How To Buy a Sim Card at Jakarta Airport in 2025

Are you planning a trip to Indonesia and wondering if you can buy a sim card at Jakarta International Airport? The answer is yes! This is a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card at Jakarta Airport in 2025.

Find out where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per January 2025, my recommendation, more about eSIMs for Indonesia and everything else you need to know.

To save money on high roaming charges you can also order a sim card for Indonesia on the internet so you don't have to buy an Indonesia prepaid sim card at Jakarta Airport.

In the past I always used to buy a sim card at Jakarta Airport, nowadays I mostly use eSIMs when traveling to Indonesia.

Table of Contents

Traveltomtom also wrote a guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Indonesia in 2025, including 4G/5G coverage maps and a comparison of the mobile internet providers in Indonesia.

If you simply want an eSIM then check my comparison of the best eSIMs for traveling to Indonesia in 2025.

Some links in this article about the best ways to stay connected when traveling to Jakarta are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you!

My recommendation

Traveltomtom recommends buying an XL sim card at Jakarta Airport. For around $12 USD you get 15 GB data.

Prices for tourist sim card come at tourist prices at Jakarta Airport. You find cheaper sim card deals in the city center. If this is your thing you want to read my guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Indonesia.

An XL sim card is not my preferred sim card for Indonesia, that is Telkomsel, but the XL sim card deals for tourists at Jakarta Airport are simply better and as per 2025 you can now also get eSIMs at Jakarta Airport.

However, save yourself a lot of hassle and be online as soon as the plane lands by ordering an eSIM for Indonesia on the internet. A Jetpac eSIM for Indonesia with 20 GB data is only $21 USD.

For more detailed info about eSIMs check my comparison of the best eSIMs for Indonesia in 2025.

If you are traveling to multiple countries on your trip to Asia then check out some of the international prepaid sim cads for traveling abroad. These physical prepaid as well as eSIMs are valid in multiple countries around the world, so they could be great for your next holiday.

Be aware that the local prepaid sim cards you buy in Indonesia, as well as eSIMs and international sim cards only work in unlocked phones. If your phone is locked make sure to unlock your phone before your trip to Indonesia. Contact your mobile internet provider in your home country if you are not sure about this.

Why buying a sim card for Indonesia

Don't let slow overseas data roaming packages fool you. They reduce the internet speed and you will end up with a terribly slow data connection on your phone. You want the fastest data speed in Indonesia? Then buy a local prepaid sim card or order an eSIM online.

First of all we want to avoid high roaming charges! Overseas data plans cost a minimum of $5 USD per day and even more. With an eSIM or an Indonesia prepaid sim card you might not spend more than $10 USD for the whole month.

Staying connected while traveling to Indonesia makes life so much easier and traveling more fun! Think about ordering an Uber/Grab, checking Google Maps for directions and making sure you don't get lost, finding a good nearby restaurant or finding your nearby friends via Live Location or WhatsApp. So many reasons for staying connected when traveling to Indonesia.

Don't rely on free public WiFi, although widespread in Indonesia there is no guarantee and trust me a 4G/5G data connections is much faster than your hotels' crappy free WiFi.

Also another reminder that public WiFi is on an UNSECURED network connection. The use of a VPN is recommended.

Traveltomtom is on a journey to travel to every country in the world and everywhere I go I write sim card guides to help travelers save money and find the best way to stay connected. That is why on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world: Shanghai, China, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Manila, Morocco, Zanzibar, Aruba, Mauritius, USA, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Europe, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada and many more.

If you are traveling to multiple countries in Southeast Asia then you might want to look into buying an international sim card or an eSIM for Asia.

Traveltomtom is the most complete sim card blog on the internet. Next time you are planning your trip abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and eSIM advice for your holiday destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money traveling the world.

Arrival at Jakarta International Airport

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and most international flights arrive at Jakarta International Airport. Jakarta Airport with airport code CGK is also called Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and there are 3 terminals. Terminal 3 is the newest terminal and is used for incoming international flights from all major airliners. Soekarno-Hatta CGK is a very pleasant airport to arrive with huge wide open spaces.

There is free WiFi that actually works fine without any login or whatsoever. There are already ATMs before passport control and there is a duty-free shop.

