How to Get to Labuan Bajo for a Komodo Cruise: Flights & Pick-Up

Fly to Komodo International Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo: Komodo Luxury lists direct flights from Bali (Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, Batik Air), Jakarta (Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, Citilink, Batik Air) and Surabaya (Batik Air, Super Air Jet), with Bali the shortest at a little over an hour. Arrive the day before sailing, because Ayvara’s pick-up is arranged between 8 and 9 a.m. and covers only the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour. Airline schedules change often, so confirm the route for the exact travel date.

How to get to Labuan Bajo: fly to Komodo Airport, then board

Labuan Bajo is a harbour town on the western tip of Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara, and it is where boats into Komodo National Park start and finish. The practical way in is by air, to Komodo International Airport (IATA code LBJ), which sits on the edge of town. There is no airport on Komodo Island itself, so the answer to “how to get to Komodo Island” is always the same: fly to Labuan Bajo, then continue by boat.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation granted the airport international status in April 2024. Timetables in September 2026 show international services from Kuala Lumpur (AirAsia) and Singapore (Scoot) alongside the domestic network, but the busiest routes remain domestic, led by Bali and Jakarta.

Direct flights to Labuan Bajo

Komodo Luxury, the owner and operator of Ayvara, lists the direct routes below for guests planning a voyage. Flight times are approximate and come from schedules published in September 2026.

Departure city	Direct airlines listed by Komodo Luxury	Approximate flight time
Bali (DPS)	Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, Batik Air	About 1 h 10 min
Jakarta (CGK)	Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, Citilink, Batik Air	About 2 h 30 min
Surabaya (SUB)	Batik Air, Super Air Jet	About 1 h 30 min

Indonesian domestic schedules change often, and airlines add and drop routes through the year. Timetables checked in September 2026 did not show every carrier in the table on its route, so treat the list as a starting point. Check the airline’s own site or a flight search engine for the exact day before paying for anything. Flight tickets are not included in any Ayvara rate.

Bali to Labuan Bajo

Bali is the simplest gateway for international visitors. The flight from Denpasar covers roughly 520 km and takes a little over an hour. September 2026 schedules show several departures a day, from early morning to late afternoon. That makes Komodo Island from Bali a realistic add-on to a Bali holiday: one short flight, one night in Labuan Bajo, then three days at sea.

Komodo Luxury publishes its own overview of a Komodo tour from Bali for travellers starting their trip there.

Jakarta and Surabaya to Labuan Bajo

From Jakarta the non-stop flight runs to about two and a half hours, which suits travellers landing at Soekarno-Hatta on a long-haul ticket and guests based in the capital. Surabaya, in East Java, is closer, at around an hour and a half. September 2026 schedules show both routes running less often than the Bali service, so check the flight days against the Friday or Monday sailing before paying for either.

Lombok to Komodo

Wings Air launched a non-stop service from Lombok (LOP) to Labuan Bajo in July 2025, and September 2026 timetables still list it, at about 1 h 15 min. Other itineraries connect through Bali, so check timetables for the travel date. Travellers with more time can arrive by sea instead: Komodo Luxury lists a one-way Lombok to Komodo sailing trip of four days and three nights that ends in Labuan Bajo. A public car ferry also links Sape in Sumbawa with Labuan Bajo. It is listed as sailing once a day, leaving Sape in the morning and reaching Labuan Bajo in the late afternoon. Timings shift, so it suits overland travellers rather than anyone with a fixed boarding date.

Why arriving the day before matters

Ayvara’s 3D2N open trip follows a fixed weekly pattern: weekend departures run Friday to Sunday and weekday departures Monday to Wednesday, every week of the year. On day one, pick-up is arranged between 8 and 9 a.m. and the boat sails for Kelor Island at 10:00.

The day-one schedule does allow pick-up from the airport as well as from a hotel. A same-morning flight leaves little margin, though, and the booking terms are strict:

• Flight cancellation is treated as force majeure, which may change or cancel a trip without refund.
• Cancellations forfeit 100% of payments made. Payments cannot be refunded, rescheduled or transferred to another trip, although a replacement guest may be nominated.
• On a private charter, a delay caused by late arrival shortens the itinerary. The charter period is not extended.

