Tangerang. Passenger traffic surged at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Wednesday as year-end travel intensified ahead of Christmas, with routes to Denpasar and Singapore emerging as the most sought-after destinations.

Airport operator data showed 177,356 passengers crowded departure terminals in a single day, alongside 1,200 aircraft movements. Long queues were seen at Terminal 3 check-in counters from early morning, prompting authorities to deploy additional staff to manage passenger flow and prevent congestion at boarding gates.

From Dec. 15 to 21, Indonesia’s busiest airport handled a total of 1,182,490 passengers, up 1.6% from the same period last year. The steady rise in mobility comes as flight capacity edges closer to its operational limits during the peak holiday season.

On the domestic front, Denpasar led demand, followed by Surabaya, Makassar, Kualanamu, and Palembang. Internationally, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur dominated traffic, with strong flows also recorded on routes to Jeddah, Don Mueang, and Penang.

The holiday rush has been building since last weekend. On Sunday alone, aircraft movements reached 1,158 flights carrying 174,684 passengers. Airport authorities expect elevated traffic levels to persist through the New Year holiday period.

To mitigate delays, the operator has reinforced service personnel and tightened security at critical points. Travelers are advised to arrive at least three hours before departure to avoid administrative bottlenecks, as coordination between airlines and airport management remains key to maintaining on-time performance amid the seasonal surge.