The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has announced its intention to upgrade and revitalize Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to handle 32 million domestic and international passengers by 2031.
The airport’s current rated annual passenger handling capacity is 25 million.
According to RadarBali, both the Ministry of Transportation and the state-owned airport management company PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (InJourney Airport) have been instructed to accelerate planning and implementation, as part of efforts to expand and enhance the airport’s facilities to accommodate a projected influx of 32 million in the early 2030s.
With a rapid post-COVID pandemic recovery, the island’s airport is expected to handle 24.9 million tourists in 2026. Meanwhile, built to comfortably process 24 million travelers each year, Ngurah Rai Airport is already feeling the strain of heavy traffic flows.
This surge in passenger traffic is driven by new international airlines opening regular direct routes to Bali, including Etihad, Saudia Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and T’Way Air.
As a result, increasingly congested flight slots have made it urgent to strengthen air connectivity by expanding airport capacity to support equitable Island development.
”We see that the number of passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has now reached around 24.9 million per year, even exceeding the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level,” said Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi.
”Through airport capacity expansion, we hope this number can increase to around 32 million passengers, thereby supporting equitable development,” Dudy said recently in Buleleng, North Bali.
Because land is limited in South Bali, the government and airport operators have agreed to maximize existing infrastructure and facilities rather than build a massive new terminal.
This space optimization strategy includes using empty spaces within the terminal to expand passenger waiting areas, particularly around the international departure X-ray scanning area at gates 2 and 3.
In addition, the layouts of both domestic and international terminals will be rearranged to facilitate smoother passenger flow and prevent congestion.
In addition, the airport management plans to build a new pedestrian bridge (JPO) from the domestic arrivals terminal, directly connecting to the vehicle parking area, to reduce congestion in the lower pick-up area and expand landside access.
To expedite airport services, from check-in and immigration to baggage handling, the operational management system update will be supported by digital technology, data-driven policymaking, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transportation and the Bali Provincial Government are also meeting to develop solutions to integrate land and sea transportation modes in South Bali through an innovative Water Taxi program.
This alternative sea transportation service is projected to reduce travel time from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to the congested Canggu area from 1.5 to 2 hours by land to around 30 minutes by water ferries.
”We have calculated that the journey from the airport to Canggu can take around 30 minutes. At the very least, this will reduce traffic congestion. Tourist interest will also be quite high because the ferry will offer a unique travel experience,” said Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi.
Because serving the targeted 32 million passengers will necessarily mean increased aircraft movement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has instructed that this spatial planning be accompanied by stricter airside aviation safety standards.
To ensure transparent and accountable governance over this strategic project, the Bali Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) is becoming involved in the oversight process.
During the ministerial working visit and discussions on accelerating transportation infrastructure development in Bali, the Minister of Transportation was accompanied by the Director General of Civil Aviation, Lukman F. Laisa; the Director General of Sea Transportation, Muhammad Masyhud; the regents of Bali; and several relevant stakeholders.
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