Jakarta – known for its parks, shopping centers & chaotic drivers.
Honestly, I was surprised by the lack of accidents based on how people drive around here 🤪.
Jakarta is home to two airports: Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) and Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport (HLP).
At the time of writing, the latter serves domestic destinations only (Batik Air and Citilink), and SIM cards are not sold there.
Writing a list of all the cool things to do in Jakarta would require another blog post (or a dedicated Jakarta blog), so I will save you from that because you want to know what SIM card options are available at the airport.
Anyway, which SIM cards are available at the airport?
You can get a Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Tri (3), or XL Axiata SIM card at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for between 100 000 IDR (6.40 USD) and 1 100 000 IDR (70.25 USD).
While data allowances are up to 100 GB, they are not as generous as they seem at first glance.
But I will tell you all about that in this guide.
Anyway, let's review all your options and see if getting a SIM card at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is even worth it.
Original publication: 3rd of October 2023. Last updated: 15th of January 2024.
Table of Contents
Mobile Operators in Indonesia
Before I tell you about the SIM card options you have at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, you first need to know about all the mobile operators in Indonesia.
Indonesia has four mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Telkomsel
- Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (formerly IM3 Ooredoo)
- XL Axiata
- Smartfren (but not sold at the airport)
Indonesia is also home to various Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), but they are practically impossible to get as a tourist.
Either way, they are not sold at (most) Indonesian airports, so I will not pay attention to them.
Alright, back to what Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport offers us.
Where to Buy a SIM Card at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Several booths at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport sell SIM cards from four Indonesian mobile operators: Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH – formerly IM3 Ooredoo), 3 (Tri) & XL Axiata.
Wait a minute… where did Tri come from?
Well, although the Tri brand was phased out when IM3 Ooredoo bought it out (and became Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison), you can still buy Tri SIM cards from various resellers.
And that applies to Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as well (but I do not recommend getting a Tri SIM card as better options are available at the airport).
Anyway, Indonesian SIM cards are only sold at the international arrivals hall of Terminal 3 (most international arrivals go through this terminal + domestic flights with Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Pelita Air (has domestic flights only) & TransNusa).
Only XL Axiata has a stall inside the terminal (on the far right side exit after luggage claim).
Telkomsel also has a cute store at the airport, but you have to walk outside to get to it.
Then you have 4G Cellular and Point Cellular, which are resellers selling SIM cards of all mobile operators (+Tri).
It is unusual to see SIM cards being sold outside the terminal itself, but the terminal's roof still covers the stores.
So you do not have to worry about getting wet when it rains in Jakarta 😜.
Let's review each mobile operator to see what they offer us at the airport.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Telkomsel Sell at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (+Prices)?
Telkomsel sells its tourist SIM cards at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, costing between 100 000 IDR and 1 100 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Telkomsel is the largest mobile operator in Indonesia.
It is also the best-performing mobile operator in the country.
This is why I recommend getting a Telkomsel SIM card for anyone visiting rural Indonesia (but do not expect much when you are in a jungle).
There are three places to get Telkomsel SIM cards from (all outside the terminal): the Telkomsel store, 4G Cellular & Point Cellular.
Let's start with the Telkomsel store, which is hidden next to a pillar.
Depending on how you exit the terminal (T3), you have to take a right or left turn (or ask any airport staff to direct you).
But once you see the store, you cannot miss it.
At this store, only one SIM card is sold.
For 200 000 IDR, you get 15 GB of data for 30 days.
I noted this price and data allowance down because the TV inside the store shows the default Telkomsel tourist SIM card, which does not seem to be sold here… for some reason.
And this is an official store too! The resellers do have this starter pack 🙄.
Alright, now let's see which plans 4G Cellular has.
Just as with the Telkomsel store, you have to exit the terminal to find the store.
And… you cannot miss it.
Before you are close to the store, the salespeople will yell at you asking if you want a SIM card.
The following six Telkomsel SIM cards are available at 4G Cellular:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 100 000 IDR | 3 GB | 30 days |
| 200 000 IDR | 8 GB | 30 days |
| 250 000 IDR | 14 GB | 30 days |
| 300 000 IDR | 24 GB | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 35 GB | 30 days |
| 450 000 IDR | 25 GB 1 | 30 days |
1 +25 local minutes
Unlike at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, you can pay with cash only at 4G Cellular.
