Nusantara International Airport, located in Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara (IKN) in East Kalimantan, has officially entered its operational phase, with full commercial passenger services targeted to begin in 2026, according to airport authorities.
The airport has been operational since June 12, 2025, following the issuance of its airport certification, and is currently handling charter flights as well as government and Indonesian Air Force operations. The facility is under the management of the Ministry of Transportation’s Airport Operations Unit (UPBU) while regulatory preparations for commercial operations are finalised.
The airport features a 3,000-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway classified for wide-body aircraft operations, including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380. Its passenger terminal has a handling capacity of approximately 420 passengers per hour, equivalent to around 1.6 million passengers annually, with airside capacity of up to 19 aircraft movements per hour. Landside works, including staff housing, landscaping, quarantine and immigration facilities, are being completed ahead of commercial launch.
Nusantara International Airport is a core component of Indonesia’s new capital development programme and is expected to serve as the primary aviation gateway for East Kalimantan. The airport occupies 621 hectares of land provided by the Indonesian Land Bank Agency under Presidential Regulation No. 31/2023, with land acquisition supported by social impact mitigation and agrarian reform programmes. The facility is also being considered as a future Hajj embarkation point and is expected to support regional connectivity and economic growth as IKN develops into Indonesia’s political centre by 2028.