Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has celebrated the launch of a new daily direct flight service between Denpasar and Incheon in South Korea this week.
The new service opens up a wealth of travel opportunities for Indonesian and South Korean tourists and international travelers wishing to explore the depths and breaths of Asia.
The new service, operated by Jeju Air, launched on Sunday, 27th October, and within just a few days of operation, the new flight route is proving to be a huge success.
As is customary at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Sunday’s Jeju Air flight was welcomed to the terminal bay with a water cannon salute.
The inaugural flight carried 178 eager passengers from Incheon, and they were met with a ceremonial welcome in the terminal building.
Speaking to reporters, the General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, shared his take that the launch of the Jeju Air service is a positive signal for the global aviation industry and helps to further establish Bali as a popular tourist destination for tourists from all over the world.
He said, “Bali is still an attraction for airlines that want to open their direct flight routes. Jeju Air has submitted a daily flight schedule, and we celebrate today as their first landing in Bali.”
Demand for travel between South Korea and Bali is seeing a rapid increase, both with Indonesian and South Korean tourists and international travelers.
@faizalmaulana_22 Salah satu tempat terindah saat landing 😍🛬 #Bali ♬ Landing di Bali – Faizal Maulana
Shahab noted, “The number of South Korean nationals recorded as arriving through I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali during 2024 did show positive growth. In the first quarter, it was recorded at 64,700 people, in the second quarter 66,000 people, and the highest in the third quarter was 89,000 people.”
Prior to the arrival of the Jeju Air service, flights between South Korea and Denpasar were operated by Garuda Indonesia, which flew daily, and with Korean Air twice daily.
With four daily flights between South Korea and Bali, travelers now have plenty of more travel itinerary options available to them.
Speaking separately, the Corporate Communications Strategic of Lion Group, which is the parent company of Jeju Air, Danang Mandala Prihantoro, said: “This step is proof of the commitment of both airlines to improve accessibility and connectivity for tourists, business people, and the Indonesian people to South Korea.”
Prihantoro added, “The flight network from major cities in Indonesia allows tourists, business people, and people from various regions to access the new Bali-Incheon route easily.”
He concluded, “Lion Group and Jeju Air hope that this service can support the growth of Indonesian tourism and strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Korea.”
The Bali – Incheon 7C-5304 service departs Denpasar at 11.05 pm local time and arrives in Incheon at 7.10 am the following morning.
The Incheon – Bali 7C-5303 service departs Incheon International Airport at 3.40 pm local time and lands in Bali at 9.50 pm.
In fact, Jeju Air is not the only South Korean airline to launch a new flight service this week. On Wednesday, 30th October, Air Busan launched a new four-times-weekly flight service between Busan and Bali.
The inaugural flight was too met with a water canon salute and a formal welcome for passengers into the terminal building.
Shahab told reporters, “We congratulate Air Busan on its inaugural flight to Bali. With the addition of direct routes to Busan, Bali is strengthening its appeal to tourists from South Korea and opening up opportunities for the development of the aviation and tourism sectors.”
The Busan-Bali service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
These flight services are expected to open up business opportunities between Bali and Indonesia more broadly, as well as the metropolitan cities of Incheon, Busan, and the capital, Seoul.
For international holidaymakers, digital nomads, and backpackers, the new daily flight service provides an exciting series of new itinerary options.
Many young backpackers are adding South Korea to their gap-year adventures. With classic destinations like Bali high on the bucket list, coupled with exciting emerging backpacker destinations like Incheon, tourists can experience a vast range of Asian cultures with more ease than ever before.
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