Which airports do international flights use for Indonesia?

The two main international entry points are Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) in Jakarta and Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Bali. Most long-haul flights from Europe, the US, and Australia arrive at one of these two. Juanda Airport in Surabaya (SUB) and Kualanamu in Medan (KNO) handle a smaller number of international services, mainly regional.

Is it better to fly into Jakarta or Bali?

It depends on your itinerary. Bali (DPS) is the obvious choice if Bali, Lombok, Flores, or East Java is your main destination. Jakarta (CGK) is the gateway for Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Borneo, and has more frequent long-haul connections including some non-stop routes from Europe. Many travellers fly into one and out of the other on an open-jaw ticket.

How long is the flight to Indonesia from Europe?

Direct flights from London or Amsterdam to Bali or Jakarta take around 13–16 hours depending on routing. Most European services connect via the Gulf (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha), Singapore, or Kuala Lumpur. A Singapore connection is popular - Singapore Airlines offers competitive fares and the Changi stop adds minimal time. From Australia, direct flights to Bali from Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth take 3–6 hours depending on departure city.

Are there budget airlines for domestic flights within Indonesia?

Yes. Indonesia has one of the world's most extensive low-cost domestic networks. Lion Air, Citilink (budget arm of Garuda Indonesia), and Batik Air operate thousands of weekly flights connecting over 100 airports across the archipelago. Garuda Indonesia is the full-service option. Fares on domestic routes can be very low with advance booking, but budget airlines in Indonesia have variable punctuality records - build schedule buffer.

When is the cheapest time to fly to Bali?

Fares are generally lowest from November to March outside of Christmas/New Year (which peaks sharply). The highest prices coincide with July–August (European and Australian summer holidays) and the Christmas–New Year period. Book 2–3 months ahead for peak season, or 4–6 weeks ahead for shoulder periods.

Flights to Indonesia | The Indonesia Guide

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago - 17,000 islands stretching across a distance equivalent to the width of the United States. Getting here requires international air travel; getting around once you arrive is an exercise in domestic aviation logistics. Here’s what to know about both.

International Airports

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) in Tangerang, 25km west of central Jakarta, is Indonesia’s busiest airport and main international hub. It handles the majority of long-haul services from Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Garuda Indonesia and all major international carriers use this airport. Three terminals handle different carriers and alliances - check your terminal before arrival.

Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar, Bali, is the second-busiest entry point and the gateway for Bali, Lombok, Nusa Penida, and Flores. Major international carriers from Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and several European countries fly direct to DPS. The airport is 13km from Seminyak and Kuta, around 30–45 minutes by taxi.

Juanda Airport (SUB) in Surabaya handles some regional international flights (Singapore, Kuala Lumpur) and is a gateway for East Java - including Bromo and Ijen. Kualanamu Airport (KNO) in Medan handles connections to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur for arrivals into northern Sumatra and Orangutan country (Bukit Lawang).

Flight Routes

From Europe:

London Heathrow - Bali (DPS): No non-stop service from London. Common connections via Singapore (Singapore Airlines, Scoot), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia), Dubai (Emirates), or Doha (Qatar Airways). Total journey time typically 17–20 hours.
London Heathrow - Jakarta (CGK): Garuda Indonesia has historically operated this route. Most London–Jakarta routing goes via Doha, Dubai, or Singapore.
Amsterdam - Jakarta: KLM operates a direct service. Around 14–15 hours. One of the few true long-haul non-stop options from Europe.
Amsterdam - Bali: No non-stop. Connect in Singapore or Dubai.
Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich: Connect via Singapore, Dubai, Doha, or Kuala Lumpur.

From Australia:

Perth - Bali (DPS): The shortest international flight in this network, approximately 3.5 hours. Multiple airlines including Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Scoot.
Melbourne and Sydney - Bali: 6 hours. High frequency, year-round services from all major Australian carriers.
Sydney - Jakarta: Garuda, Qantas, and others. Around 7.5–8 hours.

From Asia:

Singapore (SIN) and Kuala Lumpur (KUL) are the main connection hubs. Numerous daily flights to both Jakarta and Bali. Flight time from Singapore to Bali is under 2.5 hours.
Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong: Direct services to Bali operated by Garuda, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, and Cathay Pacific.
Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing: Numerous direct services to Bali operated by Chinese carriers.

From North America:

No direct non-stop services from the US mainland. Connections go via Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, or the Gulf. Total journey time from Los Angeles is typically 20–24 hours.

