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Scoot, the low-cost carrier of the Singapore Airlines Group, will launch daily flights between Singapore and Medan from February 1, 2026, a move expected to significantly boost travel and tourism flows between the city-state and Indonesia’s North Sumatra province.
Daily Link Between Singapore and North Sumatra
The new Singapore–Medan service is part of Scoot’s wider Southeast Asia expansion and will operate once a day using Airbus A320 family aircraft. The route is planned as a year-round service, reflecting the airline’s confidence in sustained demand from both leisure and business travelers. Medan, Indonesia’s fourth-largest city and the capital of North Sumatra, is a key commercial hub and an important gateway to some of the country’s most celebrated natural and cultural attractions.
The launch schedule aligns with the broader strategy of the Singapore Airlines Group to deepen connectivity across the region. Group statements indicate that between January and March 2026 Scoot will roll out a series of new and increased services, with Medan singled out for daily flights as part of this push. For travelers, the new link offers more consistent departure options and the ability to connect via Singapore Changi Airport to long-haul destinations in Asia, Europe and Australia on a single ticket.
Scoot’s decision to go straight to daily operations in Medan contrasts with the more cautious, phased ramp-ups it has taken on some other new routes in Vietnam and Malaysia. Industry observers read this as a signal of strong underlying demand on the Singapore–Medan corridor, supported by robust family, business and education ties between Indonesia and Singapore.
Gateway to Lake Toba and North Sumatra’s Natural Attractions
While Medan itself is a bustling metropolis, the new daily flights are also expected to make it significantly easier for international visitors to reach Lake Toba and other destinations in North Sumatra. Lake Toba, one of the world’s largest volcanic lakes, sits a few hours’ drive from Medan and has been earmarked by Indonesian authorities as a priority tourism development area. Easier access via Singapore is likely to appeal to travelers from key markets such as Australia, Japan and Europe who use Changi as a regional transit hub.
Travel and tourism analysts note that North Sumatra offers a mix of nature, culture and adventure that complements better-known Indonesian hotspots like Bali and Yogyakarta. From the traditional Batak villages around Lake Toba to rainforest trekking and wildlife experiences in nearby highlands, the region has long been seen as having strong growth potential but limited by air connectivity. Regular low-cost links from Singapore are seen as an important step in turning that potential into visitor numbers.
Tour operators in both Singapore and Indonesia are already positioning to package multi-day itineraries combining Medan city stays with side trips to Lake Toba, Berastagi and other highland retreats. Industry sources expect a push on short-break products targeting Singapore residents, as well as longer regional trips for international visitors who can now add North Sumatra to broader Southeast Asia circuits without complicated routing.
Boost for Indonesia’s Tourism and Regional Air Network
The Medan launch is part of a wider Indonesian push by Scoot, which has announced or commenced new routes to Labuan Bajo, Palembang and Semarang alongside increased frequencies to established destinations such as Bali, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Jakarta. Indonesian tourism authorities have welcomed the expansion, saying greater seat capacity and more city pairs are critical to spreading visitor arrivals beyond the country’s most crowded resorts.
By early 2026, Scoot’s network in Indonesia will reach more than a dozen cities, giving it one of the most extensive footprints among foreign low-cost carriers serving the archipelago. Aviation analysts point out that this density allows the airline to offer competitive through-fares via Singapore, connecting Indonesian secondary cities to a broad global network while also feeding traffic into Indonesia from international markets.
For North Sumatra, the new daily services add competition on a route historically dominated by a handful of regional carriers and limited frequencies. Increased capacity can help stabilize fares, especially during peak holiday periods such as Chinese New Year and school vacations when demand spikes sharply. Local business groups in Medan have also highlighted the potential for more corporate travel and trade links, particularly in sectors like palm oil, agribusiness and education services.
Changi’s Role as a Regional Hub
The Singapore–Medan service further entrenches Changi Airport’s role as a primary hub funnelling international visitors into secondary cities across Southeast Asia. With daily flights timed to connect to banked arrivals and departures on Singapore Airlines and partner carriers, passengers from Europe, North Asia and Oceania are expected to enjoy relatively seamless connections into Medan.
Changi has invested heavily in positioning itself as a preferred transfer point, with short minimum connection times, integrated ticketing and checked-through baggage across full-service and low-cost partners. Scoot’s growth into emerging Indonesian destinations fits this strategy, and airport stakeholders are keen to emphasize the benefits to travelers seeking convenient one-stop options to less-served parts of the region.
At the same time, the route is set to support outbound travel from Medan and the wider North Sumatra region. Residents will gain more predictable access to Singapore for medical treatment, education, business and leisure, and can use Changi as a springboard to destinations such as Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney or London. This two-way flow is important for sustaining year-round load factors on the new service.