Jakarta. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali are expected to be the busiest airports during the 2026 Eid al-Fitr travel period, as millions of Indonesians prepare for the annual mudik homecoming.

Deputy President Director of InJourney Airports Achmad Syarir said passenger traffic at Soekarno-Hatta is projected to reach around 179,000 during the outbound travel peak. The return flow, expected on March 28, could see as many as 198,000 passengers.

“For Bali, on Saturday, March 14, we estimate around 67,000 passengers, and during the return peak on March 28 it could reach about 73,000 passengers,” he said.

Data from Soekarno-Hatta airport authorities show flight activity has already begun to rise ahead of the Eid travel period. On March 10, the airport recorded 964 flights, consisting of 484 departures and 480 arrivals.

Total passenger traffic that day reached 108,082, including 55,169 departing passengers and 52,913 arriving passengers.

Meanwhile, Ngurah Rai Airport is expected to serve around 1.1 million passengers over an 18-day period, with roughly 6,700 aircraft movements.

To prepare for the surge, airport operators have deployed additional personnel and services, including shuttle vehicles to transport passengers between terminals and an operational command post that will run from March 13 to March 30.

During the peak outbound travel period, Ngurah Rai Airport alone is projected to handle around 498,000 passengers and roughly 3,357 flights, with the busiest day expected on March 15. The return travel peak is forecast for March 28, partly driven by the government’s work-from-anywhere policy during the holiday period.

President Director of Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia Maya Watono said the group had anticipated the surge in passenger traffic, which includes both holiday travelers and tourists.

“Yes, we have prepared for the increase in passenger movement across our destinations. Hotel occupancy is also expected to rise, particularly in the domestic market,” she said.

Maya added that airport traffic across several destinations is projected to increase by around 2%, with some locations experiencing stronger growth.

She said that as part of InJourney’s commitment to service, the group will provide 24-hour operations to support passengers throughout the holiday period.