Cheap flights to Surabaya
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Quick summary
Country
Indonesia
Continent
Asia
Airport
SUB
Currency
Indonesian rupiah
Time zone
UTC+7
Deals already spotted to Surabaya
Real flight examples detected by SniperAir, with their reference price.
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The City of Heroes
Cheap flights to Surabaya, Indonesia's City of Heroes
Surabaya is the second-largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, with about 2.9 million people at the 2020 census (Wikipedia), and the capital of East Java. Its nickname, Kota Pahlawan or City of Heroes, comes from the Battle of Surabaya in late 1945, when the city stood against returning foreign forces during the independence war.
Every 10 November, Indonesians mark Hari Pahlawan, Heroes' Day, in memory of that battle. Far less touristy than Jakarta or Bali, Surabaya is a working Javanese metropolis with a busy port, markets and colonial-era buildings, and that is exactly its appeal.
A shark and a crocodile
A popular legend ties the name to a shark (sura) and a crocodile (baya) locked in battle, and both animals appear in the city's emblem and in the Sura and Baya statue by the zoo. Historians read the name differently, as the Javanese phrase sura ing baya, bravely facing danger, so treat the animals as folklore.
Tracing 1945
The Heroes Monument and the Hotel Majapahit
Tugu Pahlawan, the obelisk of memory
The Heroes Monument, Tugu Pahlawan, honours the people who died in the independence war of 1945 to 1949, and the Museum Sepuluh Nopember beside it tells the story of the fighting. It is the natural first stop on any visit to the city.
The battle in short
The fighting followed the killing of Brigadier Mallaby on 30 October 1945, and the major clash took place on 10 November. The Indonesian side was poorly armed yet held out far longer than expected, which made Surabaya a symbol of resistance.
The Hotel Majapahit and the torn flag
The former Hotel Oranje, opened in 1937 (Wikipedia), is famous for a gesture: Indonesian revolutionaries tore the blue stripe from the Dutch flag there, leaving only the red and white of the Indonesian flag.
More to see
A submarine, an old mosque and a city beach
| Place | What you will find |
|---|---|
| Monkasel (Monumen Kapal Selam) | A decommissioned Soviet-built submarine, KRI Pasopati, preserved as a monument that you can walk through, near Delta Plaza. |
| Ampel Mosque and Sunan Ampel tomb | A mosque dated to 1421, described as one of the oldest in East Java, in the Arab quarter of Ampel and a pilgrimage site. |
| Al Akbar Mosque | The city's largest mosque, with a tower with a lift and views over the city. |
| Suramadu Bridge | The long bridge that links Surabaya to the island of Madura. |
| Sura and Baya statue | The city's symbol, beside the Surabaya zoo. |
| Kenjeran | A coastal district on the city's edge, with a seafront promenade. |
Museums and architecture
Museums, the old town and colonial buildings
Museums
Surabaya is not a city of great museums. The main draws are the Museum Sepuluh Nopember at the foot of the Heroes Monument and the Monkasel submarine. The House of Sampoerna, an 1862 Dutch colonial compound tied to the tobacco industry, was reported closed at the time of the sources consulted, so check before you go. A small health museum, the Dr. Adhyatma, rounds out the list (Wikivoyage EN).
The colonial city
Buildings from the Dutch era include the Hotel Majapahit, the Grahadi official residence, the Church of the Birth of Our Lady (Kepanjen), built in 1815, and several old-town buildings such as Gedung Cerutu (Wikipedia). The Cheng Hoo Mosque, in a Sino-Javanese style, was inaugurated in 2007.
Street food
Rawon, rujak cingur and lontong balap
East Javanese food is rich, dark and cheap, and a big reason to come. The signature dish is rawon, a black beef soup whose colour and nutty flavour come from the keluak nut. Surabaya's version is the most popular of all, and a late-night variant called rawon setan is sold at stalls from midnight to dawn.
Local names to look for
Rujak cingur is a salad of vegetables and boiled cow nose with a shrimp-paste sauce called petis; lontong balap comes with clam skewers, and there is also sate klopo and the cake lapis legit Surabaya. Street stalls remain very inexpensive.
Markets
Pasar Ampel, in the Arab quarter, is known for dates, perfume and hats; Pasar Atom is a Chinese-Indonesian market with a food court. Bungkul Park is a busy park with street-food stalls (Wikivoyage EN and Wikipedia).
Evenings
Jalan Raya Darmo and the streets around it form the densest going-out district, with bars in former shophouses, pubs with live music and food trucks, popular with young professionals, students and some expats. As a precaution, choose well-cooked dishes and bottled water.
Gateway to East Java
A hub for Mount Bromo, Madura and Bali
Surabaya is the main transport hub of eastern Java, linked by air, rail, road and sea to the rest of the island, with a bridge across to Madura.
Mount Bromo
Surabaya is the classic starting point for Mount Bromo, a 2,329 m volcano in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, about 160 km to the south (Wikipedia DE). Most travellers go via Probolinggo, which has buses from Surabaya's Purabaya terminal. A typical visit begins in the village of Cemoro Lawang, from where the crater is a walk of around 45 minutes or an organised jeep tour; the Penanjakan viewpoint rises to 2,770 m.
