Lion Air

ICAO: LNI Active as of Dec 11, 2025

162

Active Routes

5220

Flight Observations

42

Unique Destinations

31

Origin Airports

937

Avg Route Distance (mi)

5741

Longest Route (mi)

0

Domestic Routes

100

International Routes
About Lion Air

Lion Air (Indonesia) (ICAO: LNI) is a prominent low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia, known for its extensive network primarily within Indonesia.

Lion Air, legally established on November 15, 1999, was founded by brothers Rusdi and Kusnan Kirana, commencing its operations on June 30, 2000, with its inaugural flight from Jakarta to Pontianak. It rapidly grew to become Indonesia's largest privately run airline and the country's first low-cost airline, with the motto "We Make People Fly" aiming to make air travel accessible.

The airline's main operational base and primary hub is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) in Jakarta. It also utilizes secondary hubs such as Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (UPG) in Makassar and Juanda International Airport (SUB) in Surabaya to support regional connectivity. Lion Air's fleet primarily consists of Boeing 737 aircraft, including Next Generation, 900ER, and MAX series variants, supplemented by Airbus A330s for longer routes. The broader Lion Air Group operates a fleet of over 300 aircraft.

Lion Air boasts an extensive route network, comprising over 183 domestic routes connecting various destinations across Indonesia. Its international reach extends to countries like Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, India, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, alongside charter services to mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Macau. Lion Air is not a member of any of the major global airline alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or Oneworld). It is, however, the flagship carrier of the Lion Air Group, which includes subsidiary airlines such as Wings Air, Batik Air (Indonesia), Batik Air (Malaysia), and Thai Lion Air. As a low-cost carrier, Lion Air focuses on providing affordable fares, meaning in-flight amenities and services are generally basic, typically without complimentary meals, drinks, or entertainment.

What Travelers Say

What Travelers Love:

  • Affordable Fares: Lion Air is frequently recognized for offering competitive and budget-friendly air travel options.
  • Extensive Domestic Network: The airline provides a vast array of destinations, particularly within Indonesia, making it a common choice for internal travel.
  • Occasional Punctuality: Some travelers have reported positive experiences with flights being on time and smooth.

Common Complaints:

  • Frequent Delays and Cancellations: A persistent criticism involves widespread flight delays and last-minute cancellations, often leading to disrupted travel plans and inconvenience for passengers.
  • Poor Customer Service: Passengers frequently highlight inefficient, unhelpful, and unresponsive customer service, especially when dealing with cancellations, rebookings, or refund requests.
  • Basic In-flight Experience and Comfort: Travelers often complain about uncomfortable seating, limited legroom, and a lack of complimentary amenities such as food, water, or in-flight entertainment.

Overall, the general sentiment among travelers regarding Lion Air is largely negative, often reflected in "poor" ratings on review platforms. While its affordability and extensive domestic network are acknowledged, issues concerning punctuality, customer service, and basic comfort significantly detract from the overall passenger experience.

Safety Information

Lion Air has a mixed safety record throughout its history. A significant incident was the fatal crash of Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, in October 2018, which resulted in the loss of all 189 passengers and crew shortly after takeoff from Jakarta. Prior to this, a 2004 crash killed 25 people, and other incidents between 2002 and 2013 resulted in aircraft damage and injuries.

In terms of regulatory certifications, Lion Air achieved IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification in 2016 and successfully underwent recertification in 2018 and 2019. IOSA certification is an internationally recognized audit system for assessing airline operational management and control systems. Furthermore, Indonesia's aviation safety, including that of Lion Air, saw an upgrade to a US FAA Category 1 rating in 2016, which permits Indonesian carriers to operate direct flights to the United States. The European Union (EU) also lifted its ban on Lion Air in 2016, with a broader blanket ban on Indonesian carriers being removed in mid-2018, indicating improvements in safety oversight and compliance.

The Lion Air Group states it has rigorous aircraft fleet maintenance procedures, conducted at its own maintenance and repair facilities, and maintains a strict Safety Management System. While past public reviews have sometimes mentioned concerns about maintenance or fleet age, the airline's regulatory certifications reflect ongoing efforts to meet international safety standards.

Based on available data, Lion Air has made strides in aligning with international safety practices, as evidenced by its IOSA certification and the lifting of prior bans by major regulatory bodies. However, its safety record includes notable past incidents, most significantly the 2018 crash. Indonesia, as a member of ICAO, holds an aviation safety rating of 80.8%. No specific safety awards or recognitions beyond regulatory compliance and certifications were found in the research.