Finding the Best Fares

For flights to Indonesia, price comparison tools are essential given the large number of routing options. We recommend using Aviasales for Indonesia flight searches, which aggregates fares across airlines and booking platforms to show the best available prices.

Open-jaw tickets: Consider flying into Jakarta and out of Bali (or vice versa) on an open-jaw itinerary. This eliminates the need to backtrack and often costs the same as a return to a single city. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur work well as connection points for open-jaw Indonesia trips.

Booking window: Peak season (July–August, Christmas–New Year) books up 3–4 months ahead for popular routes. Shoulder season (April–May, September–November) is more flexible - 4–6 weeks is typically sufficient.

Connection city choice: Singapore Airlines via Singapore (SIN) is consistently rated the best transit experience and often competitive on price. AirAsia via Kuala Lumpur is frequently the cheapest routing from Europe and Australia, though connection times at KLIA2 require some care.

Domestic Connections: Navigating the Archipelago

Indonesia’s domestic aviation network is extraordinary in scale - and essential for any trip covering more than one island.

Jakarta (CGK) - Bali (DPS): The busiest domestic route in Southeast Asia. Lion Air, Garuda, Citilink, and Batik Air all operate multiple daily flights. Flight time is approximately 1.5–2 hours. Fares start from around USD 20–40 one way with budget carriers, higher with Garuda.

Bali (DPS) - Lombok (LOP): Around 30 minutes. Lion Air and Wings Air (subsidiary of Lion Group) operate this route. Alternatively, a fast boat from Padangbai to Lembar takes about 4 hours.

Bali or Jakarta - Labuan Bajo (LBJ): Gateway for Komodo National Park and the Flores islands. Garuda and Citilink operate this route. Around 1.5–2 hours from Bali.

Jakarta (CGK) - Yogyakarta (JOG or YIA): 1 hour. Yogyakarta is the cultural hub of Java and gateway to Borobudur. Extremely frequent flights from all Indonesian carriers.

Jakarta (CGK) - Makassar (UPG): Around 2 hours. Gateway for Sulawesi - Toraja, Tana Toraja, and the Togean Islands.

Jakarta or Bali - Manado (MDC): Around 3 hours. Gateway for diving in the Bunaken Marine Park and Wakatobi.

Booking domestic flights: Book Indonesian domestic flights through airline websites or Traveloka (the dominant Indonesian OTA). International booking sites sometimes price domestic Indonesia routes higher than local platforms. Lion Air, Citilink, and Batik Air have their own booking systems - Traveloka aggregates them conveniently.

Punctuality note: Budget carriers in Indonesia - particularly Lion Air - have a documented record of delays and cancellations. Build buffer time into connections, especially for early morning departures and remote airports. Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air have better punctuality records among the larger operators.

Airport Transfers

From Soekarno-Hatta (Jakarta):

Kereta Bandara (Airport Rail Link): The fastest and most reliable option into central Jakarta. Runs to Sudirman, Manggarai, and other city stations. Journey to Sudirman is approximately 45 minutes. Fare as of 2026 is around IDR 70,000 (approximately USD 4).
Blue Bird taxi: Metered, reliable. Fares to central Jakarta are approximately IDR 150,000–250,000 depending on destination and traffic. Jakarta traffic is severe - the train is almost always faster.
Grab/Gojek: App-based rides are widely used; must be picked up at designated zones.

From Ngurah Rai (Bali):

Pre-paid taxi: Fixed-rate taxis are available at the airport. Fares to Kuta and Seminyak run around IDR 80,000–130,000 (USD 5–8); Ubud is approximately IDR 250,000–350,000 (USD 15–22). Always use the pre-paid counter, not touts at arrivals.
Grab/Gojek: Available from the designated pick-up area outside the terminal.

Best Time to Book

Dry season (May–September): Bali’s peak tourist season - book well ahead, especially July–August
Wet season (November–March): Lower crowds and cheaper fares, with afternoon rain showers in Bali; Lombok and Komodo are actually drier and more accessible in this period
Christmas–New Year: Prices spike sharply for all routes into Bali - book 3–4 months ahead
Prices listed are approximate as of 2026 - verify current fares at time of booking

Plan Your Trip

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See our itineraries for inspiration:

One Week in Indonesia - Bali, Nusa Penida, Gili Islands and Lombok
2 Weeks in Indonesia - the island-hopping route from Bali east
3 Weeks in Indonesia - Java, Bali and the eastern islands

Flights to Indonesia: How to Get Here