You're standing at Padang Bai harbor. It's hot. The smell of diesel fumes is thick enough to chew on, and three different guys are trying to sell you "VIP" ferry tickets that look like they were printed in a basement. This is usually the moment people realize they should’ve just booked Bali to Lombok flights and been done with it.
Honestly, the ferry is a vibe if you have six hours to kill and don't mind the occasional massive swell that turns the cabin into a chorus of seasick backpackers. But if you value your sanity? You fly. It’s a 30-minute hop. You spend more time taxiing on the runway at Ngurah Rai than you do in the actual air.
Most people overcomplicate this. They think it’s expensive or a hassle to get to the airport. It’s not. But there are a few things about the Denpasar (DPS) to Praya (LOP) route that the booking sites don't tell you, especially regarding baggage weights and why "on-time performance" is more of a suggestion than a rule in Indonesia.
Why Bali to Lombok flights beat the "Fast Boat" every time
The "Fast Boat" is a marketing masterclass. They call it fast, but by the time you factor in the two-hour shuttle bus from Seminyak to the harbor, the hour spent waiting for the boat to actually leave, and the two-hour crossing, you've lost half a day.
Flying is different. You leave your hotel in Kuta or Canggu, hit the airport, and before you've even finished the complimentary snack (if you’re lucky enough to get one), the pilot is announcing the descent into Lombok International Airport.
The airlines actually flying the route
Right now, you're mostly looking at Wings Air, Citilink, and occasionally Lion Air. Garuda Indonesia used to dominate this leg with their ATR-72 turboprops, but they've scaled back significantly on short-haul domestic hops to focus on the big "Golden Triangle" routes.
Wings Air is the workhorse here. They use the ATR 72-500/600. It’s a propeller plane. Don't freak out—it’s loud, yeah, but it’s incredibly reliable for these short island jumps. Because the planes are smaller, they can handle the wind patterns across the Lombok Strait better than a massive jet might on a short approach.
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What you need to know about the baggage trap
This is where they get you.
When you book Bali to Lombok flights through a third-party aggregator, the price looks like a steal. Maybe $30 or $40. Then you show up at the check-in counter with your 20kg suitcase and realize Wings Air—being a low-cost subsidiary of Lion Air—often doesn't include checked baggage in the base "Promo" fare.
- Pro tip: Buy your baggage allowance online at least 24 hours before. If you pay at the counter at DPS, you will pay "excess baggage" rates which can sometimes cost more than the seat itself.
- Weight limits: On these small ATR planes, overhead bin space is basically non-existent. If you have a standard carry-on suitcase that fits on a Boeing 737, it might still get gate-checked on a Wings Air flight because the bins are tiny.
The Praya Airport shuffle
Lombok International Airport (LOP) isn't actually in Mataram or Senggigi. It’s in Praya, which is down south.
If you're heading to Kuta Lombok (the surfing mecca, not the Bali version), flying is a dream. It’s a 20-minute drive. But if you’re heading to the Gili Islands? You’ve still got a nearly two-hour drive ahead of you to reach Bangsal Harbor.
I’ve seen travelers land in Lombok thinking they’ve "arrived" at the Gilis, only to realize they still have a long car ride and a boat trip ahead. If the Gilis are your only destination, the boat from Bali might actually be faster. But for anywhere else on the mainland? Flying is king.
Timing and "Indonesia Time"
Schedule reliability is... flexible.
Indonesian aviation has improved massively in the last decade, but short routes like this are the first to get delayed if there's a ripple effect in the network. If a plane is late coming from Surabaya, your flight to Lombok is going to be late.
Don't book a tight connection. If you're flying into Bali from Melbourne or London and want to catch one of the Bali to Lombok flights the same day, give yourself a four-hour window. International arrivals in Bali can be a mess with immigration lines, and you don't want to be sprinting from the International terminal to the Domestic terminal (which is about a 10-minute walk through the "Dufry" shopping gauntlet).
The view from the left side
If you can pick your seat, sit on the left side of the plane when flying from Bali to Lombok. As you take off and head east, you’ll get an incredible view of Mount Agung. It’s the highest point in Bali and looks genuinely prehistoric from the air. As you approach Lombok, you’ll see Mount Rinjani poking through the clouds on the same side. It’s worth the extra couple of dollars for a seat selection fee.
Real talk on safety and comfort
I get asked a lot if these flights are safe. Indonesia had a rough reputation in the early 2000s, but things have changed. Most Indonesian carriers are now cleared to fly into EU and US airspace, which means they meet much higher maintenance standards than they used to.
The ATR planes are bumpy. You will feel the wind. You will hear the engines whining. That’s just turboprop life. It’s not a sign the plane is falling apart; it’s just a mechanical beast doing its job over a very windy stretch of water.
Pricing trends for 2026
Prices fluctuate based on the season. During the "High Season" (July, August, and late December), tickets for Bali to Lombok flights can double.
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- Low season: You can find tickets for roughly 600,000 to 800,000 IDR.
- Peak season: Expect to pay 1,200,000 IDR or more if you book last minute.
Kinda crazy for a 30-minute flight, right? But demand is high because the alternative is a slow ferry that takes forever.
How to actually book without the headache
Don't just use the big global sites. Sometimes they don't show the "Value" fares available on local platforms like Traveloka or Tiket.com. These local sites are usually better at handling Indonesian credit cards and showing the most accurate baggage rules.
Also, check the airline’s direct website. Citilink often has "Green Sale" events where they bundle in a snack and 10kg of luggage for a price that beats everyone else.
Is it environmentally better to boat or fly?
This is a tricky one. Usually, boats are better, but the high-speed "Fast Boats" in Indonesia use massive outboard engines (often four or five 300hp engines) that guzzle fuel at an alarming rate. When you calculate the emissions per passenger, the gap between a fully loaded ATR-72 and a high-speed ferry isn't as wide as you'd think. If you really want to be green, the slow "Public Ferry" is the winner, but you’ll pay for it with 8 hours of your life.
Navigating the airport experience
Ngurah Rai (DPS) Domestic terminal is actually pretty nice. There’s a Starbucks, a few decent warungs, and plenty of charging stations.
When you land in Lombok, ignore the "taxi" guys standing right outside the glass doors. Head to the official taxi desk or use a ride-sharing app like Grab or Gojek. However, be aware that there’s often a "zone fee" for ride-shares leaving the airport, which makes them almost the same price as a regular taxi. Blue Bird taxis are the most trusted in Indonesia—look for the light blue car with the bird logo.
Actionable steps for your trip
- Check your terminal: Ensure you are at the Domestic terminal in Bali, not International. They are connected, but it's a long walk if you're in a hurry.
- Download the airline app: Especially for Wings/Lion Air. It’s the only reliable way to get gate change notifications.
- Pre-book luggage: Seriously. I can't stress this enough. Save yourself the $20-30 argument at the check-in desk.
- Bring water: The short hop means no service on the plane. It’s a dry 30 minutes.
- Look for the "K" code: If you see a flight operated by "IW," that's Wings Air. "QG" is Citilink.
- Prepare for the heat: Lombok's airport is a bit more "open air" in the arrivals section than Bali's. It gets hot the moment you step off that plane.
If you’re planning to explore the south of Lombok—places like Selong Belanak or Tanjung Aan—flying is a no-brainer. You'll be in the water surfing while the people who took the boat are still stuck in traffic in Mataram. Just keep your expectations in check regarding delays, and you'll have a much better time.