The low-risk plan is simple. Land on Thursday for a Friday sailing, or on Sunday for a Monday sailing, and sleep in town. An evening in Labuan Bajo is also the time to buy anything missing from the packing list, including the Telkomsel SIM card that Komodo Luxury suggests bringing.

Labuan Bajo airport to harbour

The airport is only 2 to 3 km from the town centre, and the drive to the harbour area usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Taxis wait outside arrivals, and many hotels arrange their own transfers if asked in advance.

For Ayvara guests, pick-up and drop-off are included, within limits. The service covers the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour only. Accommodation on other islands or in the Manjaga area is not covered, so guests staying there need to make their own way to the meeting point. Confirm the exact pick-up time and place with the reservations desk once the hotel is booked.

Where to stay the night before

Komodo Luxury recommends the following hotels in Labuan Bajo:

• Ayana Komodo
• Plataran Komodo Resort
• Sudamala Resort Labuan Bajo
• La Prima Hotel
• Ta’aktana Resort
• Bintang Flores
• Sylvia Resort
• Seaesta Hotel
• The Jayakarta
• Mohini Komodo Resort
• La Cecile
• Bajo Escape

Before booking a room, ask the reservations desk whether the chosen property falls inside the included pick-up zone. A resort outside the harbour area may mean arranging separate transport on the morning of departure.

Planning the flight home

On day three Ayvara stops for snorkelling at Sebayur Island at 08:00, then serves lunch at 09:30 on the way back to Labuan Bajo. The published 3D2N itinerary does not give a docking time, and sea conditions can alter any schedule. Ask the reservations desk for the expected return time before booking a same-day flight, and pick a later departure or a further night in town if the connection looks tight.

What the trip costs once there

Flights are separate, so the budget has two parts. On the Ayvara open trip, a place in a Superior Cabin is IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450) per person per 3D2N voyage, a Deluxe Cabin IDR 7,750,000 (USD 530) and the Master Cabin IDR 8,500,000 (USD 570). These are 2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026. Komodo National Park fees are not included and follow government regulations at the time of the trip. The full tables, including private charter, are on the rates page.

Timing matters as much as routing. The guide to the best time to visit Komodo sets out how the months compare.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get from Bali to Komodo Island?

Fly from Denpasar (DPS) to Labuan Bajo (LBJ), a non-stop flight of a little over an hour, then join a boat into Komodo National Park. Komodo Island has no airport, so every visit starts from Labuan Bajo harbour. Ayvara's 3D2N open trip leaves Labuan Bajo on Fridays and Mondays, every week of the year.

Which airlines fly direct to Labuan Bajo?

Komodo Luxury lists Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia and Batik Air from Bali; Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, Citilink and Batik Air from Jakarta; and Batik Air and Super Air Jet from Surabaya. Indonesian schedules change often, and timetables checked in September 2026 did not show every listed carrier on its route, so confirm with the airline or a flight search engine for the exact travel date.

Should guests arrive in Labuan Bajo the day before an Ayvara trip?

Yes. Pick-up is arranged between 8 and 9 a.m. and Ayvara sails for Kelor Island at 10:00, so a same-morning flight leaves little margin for delay. Under the booking terms a flight cancellation counts as force majeure without refund, and on a private charter a late arrival shortens the itinerary rather than extending it.

How far is Labuan Bajo airport from the harbour?

Komodo International Airport is only 2 to 3 km from the town centre, and the drive to the harbour area usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Ayvara's rate includes pick-up and drop-off within the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour. Accommodation on other islands or in the Manjaga area is not covered.

Are flights to Labuan Bajo included in the Ayvara price?

No. Flight tickets are excluded from every Ayvara rate, as are Komodo National Park fees, which follow government regulations at the time of the trip. The open trip costs IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450) to IDR 8,500,000 (USD 570) per person per 3D2N voyage depending on cabin type, on 2027 publish rates from the rate sheet dated 11 September 2026.

Sources

• en.wikipedia.org
• flightconnections.com
• flightconnections.com
• flightconnections.com
• flightconnections.com
• flightconnections.com
• en.tempo.co
• en.wikivoyage.org
• en.wikivoyage.org
• casadecapulet.com
• komodoluxury.com
• komodoluxury.com
• komodoluxury.com
• Vessel facts and rates: Komodo Luxury, Ayvara page and the 2027 rate sheet dated 11 September 2026