Japan Airlines (JAL) and Garuda Indonesia have announced the signing of a joint business agreement. It will allow the two airlines to cooperate commercially on flights between Indonesia and Japan, as well as on connecting domestic flights in both countries. The announcement follows the deal’s approval being obtained from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for Anti-Trust Immunity (ATI).
Through the terms of this new commercial agreement between the carriers, JAL and Garuda plan to “deliver more benefits to customers by providing additional flight choices, a larger network, better connections, and an enhanced frequent flyer program,” according to a statement issued by JAL, with further details to be revealed shortly.
The airlines currently offer multiple flights between the two countries. JAL offers daily flights between Tokyo-Narita Airport (NRT) and Jakarta Airport (CGK), plus a further six weekly flights between the two airports. Garuda, meanwhile, operates twice-daily flights between Jakarta and Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND).
“We are excited about the opportunities the Joint Business Agreement provides for both airlines,” said Mitsuko Tottori, President and Group CEO of Japan Airlines. “We are confident that with this partnership, we will be able to deliver important benefits to our customers and grow the business between Japan and Indonesia.”
“We would like to thank the MLIT (Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) for approving our ATI application with Garuda Indonesia. We expect to launch this joint business relationship in the second quarter of 2025 to provide additional travel benefits for our mutual customers,” Tottori added.
“We are delighted to elevate the partnership between Garuda Indonesia and Japan Airlines to new heights,” said Irfan Setiaputra, President and CEO of Garuda Indonesia. “The longstanding commitment with Japan Airlines illustrates how far Garuda Indonesia has evolved to sustain value creation for consumers to enjoy air travel services between Indonesia and Japan. This partnership signifies a major step towards strengthening the aviation ties between the two countries and aims to expand our business presence and enhance connectivity between Indonesia and Japan.”
“Furthermore, we believe that a strong foundation of regulatory compliance aspects in this partnership will aid us in deepening our collaboration across a wider scope of commercial activities. Therefore, we will work closely with the government to ensure that regulatory compliance will be fulfilled,” Sepiaputra concluded.
Part of the SkyTeam Alliance, Garuda Indonesia has been the designated flag carrier of Indonesia for over seventy years. The carrier serves around 35 domestic destinations within Indonesia and 15 international destinations worldwide.
Established in 1951, JAL is a member of the Oneworld Alliance. The airline operates a fleet of 227 aircraft and began renewing its international long-haul aircraft with the Airbus A350-1000 in late 2023. For the winter of 2024/25, it is to offer an extensive domestic and international network serving 384 airports across 66 countries/regions.
