New Flight Routes Planned For Bali In Late 2024

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Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has confirmed that six major international airlines are bidding for increased flight routes starting in October 2024.

This is huge news for travelers who are planning their trips to the province at the end of the year and into early 2025. 

Updates shared by Angkasa Pura I, the state-owned company that manages I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, confirm that six foreign airlines have communicated they want to open direct flights to Bali.

Angkasa Pura I has also been very open with foreign airlines, calling for more direct international flights to help boost tourism in the region. 

Speaking to reporters, the General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I International Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Handy Heryudhitiawan, said, “We are open with any airline; anyone wants to fly here, please. The important thing is that the time slot is still available and our capacity is in accordance with the type of aircraft that will be used.”

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Heryudhitiawan said, “There are three airlines from South Korea, namely Air Busan, Jeju Air, and T’way Airlines, who have communicated with us.”

He added that there is Starlux Airlines from Taiwan that has previously flown to Jakarta, and it is planned to fly to Bali. They are calculating the right time to fly to Bali from Taipei, Taiwan.”

In addition to Air Busan, Jeju Air, T’way, and Stalux Airlines, Heryudhitiawan said that there are also airlines from Russia who have also communicated their interest in opening up a direct flight route and an airline from Uzbekistan.

Heryudhitiawan explained, “Everyone has communicated with us and may still be in preparation. Maybe the closest one from Starlux Airlines will enter the winter sessions starting in October.”

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Bali is currently on track to smash tourism targets for 2024 way before the end of the year. In 2024, the island was targeted to welcome 7 million international tourists.

Data shows that by the end of April, 4 million international arrivals had already set foot on the island.

With the peak season now underway and, on average, a million international visitors arriving on the island over the Christmas and New Year holidays alone, Bali is set to be busier than ever before in 2024. 

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With so much demand for travel to the island, leaders are keen to ensure that there is sufficient flight availability for all travel demographics.

At present, securing direct flight routes with South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, and China is noted to be a priority; securing direct flights for tourists from Austria and Europe and routes that better serve tourists from North America is also a focus point for tourism leaders. 

On the 26th June, Bali Airport celebrated the launch of a new direct flight service between Abu Dhabi and Denpasar with a water cannon salute.

The new service, operated by Etihad Airways will run four times a week, with the possibly of increasing the frequency of flights if demand continues to rise. 

Speaking to reporters just after the EY 476 flight touched down in Bali, Heryudhitiawan said that the addition of this route will further solidify Bali as a world-class destination.

He said, “We believe that the addition of routes by Etihad will further establish the island of Bali as a world-class destination and is a form of our commitment to continue to improve services for service users. We express our appreciation to all parties involved for the realization of Etihad Airways’ maiden flight.”

He added, “As one of the largest airlines in the world, we are confident that the operation of Etihad Airways will open up new market shares, which will have a positive impact in increasing the connectivity of the island of Bali with various foreign destinations.”

Heryudhitiawan concluded, “We congratulate Etihad Airways on its inaugural flight on the Abu Dhabi-Denpasar route at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.”

“Hopefully, this first flight will be the start of a good long-term collaboration between Etihad Airways and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. “We hope that Etihad airlines will open further routes on the island of Bali.”