Denpasar Bali Airport

After reading all the reviews I was expecting the absolute worse. Landed on a Saturday evening and overall took about an hour from landing till getting out of the airport. VOA arrival took about 15 minutes and was easier than I remember. Now the immigration lines themselves were long and slow. With staff talking amongst themselves. That was the bottleneck. The advantage was my bag came out about 2 minutes after getting through immigration and through the x-rays 5 minutes later. Leaving was a different story (shocked at how quick it was). Arrived early took 10 minutes to check in the Departure tax line was 5 minutes and through the security checks and immigration 10 minutes after that. It's like 2 different airports. Inbound dirty and feels grimy. Departures was clean! Needs more seating though. Warning: Australia bound Flights go through a final security check at the gate (looking for liquids). This is not their fault this is an Australian Government Request and ran into this at every airport in the last 12 months (including Dubai).

Terrible huge queues on arrival it took us two hours to get through the airport almost as long as it took to fly here from WA! New airport is slower than the old one and the increase in airport tax must be lining someone's pocket because it's not put towards staff at the arrivals desk! 4 people trying to check in thousands and they didn't seem to be any hurry. Terrible start to a holiday.

We have travelled to Bali 4 times now as we love everything about this paradise - the culture the people the land and the lifestyle. However our recent trip was the first one through the new terminal. First impression was wow - this is huge and easy to navigate. Payment of the arrival visa of $35 US was quick and easy. Then we noticed the 'cattle grids' to get through immigration and the queue to get into the cattle grids this took us just under 2 hours. By the time we got to the luggage carousel many flights had landed after ours so our luggage was piled in a heap against the wall. Moving on another very lengthy queue of disillusioned passengers was waiting for us to scan everything on the way out. Fortunately our driver was patient enough to wait - 2.5 hours from plane to exit is beyond ridiculous. The way out was worse - Our flight departed at 12.20am. Our driver dropped us at the airport around 9.30pm we expected to check in find our gate and perhaps sit and read for an hour. Lengthy queues again - lost count of the security checks and how many times we had our luggage scrutinized paid the 200000 IRP exit visa negotiated our way through passport control to be affronted with what can only be described as a duty free shopping mall with the gates hidden behind more attempts to part you with what money you have left only to find our departure gate but no seating. After standing around for a while checked the departure screens to find that our flight had been moved to another gate at the opposite end of the (enormous) terminal. Arrived at the rescheduled gate to at least see a very welcome seating area queued up (again) to have our hand luggage checked (again) to find out that the departure gate was changed back to the original gate we were at with no seating! Apparently this gate is only a standing waiting area where you are crammed in like sardines to wait for your standing room only bus to take you out onto the tarmac to climb the steps to your plane. Ours was not the only flight leaving from this gate - 5 others were at the same time well when I say gate it was more like a bus terminal - without seating! So if you find that your flight is departing through gate 10 - prepare for a long wait on your feet! Needless to say we spent the 3 hours departing this terminal waiting in queues and walking from gate to gate when we were anticipating a lengthy relaxing read! Needless to say - we had a wonderful trip to only be tarnished by this airport - Initial thoughts from the front it looks absolutely amazing sky high vaulted ceilings beautifully decorated and planted but it just does not work.. With the exchange rate my partner and I spent almost $120.00 Au on getting in and out to experience what can only be described as a very poor one.

I agree that the new airport is worse than the old. Are the carpets really new or temporary. They are so so dirty. There are no facilities and the lounges are a disgrace. I cannot believe how bad it is. With all the money available for this project the situation beggars belief.

Terrible airport. Bali achieved quite a performance there. They have built a new airport which is even worse than the old one. Average waiting time to clear immigration and customs is between 1 to 1.5hr some unlucky passengers may even have to wait 2hrs. A complete disaster and a total shame.

Arrival was a disgraceful 2 hours to get through now having to pay $35 US for an entry visa per person and the queue for immigration was horrendous. Very bad start to holiday. Well to depart was 10 times worse new airport but where are the staff the scanning machines and down right customer service. You now pay 200000 rupiah for departure tax. The worst experience ever in Bali after 25 years of travel to Bali. People were missing their flights even though they arrived 3 hours before. The system here is shocking and we have now decided to never return to Bali. We pay a very high price to enter and leave this country so one would expect good efficient service. So chaotic be very prepared.

Bali is a wonderful island. Unfortunately the airport the gateway to the island is a disaster. Many of those that land in Bali have spent long hours in a plane and truly look forward to relax on this beautiful island. It can't be that you then have to queue for more than 1.5 hours first to pay for a so-called visa then to pass customs and then to remit a form in which you declare not having imported certain goods. This airport is a threat to Bali's economy and it is hard to understand why after so many bad reviews nothing seems to happen. We will not come back until this issue is solved.

A perfect introduction to all of the worst aspects of Bali. The new Bali airport is a shocker let's give credit where credit is due. It's clean has clean toilets and it's big and new that's it that's all that it currently has going for it. The worst things about the old Bali airport have moved across very comfortably to the new airport. Rude and arrogant immigration and customs officials. Deliberately lengthy immigration queues which always then have the option of paying extra to get through quickly. Ridiculously restrictive alcohol rules again so you can pay your way a round them. Endless hassling by porters. Then you end up in a beaten up taxi with a rude taxi driver charging you too much and taking too long. Basically an over priced rip off and a really ugly first impression of Indonesia and more sadly Bali. Whenever possible fly in through Jakarta.

Was looking forward to the new airport so much after a number of visits to the old terminal. What a disgrace: arrived 3pm on a Tuesday in July queued 2-3 hours for visa fee booth and passport control was exhausted after this not-so-happy start for a holiday. Poorly designed and poorly manned. Departure was slightly better but long queues again. The architects should have read Bali Times or Jakarta Post more carefully over the years both have duly reported the rapidly increasing number of flights to this great island. What a shame they got the new airport so wrong!

100 countries visited and this is by far the worst airport if you take in what means they have available. Bali has a working tourist infrastructure people are friendly and they are able to build proper houses. Yet its airport experience shames the whole island when it comes to first and last impression. Arriving is hell. Departing is hell. On arrival there are queues to join the first queue. To pay for your arrival "visa". Its not a visa its just a fee. Then its the queue to the non-existent passport "control". But with thousands of people queuing for just a few open windows who can blame them for not checking anything but that you paid for your "visa". Even if you spent two hours queuing your luggage will not have arrived yet at the luggage hall. On leaving there will be more fees to pay and at least 7-8 checks before you are on the plane. Same things checked over and over again as if the other checks where manned by incompetent idiots. This Airport is best avoided. It you are coming from Asia/Europe it might be quicker to transfer to a domestic flight in Jakarta. At least you wont start and finish your vacation with resentment towards Bali.