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Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport
Balikpapan, Indonesia
Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport
Gateway to East Kalimantan and Indonesia's energy heartland.
- ›The airport is named after Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman, a historical ruler of the Kutai Kartanegara Sultanate.
- ›A major terminal expansion completed in 2014 increased annual capacity to over 10 million passengers.
- ›The airport serves as a key logistics hub for Indonesia's oil and gas sector in East Kalimantan.
- ›Balikpapan's proximity to the planned new Indonesian capital, Nusantara, has boosted airport traffic and development plans.
- ›The airport is operated by Angkasa Pura I, which manages major airports across eastern Indonesia.
Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport serves Balikpapan, the oil and gas capital of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. Originally built during the Dutch colonial era and significantly modernized, the airport underwent a major terminal expansion completed in 2014, elevating it to one of the busiest and most modern airports in Kalimantan. It plays a critical role connecting Indonesia's resource-rich eastern provinces to domestic and international destinations.
- Main Terminal (Domestic & International) — A single integrated modern terminal handling both domestic and international flights across separate wings, featuring contemporary Borneo-inspired architecture.
- Taxi (metered Blue Bird taxis and ride-hailing apps Grab and Gojek available at the forecourt)
- Airport shuttle buses connecting to Balikpapan city center
- Car rental services available at the arrivals hall (Avis, local providers)
- Hotel shuttle services operated by major hotels upon request
- Private transfer services bookable through local travel agents
- Gran Senyiur Hotel Balikpapan
- Novotel Balikpapan
- Ibis Balikpapan
- Swiss-Belhotel Balikpapan
- Platinum Hotel Balikpapan
The terminal offers a range of Indonesian fast food chains, coffee shops, and local eateries serving Banjar and Javanese cuisine alongside international options. Landside areas near the airport feature warungs and small restaurants offering affordable local dishes such as nasi kuning and ikan bakar. For a wider dining experience, the city center's Balikpapan Permai area is about 15 minutes away by taxi.
- Book taxis or ride-hailing apps in advance during peak oil industry travel periods, as demand can outstrip supply quickly.
- The international terminal handles limited regional routes; verify your departure wing carefully upon check-in.
- Humidity in Balikpapan is high year-round — dress light and carry water, especially when waiting curbside.
- Currency exchange counters are available inside the terminal but rates may be better in the city center.
AI-assisted overview, verified against public sources.
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Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport, formerly named and still commonly known as Sepinggan Airport, is an international airport serving the city of Balikpapan and adjacent areas of East Kalimantan, located in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The airport is named after Aji Muhammad Sulaiman (1838–1899), a former ruler of the Kutai Kertanegara Sultanate. Covering an area of 300 hectares, it serves as the primary gateway to Balikpapan and East Kalimantan, and is the largest airport in the region. In the future, the airport will serve as one of the main gateways to Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara, and will be connected to it via a toll road. The airport functions as a key regional hub, offering regular domestic flights to major Indonesian cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, and Denpasar, along with international routes to Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 2018, Airports Council International named it the second-best airport in the world for service quality among those handling 5 to 15 million passengers annually. Due to its single runway extending into a densely built-up area, landings at the airport are often described as both visually dramatic and technically challenging for pilots.
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