*Bali is finally getting a second international airport. After decades of relying solely on I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in the densely-trafficked south, the Indonesian government has greenlit the North Bali International Airport (Bandara Internasional Bali Utara, or BIBU) in Kubutambahan, Buleleng Regency* — a transformation that will reshape how travelers reach the island's quieter northern shores.
## Where will the new airport be?
The North Bali International Airport is planned for the *Kubutambahan area in eastern Buleleng, the regency that stretches across the top of the island. The airport footprint is expected to span roughly 900 hectares of reclaimed artificial island land* off the Kubutambahan coast — a major engineering statement that puts the terminal literally next to the Bali Sea.
## What's the current status?
The project has been an on-again, off-again story for years:
- It was originally part of Indonesia's National Strategic Projects (PSN) list.
- In 2022 it was removed from the PSN list amid public debate over budget priorities and environmental concerns.
- In 2025, President Prabowo Subianto publicly reaffirmed support for the project, and it was *reinstated as a National Strategic Project*.
Today (2026) the project is firmly back in the planning/early-development phase. A definitive construction-completion year has not been locked in publicly, but most industry observers expect first flights in the late-2020s once groundworks and supporting infrastructure are in place.
## Why a second airport?
*The south is at capacity.* Ngurah Rai handled more than 24 million passengers in 2024 and routinely operates above its comfortable design capacity during peak season. North Bali's new airport is designed to complement — not replace — Ngurah Rai:
- Distribute tourist arrivals — away from the already-congested south
- Unlock North Bali — for international travelers who currently face a 2.5–4 hour drive from Denpasar
- Support national economic activity — in the eastern Indonesian archipelago
Government planners have also flagged integrated developments around the airport site, including a planned *60-km toll road connecting Kubutambahan to Mengwi (south Bali) and rail connectivity to Ngurah Rai*, although these are longer-term projects.
## How close will the airport be to popular North Bali destinations?
This is where the airport gets genuinely exciting for travelers. Approximate drive times once the airport is operational:
- Lovina — (dolphins, black sand beaches): ~25–35 minutes
- Pemuteran — (Menjangan Island diving gateway): ~50–60 minutes
- Munduk — (waterfalls, highlands): ~45 minutes
- Amed — (snorkeling, east coast diving): ~1 hour 15 minutes
- Ubud — (cultural heart): ~1 hour 30 minutes (down from ~2 hours via Ngurah Rai)
- Canggu / Seminyak — (south Bali beach clubs): ~2 hours
For North Bali specifically, this is a *massive* change. Today, a traveler landing at Ngurah Rai faces a 3+ hour scenic drive north to reach Lovina or Pemuteran. After BIBU opens, those destinations become accessible in under an hour from the gate.
## Who is expected to operate there?
No airline schedules have been announced yet, but industry expectations include:
- Low-cost carriers — (AirAsia, Lion Air, Citilink) for domestic and regional routes
- Mid-tier international carriers — serving Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan
- Eventually, full-service carriers connecting to Europe and the Middle East
## What does this mean for travelers?
If you're planning a Bali trip that focuses on the *north, east, or central highlands*, the new airport will likely:
- Cut total travel time by *2–4 hours* end-to-end
- Make *3-stop itineraries* (e.g. Ubud → Amed → Pemuteran) far more practical without backtracking south
- Open up previously-overlooked destinations like *West Bali National Park and the northern coast* for short-stay international trips
If you're focused on *south Bali* (Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Nusa Dua, Uluwatu), Ngurah Rai will remain your best option.
## What does this mean for property owners in North Bali?
For villa and hotel owners in Buleleng — Lovina, Pemuteran, Amed, and the eastern coast — the airport is a *major tailwind*:
- Higher direct booking potential — for international guests who would otherwise skip the north
- Short-stay viability — for travelers who only have 3–4 nights in Bali
- Premium for "near-airport" — properties in Kubutambahan and southern Lovina
- Potential for new boutique development — in currently underdeveloped corridors along the planned airport connector road
For owners further south (Ubud, Canggu, Sanur), the impact is more muted — but the airport does relieve pressure on Ngurah Rai-driven traffic, which is a net positive across the island.
## What are the concerns?
The project is not without controversy. Critics — including former President Megawati Soekarnoputri — have raised concerns about:
- Funding priorities — vs improving existing Ngurah Rai capacity
- Environmental impact — on Buleleng's coral coastline and marine ecosystems
- Northern Bali's supporting infrastructure — current road, water, and power systems may need significant upgrades to handle airport-scale traffic
- Cultural and seismic risk — in Buleleng, which sits near active volcanic and tectonic zones
## The bottom line
The North Bali International Airport is the single most consequential piece of tourism infrastructure coming to Bali this decade. For travelers, it makes the island's quieter north, east, and central highlands far more accessible than they have ever been. For property owners and hospitality operators in those regions, it represents a structural shift in demand. For Bali as a whole, it is the first credible step toward a true *bi-polar tourism geography* — a longer-overdue correction that should spread visitor spending more evenly across the island.
If you are considering a Bali investment property, or planning a north-Bali-focused trip, BIBU is a development worth tracking closely over the next few years. We will update this article as construction milestones, airline announcements, and official opening dates are confirmed.
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Planning a stay on Bali's north or east coast? Browse our curated portfolio of villas and small hotels across Lovina, Pemuteran, Amed, and Ubud on the [Lokalua homepage](https://lokalua.com/). We work directly with property owners on distribution, pricing, and reservations — no middlemen, no commissions.
