014).
Thanks.
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Dear Jian,
#1 is written at the top of the post, #2 is in the Google Map.
1. Rp75 000 per person
2. Rp100 000 per person
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Tim says:
Dear Chris,
I am flying back to Amsterdam from Sydney in September. (With Garuda)
If I transit at Soekkarna Int. Airport do I stay behind customs?
Also, I assume I need topay Rp 200 000 Airport tax at departure. Is this only accepted in IRP or also in AUD?Another question I have is if it is possible to stay behind customs and buy access to an airport lounge? My transit time is ~8h45m
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Hi Tim,
Assuming you have bought the two flights together (GA713 & GA88 on the one ticket), the answers are:
1. Yes, you would stay inside the secure area.
2. No, you don’t pay airport tax in Jakarta. (Transiting passengers on connecting flights don’t pay).
3. It is possible to buy access to an airport lounge in domestic, it used to be in international but I haven’t needed to try recently.
The most likely one is behind (you walk through) Starbucks.
Also, up the far end of Terminal 2D (the furthest to the west) is one for airline lounge members, one for Singapore Airlines busines class and one for various Gold/Platinum credit cardholders. The last of these might also accept passengers paying Rupiah cash.
If it’s more than Rp100 000 ($A10), you might want to check/ask what’s on offer before paying; the choice of food/drinks and services in some has decreased in recent years.
More information about and reviews of Indonesian airport lounges.
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Hi,
I just came back from Bali in Early April 2014, The tax already 200,000. They WEF April 2014 not Aug 2014.