Indonesian carrier TransNusa will begin flying between Melbourne and Bali from 19 October, becoming the sixth airline on what Melbourne Airport now calls Australia’s most competitive international route.
The value carrier will operate a 174-seat Airbus A320 on the route four times a week, adding more than 70,000 seats a year. Flights will depart Melbourne at 5.25am on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, timed to get travellers to Bali in time for lunch. Return services from Denpasar will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, departing late in the evening.
The airline is rolling out exclusive introductory fares with standard basic seats that starts from just AU$299, while the all-new Premium Plus experience begins at an introductory rate of AU$699.
Fares will include 20kg of free checked baggage, with food, drink and other extras available to purchase separately.
TransNusa already flies to Perth, having launched that route in early 2025.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the new service would give Victorians another way to reach a long-time favourite destination.
“Bali has long been popular with Australians because it offers something for everyone at every price point,” she said.
TransNusa group chief executive officer Datuk Bernard Francis said the airline was proud to build on the Melbourne–Bali route, adding that the carrier hoped to offer passengers connections beyond Bali to destinations including the diving and reef locations of Wakatobi and Manado, as well as other points across the Asia-Pacific.
“This new route introduction marks a defining milestone in TransNusa’s international growth strategy. It strengthens Bali’s position as a premier gateway between Australia and Asia, while giving travellers a compelling new choice that combines connectivity, value and a distinctly premium travel experience,” he said.
“Bali remains a prime global holiday destination, and by connecting it directly to Melbourne, we are providing travellers from Australia with a highly competitive, premium flying alternative,” Datuk Bernard said.
Passenger numbers dip
The announcement comes as Melbourne Airport recorded a slight dip in passenger numbers for August, with 2,942,527 travellers through the airport – down 1.6 per cent on August 2025. International traffic fell 1.3 per cent to 948,810 passengers, while domestic traffic dropped 1.8 per cent to 1,993,717.
For the financial year to July, total passengers were down 2.1 per cent to 6,057,590, with both international (-2.0 per cent) and domestic (-2.1 per cent) travel declining year-on-year.
Argus also flagged upcoming infrastructure changes, including new pick-up and drop-off areas opening next month that will pave the way for an expanded international terminal footprint, and five additional international gates capable of handling up to eight narrowbody aircraft.
