Bali International Airport (I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport) is the gateway for the island’s many tourists. It is currently the only airport on Bali and therefore of enormous importance. Traveling to the Island of the Gods is rarely done by any other means than by plane. Those traveling to Indonesia may come by ferry from Java or Lombok to Bali, but the majority arrive via the airport.
Where is the airport located on Bali?
Bali’s airport is located in the south of the island, about 10 kilometers south of Denpasar. In the north, the airport grounds border directly on the town of Kuta, while to the south of the airport are the town of Jimbaran and the Bukit Peninsula.
The airport was built on the narrow isthmus to avoid overflight and noise pollution over inhabited areas. Since the runway runs in a west-east direction, land had to be filled in so that the airport site now juts out into the sea.
Bali Airport details
Although Bali Airport is now the second largest in Indonesia in terms of passenger numbers, it has only one runway. This is usually approached for landings from the west. Departing aircraft take off towards the east. This approach makes optimal use of the only runway and allows the maximum number of flights to be handled.
The airport has two terminals: one for international flights and one for domestic flights within Indonesia. The international terminal has separate departure and arrival halls and was built in traditional Balinese architecture. Arriving passengers are therefore immediately immersed in a special atmosphere.
History of the airport
The origin of today’s Bali International Airport dates back to 1930. At that time, Bali was still under Dutch rule. They arranged for a 700-meter-long runway to be built near the village of Tuban. However, this was a simple grass runway. That is why it used to be called Tuban Airport.
Extension of the runway
During the Second World War, the airport was bombed by Japanese forces. After Japan took control of Bali, the airfield was repaired. Between 1942 and 1947, the runway was extended from 700 to 1,200 meters. In the following years, a control tower and a terminal building were added to the airport.
In the 1960s, the Indonesian government once again greatly expanded the airport. The length of the runway was more than doubled from 1,200 m to 2,700 m. In addition, an international terminal building was constructed for the first time.
International air traffic
Officially, international air traffic was opened on August 10, 1966. Two years later, in August 1968, the then Indonesian president inaugurated the airport. At the same time, the name of the airport was changed to “Bali International Airport Ngurah Rai”.
Since then, the airport has been continuously expanded and rebuilt several times. The airport still only has a single runway. A project to build a new airport in the north of Bali has been underway for several years.
Tool tip: If you want to track the safe arrival of a flight of friends or family, or are simply interested in air traffic over Bali, the flight radar allows you to follow air traffic live online.
