What this solves
Most travellers default to DPS because every Bali blog says so. But if your base is the Gili Islands (Lombok), or if your home city has direct flights to Praya (LOP) that are cheaper, or if your connecting flight is via Kuala Lumpur / Singapore on a budget carrier, the math flips. This tool makes the call: DPS, LOP, or DPS+fast boat, with the cost and time delta in plain numbers.
Who it's for. International Bali visitors picking between DPS and LOP entries, anyone combining Bali with Lombok / Gili, budget-carrier flyers landing in Praya, families comparing flight prices.
Pick the airport
How to read the result
- Primary recommendation — the airport to book into. DPS+fast-boat and LOP+transfer are intermediate options that show up when the base is Gili or Lombok.
- Cost delta is the typical extra Rp cost of the chosen path vs. the alternative. Negative means cheaper.
- Time delta is door-to-door (airport exit → hotel check-in), based on dry-season road and boat conditions.
- Reason — the specific input that drove the call (base area, home city, connecting flight).
Limitations
- Flight prices shift daily and the cheapest route on Tuesday may not be the cheapest on Saturday. This tool does not pull live airfare — it uses direction.
- LOP is a smaller terminal; long connections (>2h) eat into a 6h international layover. Re-route via DPS if you're tight.
- The "Bali-area base" routing assumes dry-season road conditions. Wet season adds 30–60 minutes to Ubud transfers.
- DPS arrivals after 23:00 face long immigration queues. LOP is faster for late arrivals but the transfer to Senggigi / Kuta Lombok is then a 90-minute drive at night.
FAQ
Is LOP cheaper than DPS to fly into?
Often yes — 20–35% on routes from Australia (Perth, Darwin) and Singapore on budget carriers (AirAsia, Scoot, Citilink). The flip side is the transfer: LOP → Senggigi / Gili is 1.5–2.5h by car + fast boat vs. DPS → Gili direct boat at 2–2.5h. If your base is south Bali, the LOP saving gets eaten by transfer cost.
Can I fly DPS and take a fast boat to Gili?
Yes. DPS → Benoa harbour is 30 minutes by taxi; the fast boat (Eka Jaya / Semaya One) is 2h to Gili T. This is the most-used path for Bali → Gili and the door-to-door is similar to LOP → Gili when you include the LOP transfer + boat.
What about DPS + drive to Padangbai + boat?
That works for Lombok slow-ferry travellers. It's 1h30 to Padangbai by taxi, then the ASDP ferry to Lembar (4–5h). The total is longer than the fast boat from Benoa but Rp 700k+ cheaper if you have a vehicle.
Are there immigration differences at DPS vs LOP?
DPS has e-gates (for nationalities enrolled) and regular counters; queues spike 14:00–18:00. LOP is faster off-peak but the airport is smaller, so a delayed international arrival can queue more. Both charge the same Rp 500k VOA unless you're visa-exempt.
Sources
- AirAsia, Scoot, Citilink, Batik, Garuda, Lion published DPS/LOP route schedules Q1 2026.
- Ngurah Rai (DPS) and Lombok International (LOP) transfer-time benchmarks from official airport operator (PT Angkasa Pura).
- Bali / NTB provincial ferry + boat operator published timetables.