Content generated by AI based on web research • Updated 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Route Network Map
Most Popular Routes
CGK → UPG
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport → Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
891 miles
322 flights
B739
SUB → UPG
Juanda International Airport → Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
492 miles
275 flights
B739
KNO → CGK
Kualanamu International Airport → Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
863 miles
251 flights
B739
PLW → UPG
Mutiara - SIS Al-Jufrie Airport → Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
288 miles
169 flights
B738
UPG → CGK
Hasanuddin International Airport → Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
891 miles
155 flights
B739
MDC → UPG
Sam Ratulangi Airport → Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
589 miles
144 flights
B738
TTE → UPG
Sultan Babullah Airport → Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
677 miles
133 flights
B738
TKG → CGK
Radin Inten II International Airport → Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
119 miles
123 flights
B739
109 flights
B739
Top Destinations
UPG (WAAA)
Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
1464 flights
18 routes
CGK (WIII)
Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
Tangerang
865 flights
16 routes
SUB (WARR)
Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
699 flights
17 routes
BTH (WIDD)
Hang Nadim
Batam
251 flights
7 routes
DPS (WADD)
Ngurah Rai/Bali Intl
Bali/Denpasar
230 flights
9 routes
KNO (WIMM)
Kuala Namu International
Deli Serdang
226 flights
6 routes
YIA (WAHI)
Yogyakarta International Airport
152 flights
7 routes
BPN (WALL)
Sepinggan Int'l
Balikpapan
127 flights
7 routes
DJJ (WAJJ)
Sentani
Jayapura
111 flights
4 routes
MKQ (WAKK)
Mopah
Merauke
87 flights
2 routes
Top Origin Airports
UPG (WAAA)
Hasanuddin International Airport
Ujung Pandang
676 flights
19 routes
CGK (WIII)
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Jakarta
658 flights
18 routes
SUB (WARR)
Juanda International Airport
Surabaya
657 flights
18 routes
KNO (WIMM)
Kualanamu International Airport
Beringin
404 flights
6 routes
BPN (WALL)
Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport
Balikpapan
260 flights
8 routes
BTH (WIDD)
Hang Nadim International Airport
Batam
254 flights
8 routes
YIA (WAHI)
Yogyakarta International Airport
Yogyakarta
230 flights
7 routes
MDC (WAMM)
Sam Ratulangi Airport
Manado
194 flights
5 routes
PLW (WAFF)
Mutiara - SIS Al-Jufrie Airport
Palu
169 flights
1 route
BDJ (WAOO)
Syamsudin Noor International Airport
Landasan Ulin
161 flights
6 routes
Top Border Crossing Flights
UPG (WAAA)
Hasanuddin International Airport
Makassar / Ujung Pandang, ID
1464 flights
18 routes
CGK (WIII)
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Tangerang, ID
865 flights
16 routes
SUB (WARR)
Juanda International Airport
Surabaya, ID
699 flights
17 routes
KNO (WIMM)
Kualanamu International Airport
Deli Serdang, ID
226 flights
6 routes
Longest Routes
JED → UPG
King Abdulaziz International Airport → Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
5741 mi
SUB → JED
Juanda International Airport → King Abdulaziz Int'l
5377 mi
JED → SUB
King Abdulaziz International Airport → Juanda Int'l
5377 mi
JED → CGK
King Abdulaziz International Airport → Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
4959 mi
CGK → JED
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport → King Abdulaziz Int'l
4959 mi
Shortest Routes
PLM → PGK
Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport → Depati Amir/Pangkal Pinang
111 mi
TKG → CGK
Radin Inten II International Airport → Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
119 mi
CGK → TKG
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport → Radin Inten II (Branti)
119 mi
KNO → PEN
Kualanamu International Airport → Penang Int'l
149 mi
PEN → KNO
Penang International Airport → Kuala Namu International
149 mi
All Routes
162 Total Routes
Showing 25 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
CGK → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
322 891 mi B739 Dec 11, 2025
SUB → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
275 492 mi B739 Dec 10, 2025
KNO → CGK Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
Tangerang
251 863 mi B739 Dec 9, 2025
PLW → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
169 288 mi B738 Dec 10, 2025
UPG → CGK Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
Tangerang
155 891 mi B739 Dec 9, 2025
MDC → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
144 589 mi B738 Dec 9, 2025
TTE → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
133 677 mi B738 Dec 10, 2025
TKG → CGK Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
Tangerang
123 119 mi B739 Dec 10, 2025
BPN → SUB Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
111 509 mi B738 Dec 11, 2025
KNO → BTH Hang Nadim
Batam
109 401 mi B739 Dec 10, 2025
CGK → KNO Kuala Namu International
Deli Serdang
106 863 mi B39M Dec 9, 2025
UPG → SUB Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
101 492 mi B739 Dec 9, 2025
KDI → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
91 209 mi B739 Dec 7, 2025
LOP → SUB Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
84 257 mi B738 Dec 9, 2025
AMQ → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
82 596 mi B738 Dec 9, 2025
BDJ → SUB Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
75 304 mi B738 Dec 9, 2025
PKY → SUB Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
74 365 mi B738 Dec 10, 2025
SOQ → UPG Sultan Hasanuddin Int'l
Makassar / Ujung Pandang
72 860 mi B739 Dec 9, 2025
BTH → KNO Kuala Namu International
Deli Serdang
69 401 mi B738 Dec 10, 2025
SUB → CGK Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
Tangerang
66 430 mi B739 Dec 10, 2025
PNK → SUB Juanda Int'l
Surabaya
61 552 mi B738 Dec 7, 2025
CGK → DPS Ngurah Rai/Bali Intl
Bali/Denpasar
59 611 mi B739 Dec 9, 2025
PNK → CGK Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l
Tangerang
58 455 mi B738 Dec 7, 2025
BPN → YIA Yogyakarta International Airport 57 657 mi B739 Dec 11, 2025
DJJ → MKQ Mopah
Merauke
55 411 mi B739 Dec 8, 2025
Data Information:

Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.

Data Freshness: Real-time
Last Update: Dec 11, 2025 03:06
Coverage: Observed routes only