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One compact terminal, one main waiting room with runway views

Gate areas, security, and check-in for Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Pranoto Airport all sit inside a single Terminal 1 building, so you move from the entrance doors to the gate in just a few minutes on most days. Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, and Batik Air all operate out of this same space, so you never have to guess which side of the airport to use. Arrivals and departures share the same compact footprint, which keeps walking distances short, even if your gate changes close to boarding time.

Check-in, security, and the small extras

Check-in counters for Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, and Batik Air line the landside hall, with self check-in kiosks marked as Self Check-In for passengers who prefer printing boarding passes themselves. Security sits just a short walk past the counters, usually less than 100 meters from the main entrance doors. Because the building is small, queues can feel full even with only two or three departures close together, so plan on arriving at least 90 minutes before domestic flights.

Runway-facing waiting room that plane spotters target

Past security, the main airside waiting room stretches along the glass wall that looks directly onto the runway and apron, with those windows running the length of several gates. Plane spotters rate this space as the best place in Samarinda for photos of A320s and 737s, thanks to the clear sightlines from the seats behind security. Regulars often clear security 20–30 minutes earlier than they need to, just to lock down a window seat in this waiting room before boarding starts.

Food options: simple canteens and coffee

Kantin Bandara and Kantin UMKM handle most of the actual meals inside Terminal 1, with basic Indonesian staples like nasi goreng and mie goreng usually priced well under IDR 50,000. Both spots sit on the public side of the building, so you can eat with family who are not flying before you go through security. On the airside, the Caffeine Café Retail Corner focuses more on drinks and light snacks than full plates, so plan your main meal landside and treat airside options as backup.

Shops and local souvenirs

The retail mix ranges from a small Duty Free Shop and generic Travel Essentials stand to several local-focused stores such as Cenderamata Khas Kaltim and Toko Oleh-Oleh Khas Samarinda. Prices for keychains and small souvenirs at these local shops often start around IDR 20,000, while bigger food gifts run higher. For last-minute basics, Minimarket Bandara covers snacks and drinks, and Toko Aksesori Gadget sells cables and chargers if you forgot a USB-C or lightning cable at home.

Lounges, prayer space, and quiet rooms

Terminal 1 does not have a traditional airline-branded premium lounge, but it does group several facilities near the gate area: a Nursery Room, a separate Ruang Laktasi for breastfeeding, a small Working Space, a Game Box area, and a Smoking Room. For religious needs, the on-site Musholla gives a dedicated prayer space, usually close enough to the gates that you can hear boarding calls. These rooms are free to access, so you do not need status or lounge membership to use them between flights.

One practical tip

Plan to clear security at least 30 minutes earlier than you normally would, grab a drink from Minimarket Bandara or Caffeine Café Retail Corner, and claim a seat by the large airside windows; in this small Terminal 1 building, that runway-facing row is the best place to wait and keeps you within a one-minute walk of most gates.