In Indonesia, mobile operators have something called local data and kuota apps besides your nationwide data.
The latter is self-explanatory. Local data can only be used on certain islands based on the physical location of purchase.
An example I gave in the Bali airport guide was that if you were to buy a SIM card with 18 GB of data at the airport, perhaps only 3 GB was for nationwide use, 10 GB for local use & 5 GB for kuota apps (like social media or video streaming apps).
The 10 GB local data could be used in Bali, Java (including Jakarta) & Lombok.
The thing is… I am unsure if this applies to the SIM cards sold at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
The answer is probably yes, as this is standard in Indonesia.
In Bali, the salespeople asked me which areas I would be visiting so that I could buy an appropriate SIM card.
But the salespeople were official sales reps from the mobile operators, not resellers like 4G Cellular (and Point Cellular – more about them later).
So be sure to ask before you get disappointed (but this will not be an issue with the 450 000 IDR 25 GB “Touris” SIM card, as your total data allowance can be used anywhere in Indonesia).
Finally, we have Point Cellular, which also sells Telkomsel SIM cards.
You have the most options here – eight in total:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 200 000 IDR | 8 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 250 000 IDR | 14 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 300 000 IDR | 24 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 35 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 450 000 IDR | 25 GB | 30 days |
| 550 000 IDR | 35 GB | 30 days |
| 650 000 IDR | 60 GB | 30 days |
| 1 100 000 IDR | 100 GB | 30 days |
1 in Bali (+Nusa Penida), Java & Lombok only
So, unlike 4G Cellular, Point Cellular does tell you whether the data allowances are for local use only or can be used across Indonesia.
As the prices for the 8 GB, 14 GB & 35 GB plans are the same between 4G Cellular and Point Cellular, I will assume that the plans sold by the former are for local use only (but you should confirm before purchasing from them).
But if you plan on visiting other islands besides Bali, Java, or Lombok, you better get one of the national plans (450 000 IDR – 1 100 000 IDR).
In the 4G Cellular section, I briefly introduced you to kuota data allowances.
That is an allowance for apps like Disney+, Facebook & YouTube, to name a few.
I can tell you that you cannot use your full 100 GB (1 100 000 IDR) data allowance on whatever – a (large) portion will be reserved for kuota apps.
But how much data per plan is that supposed to be? No idea… you have to ask 🥲 (I bought my SIM cards in Bali, that is why I did not in Jakarta).
One way to get more data in another zone, if you get one of the local SIM cards, is by either buying another SIM card while there or purchasing a different plan.
I do not know if you can activate multiple Telkomsel plans simultaneously, so try it at your own risk.
Or get another SIM card while in a different zone.
But you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison Sell at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (+Prices)?
Resellers sell Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison SIM cards, costing between 150 000 IDR and 600 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison is the second-largest mobile operator in Indonesia.
It has the second-best coverage and second-fastest speeds throughout the country (behind Telkomsel).
However, I had faster speeds with Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison than with Telkomsel in Jakarta (by a small margin), so that is something to keep in mind.
Initially, I thought Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison was faster in Bali too, but the overall results show that I was wrong. That is why I do so much testing with every SIM card and eSIM I use!
You can get Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison SIM cards from 4G Cellular and Point Cellular – both outside Terminal 3 (but you will not miss them after luggage claim and heading to the taxi stand).
Let's start with 4G Cellular, which has the most options (five):
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 150 000 IDR | 5.5 GB | 30 days |
| 330 000 IDR | 16 GB | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 20 GB | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 25 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 390 000 IDR | 35 GB | 30 days |
1 of which 5 GB of nighttime data to be used between 1:00 and 6:00
In the Telkomsel section, we learned that Indonesian data allowances are technically inflated, as you cannot use your full allowance for whatever you want (nationwide, local & kuota apps data allowances.
The people at 4G Cellular told me that these buckets do not apply to SIM cards they sell… but I remain skeptical… and you should too 🧐.
Now, let's see what Point Cellular has to offer.
Not much… only two plans.
For 230 000 IDR, you get 9 GB of data for 30 days.
And just like at 4G Cellular, you get 25 GB of data for 30 days when you pay 350 000 IDR.
Once again, there is not much more to say, except that card payments are not accepted here either.
In other news, you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Tri (3) Sell at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (+Prices)?
Resellers sell Tri (3) SIM cards for 200 000 IDR and 300 000 IDR.
Tri used to be the third- or fourth-largest mobile operator in Indonesia.
But its performance was… lackluster, as its coverage was the worst (excluding Smartfren), but its speeds were decent (literally in the middle of the five mobile operators).
In 2022, it fully merged with IM3 Ooredoo to become Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, and the Tri brand was discontinued.
Well… not entirely. Tri SIM cards are still available, just not widely.
But somehow, they are sold at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Personally, I would avoid getting a Tri SIM card because its coverage is lackluster (Tri SIM cards sold at the airport do not use the shared Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison network yet, so you will be on Indonesia's worst network).
But hey, I am not stopping you if you truly want a Tri SIM card 😝.
Anyway, you can get Tri SIM cards from 4G Cellular and Point Cellular – both outside Terminal 3 (but you will not miss them after luggage claim and heading to the taxi stand).
Let's start with 4G Cellular, which sells only one Tri SIM card.
For 300 000 IDR, you get 18 GB of data for 30 days.
Yeah… that is it – not much more to say 🤣.
The salesperson told me that, although it has the best seller stamp, it does not get sold as much (because for the same price, you can often get (much) more data).
Anyway, if you get this SIM card, you have to pay 300 000 IDR in cash – card payments are not accepted.
For slightly more options, you want to go to Point Cellular, where it sells two Tri SIM cards.
For 200 000 IDR, you get 8 GB of data for 30 days.
And just like at 4G Cellular, you get 18 GB of data for 30 days when you pay 300 000 IDR.
Once again, there is not much more to say, except that card payments are not accepted here either.
In other news, you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does XL Axiata Sell at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (+Prices)?
XL Axiata sells its tourist SIM cards at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, costing between 150 000 IDR and 450 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
XL Axiata is the second-smallest mobile operator in Indonesia (ahead of Smartfren).
But it does have a reasonable network in terms of speed and coverage.
XL Axiata is the only mobile operator with a stall inside Terminal 3 (on the far right side of the terminal).
Just note that if you exit the terminal, there is no way to get to XL Axiata due to security and checkpoint restrictions.
As I did not arrive internationally in Jakarta but domestically (from Bali), I could not speak to the XL Axiata staff. Worry not; I still found a way to tell you which SIM cards it sells 😏.
But you can also get XL Axiata SIM cards from 4G Cellular and Point Cellular (resellers outside the terminal).
Anyway, let's start with XL Axiata and see which starter packs they offer at the Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 150 000 IDR | 9 GB | 30 days |
| 250 000 IDR | 15 GB | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 22 GB | 30 days |
| 450 000 IDR | 33 GB | 30 days |
For some reason, XL Axiata SIM cards sold at this airport are less generous than at Denpasar (Bali) Airport.
As you can see in the image below.
Next up is 4G Cellular, which sells six XL Axiata SIM cards:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 120 000 IDR | 3.5 GB | 30 days |
| 220 000 IDR | 10 GB | 30 days |
| 300 000 IDR | 19 GB | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 32 GB | 30 days |
| 500 000 IDR | 65 GB | 30 days |
| 600 000 IDR | 120 GB | 30 days |
Why does this reseller have more generous plans than XL Axiata? I have no idea (although I suspect the store in the terminal is also a reseller).
In the Telkomsel section, we learned that Indonesian data allowances are technically inflated, as you cannot use your full allowance for whatever you want (nationwide, local & kuota apps data allowances.
The people at 4G Cellular told me that these buckets do not apply to SIM cards they sell… but I remain skeptical… and you should too 🧐.
Anyway, we still have to go over the SIM cards sold by Point Cellular – it has four.
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 250 000 IDR | 15 GB | 30 days |
| 330 000 IDR | 23 GB | 30 days |
| 400 000 IDR | 45 GB | 30 days |
| 450 000 IDR | 80 GB | 30 days |
Just like with SIM cards sold by 4G Cellular, I doubt you could use your full data allowance however you want.
And I could not really ask the peeps at Point Cellular, as they are more interested in selling Telkomsel SIM cards than any other (which, to be fair, is the best option in almost all scenarios) and could not care less about my non-Telkomsel questions 🗿.
In other news, you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.