GEORGE TOWN, October 28 — Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy, Wong Hon Wai, announced the launch of TransNusa Aviation’s first-ever direct flight between Jakarta (CGK) and Penang (PEN), commencing 24 November 2025.
This marks a major milestone in strengthening regional air connectivity ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY 2026). The new service, operating under flight code 8B-633, will fly three times weekly—every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—before increasing to daily flights from December 2025.
Wong said the new route not only enhances Penang’s accessibility to Indonesian travellers but also supports the state’s dual focus on VMY 2026 and Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT 2026).
He emphasized that Indonesia remains Penang’s largest medical and leisure tourism market, contributing over 65% of Malaysia’s medical tourism revenue and accounting for 90% of healthcare travel receipts in northern Malaysia.
With over 284,000 Indonesian visitors arriving in Penang between January and September 2025, Wong noted that the new TransNusa service is timely in meeting strong travel demand while reinforcing Penang’s position as a regional hub for tourism, healthcare, and cultural exchange.