The wait for passport control is ok, there are many available lines. There are e-gates, but only for Indonesian passport holders. After passport control you end up in the baggage claim hall which is also very easy to navigate. Before the last customs luggage check there is a health declaration form you have to fill out. You have to scan a QR code, fill out the details and it automatically generates a personalised QR code that will be scanned and you are good to go.

There is a luggage check x-ray machine, but I have never seen any being asked to scan their luggage. After this whole process you arrive in the very quiet Arrival Hall.

The Arrival Hall at Jakarta Airport is very peaceful as only arriving passengers are allowed inside. Everyone else is kept outside. In the Arrival Hall there is another liquor shop, money exchange and there are sim card shops to buy your tourist sim card for Indonesia.

Where to buy a sim card at Jakarta Airport

As mentioned above there are no sim card shops at immigration or at the baggage claim. You have to wait till you arrive in the Arrival Hall.

In the arrival hall it is very easy to find the sim card shops. There are 3 different shops. In the middle of the Arrival Hall there is Data Cellular and Backbone Cellular next to each other and towards the end of the hall there is an XL Axiata store.

There are 4 main mobile internet providers in Indonesia: Telkomsel, XL Axiata, IM3 (Indosat/Ooredoo) and Smartfren. Only XL Axiata has its own store in the arrival hall. Backbone Cellular and Data Cellular are phone stores that sell sim cards from all internet providers.

Outside of the Arrival Hall there are 3 more sim card stores. Another Data Cellular and Backbone Cellular shop will be right in front of you when you exit the arrival hall and a little bit on your left hand side there is an official Telkomsel shop.

All sim card stores inside the Jakarta International Airport Arrival Hall are open 24 hours and you can pay by cash as well as international credit card. The stores outside have limited opening times. Data cellular is open from 07:00 am to 03:00 am and the official Telkomsel shop outside the arrival hall is only open from 07:00 am to 09:00 PM.

Prices prepaid sim cards Jakarta Airport

All information is updated as per January 2025 and prices are in Indonesia Rupiah (IDR): $1 USD = 16,300 IDR and 10,000 PHP = $0.61 USD.

As per 2025 the sim card shops at Jakarta Airport now also offer eSIMs for tourists as well as physical prepaid sim cards.

Backbone Cellular Arrival Hall

At the Backbone store they sell prepaid sim cards from all 4 mobile internet providers in Indonesia. All sim cards are data-only and do not include calling time, but you can add an extra calling plan. The cheapest sim card the Backbone store offers is a Telkomsel sim card for 260,000 IDR ($17 USD) that gives you 14 GB data.

See all other Indonesia prepaid sim cards for tourists in the picture above.

Data Cellular Arrival Hall

Next to the Backbone Cellular store is Data Cellular, they sell a lot of different prepaid sim cards. If you are intended to buy an XL Axiata sim card then do NOT buy a sim card here, but at the XL Axiata store.

They Data Cellular store in the Arrival Hall also has a separate price sheet for Telkomsel prepaid sim cards for tourists. The cheapest sim card cost 200,000 IDR ($13 USD) and gives you 8 GB data.

XL Axiata Arrival Hall

The cheapest sim card at the XL Axiata store gives you 15 GB data for 200,000 IDR ($13 USD). That is significantly more data for the same price than a Telkomsel sim card at the other phone shops at Jakarta Airport.

Backbone Cellular outside

These are the prices for tourist sim cards at the Backbone Cellular store outside and they are pretty much the exact same as the store in the Arrival Hall. The same counts for the prices of the Data Cellular store in the Arrival Hall and outside.

The official Telkomsel store outside has the same prices as the other sim card shops at Jakarta Airport.

Expect to pay tourist prices for sim cards at Jakarta Airport. If you want the cheapest Indonesia prepaid sim card deals then you have to buy a sim card in a phone shop in Jakarta City center and not at the airport.

At the airport they sell tourist sim cards for tourist prices. For example you can buy a Telkomsel top up for 100,000 IDR ($6.5 USD) that gives you 50 GB data.

Best sim card for tourists at Jakarta Airport

Based on the prepaid sim card plans and prices for tourists sim cards at Jakarta Airport Traveltomtom comes to the conclusion that XL Axiata gives the best value for money.

