Named after the first president, as well as the first vice president of Indonesia, Soekarno–Hatta International Airport is one of Indonesia’s main aerial hubs. It is located on the large and densely populated island of Java, approximately 20km (12.5 miles) west of Jakarta in the city of Tangerang.
Often referred to by locals as Cengkareng, a title originating from the name of a district to the north-west of the city, SHIA is recognised as being the second most punctual airport in the world. That’s a welcome trait as in 2010 it served just under 44 million passengers, making it the 16 busiest airport in the world.
SHIA consists of three terminal buildings. Terminals 1 and 3 handle domestic flights, while Terminal 2 tends to international flights and Garuda Airlines’ domestic flights. Terminals 1 and 2 have a selection of shops, restaurants and cafés, and parking lots are situated conveniently close to all three terminals. Current plans include the building of a fourth terminal building as well as complete refurbishment of the entire airport.
Overall, Soekarno–Hatta International Airport is efficient and well organised. Of course, like all major international airports, it can get chaotic during peak seasons. However, with new upgrades being made all the time, the airport is constantly undergoing development in order to successfully keep up with the ever-increasing number of tourists visiting it each year.