Dewadaru Airport, the only airport in Karimunjawa Islands, is set to welcome commercial flights starting July 2025, with Susi Air and Wings Air preparing to open new flight routes to the popular island destination.
Susi Air will pioneer the opening of these flight routes. Head of Dewadaru Airport, Captain Muhamad Kurniawan, said that Susi Air had completed all necessary permits and would serve the Yogyakarta–Karimunjawa and Semarang–Karimunjawa routes, and vice versa.
These commercial flights will commence on the 4th of July, 2025, with a schedule of three times a week: on Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays.
In addition, Wings Air is reportedly preparing to follow suit, using a larger capacity aircraft — the ATR 72-500, which can accommodate 72 passengers.
“Talks with Wings Air are already underway. They will serve similar routes and are operationally ready,” Captain Kurniawan told the press on Tuesday, the 13th of May.
Up until now, Karimunjawa has only been accessible by sea from Kartini Port in Jepara or Tanjung Emas Port in Semarang. The introduction of new air routes is expected to be a game changer for tourism and public mobility.
“This is a turning point. Our airport will be more alive. If more airlines enter, access will automatically be easier, passengers will increase, and Karimunjawa’s economy will grow,” added Kurniawan.
Jepara Regency Regent Witiarso Utomo welcomed the plan to begin flight operations at Dewadaru Airport. He also described it as an important step in boosting the tourism sector in Karimunjawa.
“We will also hold a number of prestigious events so that Karimunjawa is better known abroad. We focus on sports tourism because Karimunjawa has the potential for that,” Utomo said.
Furthermore, Utomo is also preparing a number of prestigious programmes to drive tourism in Karimunjawa.
“We are preparing sport tourism events such as the Karimunjawa Run and triathlon. We want Karimunjawa to become an adventure destination known to the world,” he added.