BALI — I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport – Bali has officially welcomed the inaugural flight of Jetstar Airways’ new route connecting Newcastle (NTL) and Denpasar (DPS) on Tuesday (21/10). The launch of this route marks another milestone in strengthening direct air connectivity between Indonesia and Australia, while boosting Bali’s tourism and economic sectors.
This inaugural flight also made history as Bali became the first international destination directly connected to Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, following the official opening of Newcastle Airport for international operations.
General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, stated that the new route reflects the strong and growing demand of Australian travelers for Bali.
“For the first time, Bali is directly connected to the city of Newcastle. This route makes it even easier for Australian tourists to reach Bali without having to transit through other major cities,” said Syaugi.
Jetstar’s Airbus A320 aircraft, operating under flight number JQ 88, landed at 1:00 PM local time carrying 210 passengers from Newcastle. The return flight, JQ 89, is scheduled to depart on Wednesday (22/10) at 11:00 PM local time. The Newcastle–Denpasar service will operate three times a week.
Syaugi added that the launch of this route will further strengthen I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport’s position as Indonesia’s main tourism gateway.
“We are optimistic that the Newcastle–Denpasar route will further enhance the relationship between Indonesia and Australia while generating positive impacts for Bali’s tourism and economy,” he continued.
Currently, Ngurah Rai International Airport is directly connected to nine Australian cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin, Perth, Gold Coast, and Newcastle — making Australia the country with the highest number of direct connections to Bali.
As of September 2025, a total of 1,250,999 Australian visitors have entered Bali through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, positioning Australia as the top contributor of international arrivals to the island this year.
In addition to expanding international connectivity, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport currently serves 21 domestic routes and 38 international routes, totaling 58 active routes. By September 2025, the airport has handled 18.23 million passengers and recorded over 106,000 aircraft movements.
With the launch of the Newcastle–Denpasar route, Bali further strengthens its role as a key aviation hub and Indonesia’s primary gateway to the world.***