XL Axiata offers a tourist sim with 15 GB data for 200,000 IDR ($12 USD) which is in fact also the cheapest tourist sim card at Jakarta Airport.

For my research about the best sim cards for traveling in Indonesia I also compared the network coverage maps of XL Axiata, Telkomsel, Smartfren and IM3.

XL Axiata, Smartfren and IM3 have a very decent 4G/LTE mobile data network, but it leaves no doubt that Telkomsel has by far the best 4G/5G network coverage in Indonesia.

For more info check out my guide for the best prepaid sim card for Indonesia in 2025 and find out why Traveltomtom rates Telkomsel as the best prepaid sim card for Indonesia.

However, when traveling to Jakarta and sticking to the standard tourist attractions in and around the city and around Jave all mobile internet providers will provide good 4G/LTE signal. Telkomsel is the only provider that has a decent 5G network as per January 2025.

eSIMs vs. to prepaid sim cards

eSIMs for Indonesia are more expensive than local prepaid sim cards. However, must add that eSIMs are super convenient and as soon as you land in Jakarta you are online.

Traveltomtom recommends therefore a Jetpac eSIM for Indonesia with 20 GB data is only $21 USD.

Check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know before buying an eSIM for traveling to Indonesia in 2025, including a comparison of the best eSIMs and an answer to all FAQ about eSIMs.

Best eSIMs for Indonesia

Local prepaid sim cards are not the only way to stay connected when traveling to the Indonesia. The easiest way to get data on your phone when traveling to Jakarta in 2025 is by ordering an eSIM online.

No need to visit a sim card store anymore on arrival in Indonesia and no need to buy a sim card at Jakarta Airport. As soon as the plane lands in Jakarta you are already online.

You can order an eSIM for Indonesia directly on the internet, you process the payment, receive a QR code, scan it, follow the instructions and instal the eSIM in a couple simple steps. You are all set in less than 2 minutes.

Here are some recommendations.

Jetpac

Jetpac is a Singapore based eSIM provider and they clearly know the Indonesia eSIM market very well. Not only does Jetpac have the best and cheapest eSIM deals for Indonesia, their eSIMs also operate on the Telkomsel network.

Click here to read our independent Jetpac review.

Here are the Jetpac Indonesia eSIM plans:

• 1 GB data for 4 days = $1 USD
• 3 GB data for 7 days = $6 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $8 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
• 15 GB data for 30 days = $21 USD
• 20 GB data for 30 days = $21 USD
• 30 GB data for 30 days = $35 USD
• 40 GB data for 30 days = $50 USD
• 50 GB data for 10 days = $25 USD

Click here for more info or to order the Jetpac Indonesia eSIM.

Traveltomtom readers now get an extra 10% discount when using the code TOMTOM10 at check out.

Jetpac has now a crazy eSIM deal for Indonesia with 50 GB data for only $25 USD! That is only $0.5 USD per Gigabyte.

Airalo

Airalo is a reliable eSIM provider and Traveltomtom has used Airalo in more than 50 countries around the world and never faced an issue.

Here are the Airalo eSIM plans for Indonesia for 2025:

• 1 GB data for 7 days = $5.5 USD
• 2 GB data for 15 days = $8 USD
• 3 GB data for 30 days = $11 USD
• 5 GB data for 30 days = $16.5 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $24.75 USD
• 20 GB data for 30 days = $40 USD
• Unlimited data for 10 days = $35 USD

*3 GB high speed data per day, then reduced data speed at 1 Mbps.

Click here to order an eSIM for Indonesia via Airalo or find more info.

The Airalo data-only eSIMs from Indotel operate on the Indosat and Three 4G/5G network.

For a complete guide about using eSIMs when traveling to the Indonesia and a comparison of the best eSIMs for Indonesia in 2025 click on the link and read all my tips.

Before ordering an eSIM for Indonesia make sure your phone is first of all unlocked. eSIMs only work in unlocked phones. Second, make sure your phone is eSIM compatible. Pretty much all newer smartphones are eSIM compatible.

Data speed in Jakarta

The data speed wasn't disappointing, but I had hoped it would be much faster. I did a speed test comparison between XL Axiata and Telkomsel at peak time in the heart of Jakarta and XL Axiata won the match.

