Southeast AsiaUpdated July 1, 20262–3 weeksTransport: $150–280
How to Find Cheap Flights to Bali (and the Jakarta–Yogyakarta–Lombok–Komodo Island Route)
Everyone flies straight into Bali and pays the 'island tax' on the fare. On my second Indonesia trip I flew into Jakarta for $190 less, spent two days eating my way through Yogyakarta, and island-hopped east at my own pace — arriving in Bali mid-trip instead of at the start, tan already established. The dragons at the end were the bonus. Here's the whole route with real prices.
Route Overview
Jakarta → Yogyakarta → Bali → Lombok → Komodo
1.Jakarta → Yogyakarta
$10–$206–8h train
The eksekutif train from Gambir station is air-conditioned, scenic (rice terraces for hours), and $10–20 — book a week ahead on the KAI Access app or tiket.com. Flights ($30–60 on Citilink/Lion) make sense only if your long-haul lands late and you want to connect same-day.
Search Jakarta → Yogyakarta flights2.Yogyakarta → Bali (Denpasar)
$35–$701h 10m flight
Lion Air and Citilink fly direct daily; book 2–4 weeks out. The overnight bus + ferry ($20–30, 12–15h) exists and backpackers do it — but the ferry crossing at 3am after a mountain switchback road is a test of character, not a bargain.
Search Yogyakarta → Bali (Denpasar) flights3.Bali → Lombok
$15–$251.5–2h fast boat
Fast boats leave Padang Bai (east Bali) for Senggigi and the Gilis all day — book a day ahead at any street agent for $15–25 including hotel pickup. Wings Air flies DPS→LOP for $25–50 if the sea is rough; April–October it usually isn't.
Search Bali → Lombok flights4.Lombok → Komodo (Labuan Bajo)
$50–$1001h 15m flight
Wings Air and Lion fly direct or via Denpasar — book 3–5 weeks out; this leg sells out in July–August. The legendary alternative: the 4-day/3-night boat trip from Lombok to Flores (~$150–200 including all food and snorkeling stops at Moyo and Satonda). It's the best value 'transport' in Southeast Asia.
Search Lombok → Komodo (Labuan Bajo) flights5.Labuan Bajo → Bali (fly home)
$40–$801h 10m flight
Komodo day trips leave Labuan Bajo harbor from $45–70 (shared boat, park fees ~$15–25 extra, cash). Then fly back to Denpasar for your long-haul — book this return leg when you book the outbound, because Labuan Bajo flights have the worst last-minute pricing in the country.
Search Labuan Bajo → Bali (fly home) flights
Cost Breakdown
All prices in USD, researched estimates updated quarterly. Your mileage (and exchange rate) may vary.
| Category | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Long-haul into Jakarta (CGK), out of Bali (DPS) — open-jaw | $500–850 | The two-ticket trick: fly to a SE Asian hub (Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok) on a sale fare, then a separate $30–60 budget hop to CGK. Frequently $150–250 cheaper than any through-fare to Bali. |
| Domestic flights (YIA→DPS, LOP→LBJ, LBJ→DPS) | $125–250 | Booked 2–5 weeks out on Lion Group carriers and Citilink. Compare prices on Traveloka and tiket.com — they're often $5–15 cheaper than Western OTAs for Indonesian domestic legs. |
| Train + fast boat (CGK→Yogyakarta, Bali→Lombok) | $25–45 | The scenic legs. Book the train on KAI Access; the boat from any Padang Bai agent. |
| Komodo National Park fees + day trip | $60–95 | Shared boat day trip $45–70, park entrance and ranger fees $15–25 (cash, in rupiah, at the gate). Multi-day liveaboards start around $200. |
| Visa on Arrival | $35 | IDR 500,000 for most nationalities, 30 days, extendable once. Pay at the airport counter or skip the queue with the e-VoA online before you fly. |
| Total in-country transport | $150–280 | Five hops across three time zones of islands. Swap the Lombok→Labuan Bajo flight for the 4-day boat and your transport total becomes your favorite story. |
Best Booking Strategy
Don't search for flights 'to Bali.' Search for flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok, then price a separate budget ticket onward — AirAsia, Scoot and Batik Air sell KUL/SIN→DPS for $30–80 booked 4+ weeks out. This two-ticket split routinely saves $150–250 over through-fares, and KUL and SIN are excellent 1–2 day stopovers. Leave 4+ hours between tickets; separate bookings mean separate responsibility if a delay hits.
Book Indonesian domestic flights 2–5 weeks out on Traveloka or tiket.com. These local OTAs show Lion Group flash fares that never reach Google Flights, and both accept foreign cards (Traveloka is the more reliable of the two). Avoid booking domestic Indonesian legs more than 3 months out — schedules shift constantly and rebooking is pain.
The Lion Group baggage trap: Lion Air, Wings Air and Batik Air share an owner but not baggage rules. Promo fares include zero checked bags; adding 20kg costs $15–25 per leg. A carry-on under 7kg is the move — dive shops rent gear everywhere.
Time it for the dry season, April to October. The Lombok→Flores boat trips stop running in January–February swells, fast boats to the Gilis cancel in bad weather, and Komodo's seas are calmest April–June and September–November. July–August is peak: book the Labuan Bajo legs 5–6 weeks out minimum.
Buy Komodo tours in Labuan Bajo town, not online. The harbor strip has a dozen agencies selling identical shared boats; same-day booking is normal outside August. What you can't wing: flights in and out of LBJ — book both before you leave home.
Related Stamps
Been on this route? Claim the on-chain stamp for every country you crossed.
FAQ
Should I fly into Jakarta or straight into Bali?
Into Jakarta if you're doing this route — fares are frequently $100–190 cheaper, and Java (Yogyakarta, Borobudur, Mount Bromo) is half of what makes Indonesia great. Straight into Bali only makes sense if Bali is the whole trip. Either way, price the hub-split trick (KUL/SIN + separate hop) before booking anything.
Is the 4-day Lombok to Flores boat trip worth it?
If you have the time, it's the single best-value experience on this route: $150–200 covers four days of transport, food, snorkeling, and stops at islands you'd never otherwise see, ending at the dragons' front door. The boats are basic (deck mattresses, shared everything). If you get seasick or need a real bed, fly and day-trip Komodo instead.
How do I get from Bali to the Gili Islands?
The same fast boats from Padang Bai that serve Lombok stop at Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno ($15–25, 1.5–2h). Book through your guesthouse or a street agent a day ahead — prices are fixed-ish and identical everywhere. From the Gilis, public boats to Lombok cost $1–2, so the islands slot neatly into the Bali → Lombok leg.
When is Komodo National Park open / best?
The park is open year-round and the dragons don't migrate, but seas dictate the experience: April–June and September–November are calm, green, and less crowded. July–August is peak season (book boats and flights ahead). January–March is rainy season — trips still run but crossings can be rough, and the Lombok boat trips pause entirely.
Do I need cash in Indonesia?
Yes — more than anywhere else on this list. Komodo park fees, boat tickets, and most of Flores run on cash (rupiah), and ATMs in Labuan Bajo run dry in high season. Bali and Yogyakarta are card-friendly, but carry $100–150 in rupiah per person whenever you leave the tourist strip.
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