Bogor, West Java. President Prabowo Subianto has called for the accelerated construction of international airports across Indonesia to spur economic growth and boost regional tourism, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

“The president is pushing the opening of as many international airports as possible across regions to accelerate regional economic activity and tourism,” Teddy posted via the Cabinet Secretariat’s Instagram account on Friday.

The proposal aligns with national ambitions to reshape Indonesia's aviation infrastructure. Data from the Transportation Ministry shows the country handled 87.4 million passengers at 17 major international airports between 2023 and mid‑2025. 

One major project already backed by Prabowo is the North Bali International Airport (NBIA) in Buleleng Regency. The airport is expected to be operational by 2027. However, the government has yet to finalize a site for the airport. The $3 billion project will feature offshore runways and an aerotropolis supporting 32–50 million passengers annually, with the potential to create more than 200,000 jobs.

Indonesia already hosts several major international gateways, including Soekarno‑Hatta in Jakarta, Juanda in Surabaya, Ngurah Rai in Bali, and Komodo and Lombok airports in the eastern provinces. 

During the virtual meeting, Prabowo was joined by key cabinet figures, including Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto; Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani; Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto; Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman; and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni.