GEORGE TOWN, Nov 1 – Penang’s healthcare travel sector is poised for significant growth with Indonesian carrier TransNusa set to launch its inaugural direct flight between Jakarta and Penang this month.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the new service, beginning Nov 24, was timely as Malaysia gears up for the Visit Malaysia 2026 and Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 campaigns.
He said the connection would mark TransNusa’s debut route to Penang, further strengthening air connectivity between Indonesia and Malaysia.
“The new direct flight will not only enhance people-to-people and cultural ties but also make it easier for Indonesian patients seeking medical treatment in Penang,” he said in a statement today.
TransNusa flight 8B633 will depart Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 5.30 am (Jakarta time) and arrive in Penang at 9 am (local time). In comparison, the return flight 8B632 will leave Penang at 9.30 am and land in Jakarta at 10.55 am (Jakarta time).
The flights will operate three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays before becoming a daily service starting in December.
Wong said Indonesia remained Malaysia’s largest source of healthcare travellers, contributing about 65.8 per cent of total national healthcare travel revenue, with Penang accounting for around 45 per cent of the nation’s healthcare travel earnings.
“In northern Malaysia alone, up to 90 per cent of healthcare travel receipts come from Indonesian visitors,” he added.
Citing data from the United Nations Population Fund, Wong noted that Indonesia’s population stands at 285.7 million, with more than 10 million residing in Jakarta, making the new connection especially beneficial for travellers from the capital.
Between January and September this year, Penang received 284,364 Indonesian visitors via international flights, a 2.5 per cent increase compared with 277,533 during the same period last year.
Wong said the new route would not only support healthcare travel but also stimulate broader two-way exchanges in leisure, business, education and culture, further strengthening regional cooperation and connectivity.
“With TransNusa joining Penang’s expanding air network, the state’s international links continue to grow. This reinforces Penang’s role as a regional hub for tourism and healthcare travel, while positioning us strategically ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026,” he said.
