Jakarta. Passenger traffic at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has begun to surge ahead of the 1447 Hijri Eid al-Fitr holiday, with hundreds of thousands of travelers departing daily as Indonesians start their annual mudik homecoming.

Crowds were visible across several departure areas, particularly at domestic check-in counters, where long queues formed as more people opted to travel by air to return to their hometowns for the Lebaran celebration. Most passengers were families and individual travelers heading to reunite with relatives.

Airport data showed passenger numbers rising steadily in recent days. On Wednesday, the airport recorded around 121,000 passengers, increasing to approximately 127,000 passengers on Thursday. Aircraft movements reached 1,030 flights, covering both domestic and international routes.

Popular destinations among travelers include Bali, Medan, Makassar, Surabaya, and Ujung Pandang.

General Manager of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Heru Karyadi said the Lebaran travel period this year is expected to see higher passenger and flight volumes compared with last year.

“We project passenger movements during the 2026 Lebaran transport period, from March 13 to March 30, to reach 3,010,993 passengers, an increase of 2.22% compared with 2025. Aircraft movements are forecast to reach 19,891 flights, up 3.43% from last year,” Heru said in a statement on Thursday.

He added that the peak outbound travel period is expected on March 18, 2026, when passenger numbers could reach around 187,000 people, with aircraft movements projected at 1,193 flights across domestic and international routes.

Airport authorities said all operational facilities and services have been prepared to anticipate the surge in travelers, aiming to ensure that passengers can travel smoothly, safely, and comfortably during the Lebaran travel season.