Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport

 
In at least some respects, Jakarta's main international airport is one of the more pleasant and beautiful airports I've ever experienced. The sweeping curves of the main terminal buildings isn't that unusual, but the details are. Few visitors stop to look at them closely, but the columns supporting the roof feature colorfully detailed bases adapted from traditional Javanese designs. The really special feature of the airport is the departure lounges. The lounges are set in large gardens, and reached through glass-walled concourses and corridors. The departure lounges themselves are designed to look like a traditional Javanese pendopo in steel and concrete.

If connecting to or from domestic flights and international routes, be advised that almost all of Indonesia's domestic carriers are notoriously late. Allow yourself a long layover where necessary.

There are three terminals at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Terminal 1 is only in limited use for selected domestic flights. All international flights and most domestic flights use Terminal 2. A new Terminal 3 was opened in 2009, and is used mainly by low-cost carriers Air Asia and Merpati Airline. Terminal 3 seems to be used for domestic flights only. International flights on these airlines still use Terminal 2.