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Scoot has inaugurated a new nonstop daily service between Singapore and Medan, reinforcing Singapore Changi Airport’s role as a regional hub while intensifying competition on one of Southeast Asia’s busiest short-haul routes.
New Daily Link Between Two Regional Hubs
The low-cost carrier, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, began operating the Singapore to Medan route on 1 February 2026, using Airbus A320-family aircraft configured for short-haul regional services. The new flights connect Singapore Changi Airport with Kualanamu International Airport, the main gateway to Indonesia’s North Sumatra province.
Scoot operates the route once a day, providing a consistent schedule for both leisure and business travellers moving between the two fast-growing cities. Typical flight time is around 90 minutes, positioning the service as a convenient hop for passengers using Singapore as a transit point as well as for point-to-point traffic.
The launch forms part of a broader Indonesia growth strategy that Scoot outlined in late 2025, which includes additional capacity and new destinations across the archipelago. By adding Medan to its expanding network, the airline is tightening its grip on short-haul connectivity out of Changi and supporting the wider Singapore Airlines Group in Southeast Asia.
Medan, one of Indonesia’s largest cities, has long been a key commercial and cultural centre, but has recently emerged as a more prominent tourism and investment gateway. The new nonstop flights are expected to channel more visitors and business travellers through Singapore into North Sumatra and beyond.
Strategic Expansion of Scoot’s Indonesian Network
The Singapore–Medan launch follows a series of route announcements that underscore Scoot’s ambitions in the region, including recent or upcoming services from Changi to destinations such as Labuan Bajo, Palembang, Semarang and Cam Ranh, alongside new flights to Chiang Rai and Da Nang. Combined, these routes are designed to give the low-cost carrier a larger footprint in secondary and emerging markets.
For the Singapore Airlines Group, Medan is viewed as a strategic piece in a network intended to exceed 120 weekly flights to 15 Indonesian cities. Scoot’s role is to deliver cost-efficient capacity on shorter sectors, complementing the mainline carrier’s operations and enabling more feeder traffic into Changi’s long-haul network.
Industry analysts say the Medan route also allows Scoot to capitalise on capacity gaps left by rivals adjusting their Indonesian schedules. By moving early with a daily pattern, the airline positions itself as a reliable choice for travellers and corporate accounts that value frequency and schedule certainty on cross-border routes.
The decision to deploy Airbus A320-family aircraft reflects both operational efficiency and market expectations. The type’s range and capacity are well suited to dense, sub-two-hour routes, while allowing Scoot to maintain relatively low unit costs and competitive fares on a price-sensitive corridor.
Tourism and Trade Opportunities for North Sumatra
Local authorities and tourism bodies in North Sumatra have welcomed the new link as a catalyst for inbound tourism and trade. Medan acts as the primary urban gateway to attractions such as Lake Toba, Berastagi’s highland landscapes and a range of cultural heritage sites that draw both domestic and international visitors.
With daily Scoot flights feeding visitors through Singapore, tourism stakeholders expect higher arrivals from markets in Southeast Asia, North Asia, Australia and Europe that connect via Changi. Travel agents and tour operators are already promoting new itineraries that combine city stays in Medan with lake and highland excursions, positioning North Sumatra as a multi-day destination.
On the business side, improved air links are expected to support trade and investment flows between Singapore and North Sumatra, particularly in sectors such as agribusiness, manufacturing and services. Greater seat capacity and more competitive fares can lower barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises looking to build cross-border partnerships.
Airport operators at Kualanamu have previously highlighted the need for stronger international connectivity to unlock the region’s full economic potential. A daily nonstop service to Singapore, one of Asia’s leading financial and logistics hubs, is seen as a significant step toward that goal.
Intensified Competition with Batik Air Indonesia
Scoot enters a market that is already served by Batik Air Indonesia, which also operates daily nonstop flights between Singapore and Medan. Batik’s services, typically flown with Airbus A320 aircraft, have long catered to both business and leisure traffic on the route, supported by connections within Indonesia.
The arrival of Scoot introduces a second low-cost competitor on the corridor, likely putting downward pressure on fares and spurring promotional activity as both carriers vie for passengers. Travellers can expect sharper pricing, more bundled offers and a broader choice of departure times as the airlines adjust their schedules in response to demand.
For Singapore Changi, the added capacity underscores its strategy of maintaining a dense network of regional links that feed long-haul routes. For Medan, the presence of two competing carriers enhances reliability and provides travellers with alternative options in case of schedule disruptions or peak-season crowding.
Market watchers will be watching load factors and pricing closely in the coming months to gauge how quickly the additional capacity is absorbed. If demand continues to grow in line with tourism and business projections, the corridor could support further frequency adjustments or larger aircraft deployments in future.
Passengers Gain from Expanded Choice and Connectivity
For travellers, the most immediate impact of Scoot’s new service is expanded choice. A daily A320-family operation translates into hundreds of additional seats each week between Singapore and Medan, widening access for both spontaneous short breaks and longer itineraries that use Changi as a connecting hub.
The route is particularly attractive to price-conscious travellers, with Scoot’s low-fare model offering basic unbundled tickets alongside optional extras such as seat selection, baggage and meals. This flexibility allows passengers to tailor their trip according to budget and comfort preferences.
Smooth connectivity at Changi is another draw, especially for travellers from Medan who can now tap into a wider range of onward flights operated by the Singapore Airlines Group and partner carriers. With carefully timed schedules, passengers can connect to destinations across Asia, Europe and Oceania with relatively short layovers.
As airlines across the region continue to rebuild and recalibrate their networks, Scoot’s latest addition underscores how strategic short-haul routes can deliver outsized benefits for hubs, secondary cities and the passengers who move between them.