XL Axiata showed a data speed of 23 Mbps download and 35 Mbps upload, Telkomsel came out much slower with 16 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.

I know this is just a moment in time but a fair reference at least.

All in all I came to the conclusion that there is not that much difference but because XL Axiata offers a cheaper data plan at Jakarta Airport and they came out best in the speed test I would suggest give XL Axiata a go when buying a sim card at Jakarta Airport.

However, if you decide to travel off the beaten path or intended to spend many hours on the road I still recommend a Telkomsel prepaid sim card for traveling in Indonesia.

Vlog about buying a sim card at Jakarta airport

I filmed my arrival at Jakarta Airport and in the vlog below you can see what it looks like disembarking the plane, going through immigration, picking up your luggage, go through all the checks and I show you where you can buy a sim card, what it cost and my conclusion.

Order a prepaid sim card for your trip to Jakarta online

Remember that eSIMs can only be used in eSIM compatible phones. If your phone is not eSIM compatible and you want to order a sim card for Indonesia on the internet then you have to look into buying an international prepaid sim card for Indonesia.

These pre-activated physical prepaid sim cards will be delivered to your home address before your trip. You put them in your phone during your flight and you are online as soon as the plane touches the ground in Jakarta and your international sim card connects to an available network.

Arrive prepared in Jakarta with an international prepaid sim card for Indonesia:

• 10 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
• 10 GB data for 30 days = $49.90 USD

Click here to order an international prepaid sim card for Indonesia directly online via SimOptions.

Also a last reminder that if you have an eSIM compatible phone you can order an eSIM for Indonesia with very competitive prices.

Check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know before buying an eSIM for traveling to Indonesia in 2025, including a comparison of the best eSIMs and an answer to all FAQ about eSIMs.

My experiences buying a sim card at Jakarta Airport

Although I know from previous trips to Indonesia that data plans and local prepaid sim cards in are really cheap, I still bought a prepaid sim card at Jakarta Airport for a tourist price.

As I mentioned before you can top up a Telkomsel sim card with 50 GB data for 100,000 IDR ($6 USD) but at Jakarta Airport they only give you 8 GB for 200,000 IDR ($13 USD). When you think about this it actually is a crazy difference in price, but on the other hand Jakarta Airport is the most convenient place to buy a local prepaid sim card for Indonesia. And for that convenience you pay a little extra.

Since I know how cheap it is to top up I would also never recommend to buy any sim card plan for more than most simple plan at the airport. When I arrive somewhere I simply want to be connected instantly and that is very easy at Jakarta Airport. The staff speaks all very good English and is super helpful and friendly.

In total I stayed 4 days in Jakarta and had no problems using my XL Axiata sim card. The data speed was pretty good. I stayed in the Pullman Jakarta Indonesia CBD which actually had really fast WiFi so when in the hotel I used the WiFi. My girlfriend bought a Telkomsel sim card so we could compare and get the best sim card for visiting Jakarta for you.

Here is a TikTok video when we arrived at the Jakarta Airport.

@traveltomtom Which sim card is better Indonesia? Telkomsel or XL? 😁 Arrived at Jakarta Airport for our trip to Indonesia and first things first: buying a local prepaid sim card to stay connected. Let the games begin… @Jessmelu | Travel bought a Telkomsel sim card and I bought an XL sim card. I won the first battle, because for 200,000 IDR ($14 USD) I got 15 GB and Jess bought a Telkomsel sim card for 250,000 IDR ($16 USD) and got only 14 GB! #indonesia #indonesiatiktok ♬ original sound - Traveltomtom

How much data do you need?

I consider myself a very heavy data user, but even on a crazy day I won't use more than 5 GB data. On average I use about 2-3 GB per day, mostly on social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.

Make sure you don't have Google Drive or iCloud enabled on data, but only on WiFi.

I am sure some of the above tips on how to stay connected when traveling to Jakarta were helpful. If you have any additional questions then please leave me a comment below or reach out to me on social media.

Curious what the life of a full time nomadic traveler looks like? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along with daily updates from around the world about the good, the bad and the ugly about traveling.

Traveltomtom is on the road to 197, meaning I would like to travel to every country in the world. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries, still about 40 to go, but no rush.

Enjoy your trip to Jakarta!