Onward to Yogyakarta, Malang or Banyuwangi
Buses and trains run from Surabaya to Malang, Yogyakarta and Banyuwangi, which is the ferry gateway to Bali and makes the city a practical stop for travellers linking several stages across Java.
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When to go
When to visit Surabaya?
May to October
The drier months; September is the driest, though September to November are also the hottest.
November to April
The rainy season, with occasional flash floods and traffic jams; December to February are the wettest months.
All year
A tropical wet and dry climate with highs of roughly 31 to 34 C and lows of roughly 22 to 26 C.
Annual rainfall is more than 1,700 mm and reaches about 2,100 mm in the 1991-2020 normals for the airport (Wikipedia). There is no bad season to visit: the dry season is more comfortable for Bromo and for getting around, while the rainy season calls for shorter days.
Getting around
Taxis, ride-hailing and city buses
Ride-hailing apps (Gojek, Grab, Maxim) show the fare up front. Bluebird taxis run on the meter, so insist on it. The Suroboyo Bus and the Trans Semanggi Suroboyo line are paid by QRIS or e-money card, and waits can be 15 to 30 minutes (Wikivoyage EN). Becaks, cycle rickshaws, are used for short hops.
Precautions
The colour-coded minibuses called bemo and the Bungurasih terminal are known for pickpockets, so keep your belongings in front of you (Wikivoyage EN). Distances and traffic mean you should leave margin between visits.
Getting there
Juanda International Airport
Juanda International Airport
About 12 km south-east of the city centre, in Sedati, Sidoarjo Regency (Wikipedia), it handled about 14 million passengers in 2024. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights and Terminal 2 international ones, with a free shuttle between them. International flights serve Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Johor Bahru, Taipei and Jeddah, among others; from Europe you generally need to connect.
A 15 km toll road links the airport to the city. DAMRI buses run to the Purabaya terminal, and taxis and ride-hailing serve the centre; there is no rail link for now (Wikipedia). Trains arrive at Gubeng, Pasar Turi, Surabaya Kota and Wonokromo stations. The Surabaya-Jakarta air route is among the busiest in the world.
| Journey | Approximate distance or time |
|---|---|
| Airport to the centre | about 12 km |
| Surabaya to Bromo | about 160 km, via Probolinggo |
| Surabaya to Malang | under 1.5 hours by car, according to Wikivoyage EN |
| Surabaya to Yogyakarta | about 5 hours by minibus, according to Wikivoyage EN |
| Surabaya to Jakarta | about 9 hours by car, or a domestic flight |
SniperAir monitors prices and alerts you; it does not sell or book tickets.
Budget
A low-to-mid budget
Surabaya is a low-to-mid budget destination: street food stays very cheap, mid-range warungs are affordable and city transport costs little. Upper-range hotels and taxis from the airport weigh more. Prices are in Indonesian rupiah, and we do not publish figures that have not been cross-checked.
Saving money
Take the DAMRI bus into town rather than a taxi, eat at warungs and markets, use apps that show the fare up front and visit the city's monuments, which are usually modestly priced.
How long to stay
How many days in Surabaya?
The essentials
The Heroes Monument and its museum, the Monkasel submarine, the Sunan Ampel mosque and a bowl of rawon.
Go deeper
Add the colonial old town, the markets and an evening on Jalan Raya Darmo.
East Java
A trip to Mount Bromo or Malang, then Banyuwangi and Bali by road.
In pictures
Surabaya in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Surabaya
Which airport serves Surabaya?
Juanda International Airport (SUB), about 12 km south-east of the centre, in Sedati. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights and Terminal 2 international ones.
How do I get from Juanda Airport to central Surabaya?
By taxi or ride-hailing along the 15 km toll road, or by DAMRI bus to the Purabaya terminal. There is no rail link for now.
When is the best time to visit Surabaya?
May to October is drier, with marked heat from September to November. The rainy season runs from November to April.
What should I see first in Surabaya?
The Heroes Monument and its museum, the Monkasel submarine, the Sunan Ampel mosque, the colonial old town and a bowl of rawon.
Is Surabaya expensive?
No: it is a low-to-mid budget destination with very cheap street food. Upper-range hotels and airport taxis weigh more.
How many days do I need in Surabaya?
One to two days for the essentials, three to go deeper, four or more with a trip to Bromo or Malang.
Which museums should I visit in Surabaya?
The Museum Sepuluh Nopember at the foot of the Heroes Monument, the Monkasel submarine and the Dr. Adhyatma health museum; check the House of Sampoerna before going.
What should I eat in Surabaya?
Rawon, rujak cingur, lontong balap, sate klopo and lapis legit Surabaya, at warungs and markets.
How do I get around Surabaya?
By ride-hailing (Gojek, Grab, Maxim), Bluebird taxi on the meter, Suroboyo Bus or becak for short hops. Watch for pickpockets on bemos.
How do I get from Surabaya to Mount Bromo?
Via Probolinggo: buses link Surabaya's Purabaya terminal to Probolinggo, and a road continues to the village of Cemoro Lawang. Bromo is about 160 km away.
How much does a flight to Surabaya usually cost?
The price depends mainly on your departure city, the period and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real examples of prices SniperAir has already detected to this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Surabaya drops below my budget?
Create an alert profile with your departure airport, Surabaya as the destination and your maximum budget. You are notified automatically as soon as a matching price is detected; SniperAir does not sell or book tickets.
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