Founded just over two decades ago, Citilink is one of the major low-cost carriers in the bustling Indonesian market. The airline flies to 49 destinations with a focus on domestic cities and select international flights to countries such as Malaysia, Australia, China, and more. While created to serve smaller destinations, Citilink has grown to become a major player in the market.
Low-cost carrier Citilink was founded in 2001 by Garuda to diversify its operations. With a fleet of Fokker 28s, the carrier began serving smaller cities that the parent airline did not. Citilink quickly grew in popularity as the market shifted thanks to its business model. A decade later, the airline was reconstituted as a spin-off from the group and switched to the Airbus A320 as its main aircraft.
Moving early
Citilink took to the skies for the first time on July 16th, 2001, with a pair of Fokker 28s. The inaugural route flew between Jakarta and Surabaya (its bases today), with the airline looking to add new routes across the country. Initial destinations included Yogyakarta, Tarakan, Makassar, and Balikpapan.
The low-cost carrier’s fleet size continued to increase with transfers from Garuda, with five planes jet by the end of 2001 alone. By 2004, the airline was serving 10 cities and started making the switch to the larger Boeing 737-300 family.
In 2008, Citilink suspended all operations for one year due to undisclosed reasons. While the idea of a spin-off was broached, the carrier resumed flights in 2009 with a fleet of Boeing 737-300s exclusively. However, this was the start of a new phase for the airline.
Fresh start
As low-cost carriers began rapidly growing globally and at home, Garuda opted to restructure its business in 2011. A significant change was the…