The Indonesian Minister of Transportation, Dudy Purwagandhi, has announced the launch of a new Middle Eastern airline, Mukhtara Air, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2026.
According to the Minister, Mukhtara Air has applied for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and operational route permits. The proposed routes include Jakarta–Medina, Jakarta–Jeddah, Surabaya–Medina, and Surabaya–Jeddah.
The new airline is scheduled to begin operations in January 2026, with a primary focus on accommodating the needs of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims in Indonesia.
“We don’t know how many flights they’ll fly each week. They’re flying regular flights, not charter flights. They’re using wide-body aircraft so they can fly long distances,” Purwagandhi told the press on Wednesday, the 3rd of December.
Mukhtara Air is part of Manazil Al Mukhtara Company Holding, a company based in Medina, Saudi Arabia. The company offers international-standard hotel, Hajj, and Umrah services. The airline’s headquarters in Indonesia are located in the City Business Center (CBC) Office Complex, near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten.
Mukhtara Air also has representative offices in Medan, Surabaya, and Bali as part of its operational and service network in Indonesia.
“We will make the [Airbus] A320 for domestic flights as a hub and spoke system. The spokes will be to Surabaya, Denpasar, and Kualanamu. Meanwhile, our [Airbus] A330 will operate routinely to Jeddah, Medina, and also the next area of Taif,” the Operating Director of Mukhtara Air, Andik Setiawan, previously told the press on Friday, the 28th of November.