Between beautiful beaches, affordable prices, and the relative ease of getting there, Bali is one of Australia’s most popular travel destinations, with around 1.5 million Australians visiting each year. While Bali is undoubtedly an accessible holiday destination for those living down under, how long is a flight from Bali to Australia?
The short answer is that it depends. Bali is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from cities in the west such as Darwin and Perth, with flights taking about three to four hours, but flights to major east coast cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane take closer to six hours. Travel times also depend on whether you can get a direct flight or need to make a stopover.
Here at Remitly, we’ve created this guide to break down how long flights take between major Australian cities and Bali and which airlines offer direct flights, to help make booking your Bali holiday a breeze.
What affects the flight time from Bali to Australia?
While Bali is a small but popular Indonesian holiday destination, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, behind large nations such as Russia, Canada, the United States, China, and Brazil. So, how long it takes to fly between Bali and Australia depends on where you are traveling to and from in Oz. Darwin, in the north, is the closest Australian city to Bali, followed by Perth in the far west. Australia’s biggest east coast cities are quite a bit farther away.
The next big question is whether you can fly direct. While many airlines offer direct flights between Australia’s state capitals and Bali, smaller airports, such as Adelaide, may only offer direct flights on certain days of the week. If your travel dates don’t align, you’ll probably need to make a stopover in a larger airport, which adds travel time.
It’s also important to remember that all flight times are estimates. Factors such wind, weather conditions, and air traffic can affect trip duration. Strong headwinds can slow down flights, while tailwinds can make your flight a bit faster. Heavy air traffic can force some planes to take slightly longer routes. Plus, delays on the ground caused by weather and airport administration can impact your total travel time.
Direct flight times from Bali (Denpasar) to major Australian cities
Australia is a big country, so the flight time to and from Bali depends on your Australian origin or destination. The shortest flight is just under three hours, between the northern city of Darwin and Bali. A direct flight to Perth from Bali is three and a half to four hours. Flights to and from most other parts of Australia are around six hours. The Bali to Sydney flight time is the longest, coming in at around six and a half hours.
| Australian city | Approximate direct flight length |
| Sydney (SYD) | 6.5 hours |
| Melbourne (MEL) | 6 hours |
| Brisbane (BNE) | 6 hours |
| Perth (PER) | 3.5-4 hours |
| Adelaide (ADL) | 5 hours |
| Darwin (DRW) | 3 hours |
These are average times to fly from Bali to Australia, but exact times will depend on factors such as wind, weather, and air traffic, so check with the airline for more precise flight times.
Also, keep in mind that it’s recommended to arrive at Australian airports about three hours before the scheduled time of your international flight, an important detail to factor into your overall travel time.
Which airlines fly directly from Bali to Australia?
Several airlines operate direct flights between Bali and Australia, including both Australian and Indonesian companies. By far, Jetstar offers the widest range of direct routes between Australia and Bali.
| Airline | Australian cities with direct flights to Bali |
| Jetstar Airways | Adelaide
Brisbane Gold Coast Melbourne Newcastle Perth Sunshine Coast (new Maroochydore route) Sydney |
| Qantas | Melbourne
Sydney |
| Virgin Australia | Brisbane
Darwin Gold Coast Melbourne Sydney |
| Batik Air | Melbourne
Perth Sydney |
| Garuda Indonesia | Melbourne
Sydney |
| Indonesia AirAsia | Adelaide
Darwin Perth |
| Transnusa | Perth |
Several other international airlines also offer regular flights between Australia and Bali with stopovers in their home country. For example, Singapore Airlines offers regular flights with a stopover in Singapore. Stopovers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Bangkok, Thailand, are also widely available.
When flying out of smaller Australian cities, routes usually include a stopover in a major hub airport, such as Melbourne or Sydney, or a stopover in Darwin or Perth, as the closest major Australian cities to Bali. In addition to airborne travel time, stopovers usually add at least two hours in the airport to ensure you can make your connection.
Plan your trip with confidence
Bali has attracted Australian travellers for decades, both because of its beauty and its relatively close proximity compared to other popular holiday destinations for Aussies. Whether you’re catching a short flight from Darwin or Perth or taking a longer trip from the east coast or Melbourne, your Bali adventure is just a few hours away.
While you’re planning your trip, don’t forget to read our guide to Bali Airport so you know what to expect when you arrive, including getting a visa on arrival, how to pay the tourism tax, and where to get a SIM card when you land.
Get ready to soak up the sun, culture, and everything Bali has to offer!
FAQs
What is the time difference between Bali and Australia?
Bali is in the Central Indonesian Timezone (WITA, GMT+8). Australia spans several time zones, so the time difference between Bali and Australia depends on where you are and whether daylight saving is in effect.
- Perth: same time zone as Bali year-round (AWST, GMT+8).
- Darwin: 1.5 hours ahead of Bali year-round (ACST, GMT+9.5).
- Adelaide: 1.5 hours ahead of Bali from May to September; 2.5 hours ahead of Bali from October to April due to daylight saving time (ACST, GMT+9.5 / ACDT, GMT+10.5).
- Australia’s east coast, (Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria, and Tasmania): 2 hours ahead of Bali from May to September; 3 hours ahead of Bali from October to April (AEST, GMT+10 / AEDT, GMT+11).
What is the cheapest time to fly from Bali to Australia?
There are around 200 return flights between Australia and Bali each week, which means that there are always deals available. If you’re flexible, it is often possible to find a cheap flight.
Nevertheless, the cheapest times to fly tend to be during the off-season, June to August, which is winter in both Bali and Australia, and in the shoulder seasons between February and March and October and November.
Expect to pay more if you choose to travel during peak holiday periods such as Christmas and school holidays.
Can I get a direct flight from Bali to any city in Australia?
You can get direct flights to Bali from all the major hub airports, including Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. There are also several direct flights from Darwin and Perth, which are the closest Australian cities to Bali. Connecting flights from smaller Australian cities will pass through one of these five airports.
Jetstar and a few other airlines also offer direct flights from smaller Australian airports, including Adelaide, the Gold Coast, and Newcastle. Jetstar also recently launched a direct flight between Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast) and Bali.
Can you fly first class to Bali?
Not all airlines offer first class cabins on the Australia-Bali route, especially discount airlines such as Jetstar and Batik Air. However, if you want your holiday to include a bit of luxury, Qantas does offer first class cabins when flying to and from Bali.