Tourism Malaysia welcomes TransNusa’s inaugural scheduled flight from Jakarta to Penang, marking a meaningful step toward enhancing regional air connectivity and strengthening inbound tourism to Malaysia. The new service operates every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with daily flights set to begin in December 2025. Using an Airbus A320 with 174 seats, the flight departs Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at 0500 hrs and arrives at Penang International Airport around 0830 hrs. The return flight departs Penang at 0930 hrs, taking approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Mr. Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General (Promotion II) of Tourism Malaysia, stated that TransNusa’s expansion into Penang represents an important milestone in offering more travel options for inbound visitors and supporting leisure, medical, business and MICE travel. He added that the new route will help bring Penang’s heritage and attractions closer to Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city. With Visit Malaysia 2026 approaching, the route is expected to play a key role in facilitating smoother travel and boosting visitor movement between both countries.
TransNusa Group CEO, Dato’ Bernard Francis, highlighted that the Jakarta–Penang route is a strategic addition aligned with the airline’s goal of expanding into major connectivity hubs while meeting the needs of passengers. He acknowledged that the route was made possible through Penang International Airport’s long-term incentive programme, a benefit not commonly offered by many secondary airports. With strong support from Tourism Malaysia and Penang International Airport, the route materialised in less than six months.
Indonesia remains one of Malaysia’s most significant tourism markets. In 2024, Malaysia welcomed over 4.15 million Indonesian visitors—a 19% increase from the previous year. Between January and August 2025 alone, 2.92 million Indonesians visited Malaysia, reflecting a strong and growing interest. Strengthening this route is expected to further deepen tourism ties, facilitate cultural exchange and support economic growth.
In conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, TransNusa has also expanded its collaboration with Tourism Malaysia to promote two-way travel and greater tourism connectivity. This includes supporting more than 30 Jakarta-based travel agents to participate in the Visit Malaysia 2026 conference, showcasing Malaysia as a leading destination for leisure, cultural and medical tourism. The new route also receives backing from Penang Global Tourism and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, reflecting a strong partnership dedicated to enhancing Penang’s tourism offerings.
The launch of the Jakarta–Penang route marks a significant development in strengthening bilateral relations and regional connectivity. As preparations for Visit Malaysia 2026 continue, Tourism Malaysia will maintain close cooperation with industry partners to ensure long-term benefits and growth for the nation’s tourism sector.
