With the landing on October 1, 2011 of a Garuda Boeing 737-800 ER on the 2750-meter runway the new Lombok International Airport (Bandara Internasional Lombok, BIL), which will replace the old Mataram Selaparang Airport, was officially opened.
The old Selaparang Airport was officially closed on September 30, 2011 at 18:00. With the replacement of the Selaparang airport the Lombok International Airport is expected to improve the local economy and welfare of Nusa Tenggara Barat. The Lombok International Airport is with an area of 551 hectares the second largest airport after Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The development of the airport took over a decade and was delayed numerous times and came with a cost of almost Rp 1 trillion ($100 million).
Most flights from Lombok International Airport are to Jakarta and to Surabaya but there are many more flights to other destinations as well, most of them by Super Air Jet. Every day there are flights to 11 destinations from Lombok International Airport. Here are the most popular destinations:
The Lombok International Airport (BIL) is located in the village of Tanak Awu Pujut, Central Lombok, about 30 km southeast of Mataram, and only 15km from Kuta Beach.
Comfortable and air-conditioned Damri busses to Mataram and Senggigi can be found outside on the left side of the terminal. Busses to Mataram will stop at Mandalika Bus Terminal, fare is Rp 25.000 per person. From Mandalika Bus Terminal you can continue your journey by bus or taxi. The Damri bus to Senggigi departs less often (once per one or two hours), fare is Rp 40.000 and it will drop you off near the Art Market in Senggigi. The bus ride will take about 1,5 hour.
Taxis are widely available and all use the meter. A ride into Mataram city would cost around Rp. 175.000 and to Senggigi Rp. 250.000.
All prices quoted here were found in July 2017
