Indonesian domestic flights follow different baggage rules from your international ticket, and the allowance depends on the kind of airline. Under Indonesian regulation, a full-service airline includes up to 20 kilograms of checked baggage in an economy fare, a medium-service airline up to 15, and a no-frills airline may charge for every checked bag. Read the fare conditions before you buy, and never connect a domestic flight tightly to your flight home.
When a Bali trip includes a domestic flight
A domestic flight enters a Bali trip when the itinerary leaves the island: to Lombok for the Gili Islands, to Labuan Bajo for Komodo, to Java, or onward to another part of Indonesia. These flights are short. The planning around them is where the trouble lies, since they are separate from the ticket that brought you from the United States.
A separate booking
A domestic flight bought independently is a separate contract from your international ticket. The US Department of Transportation's advice for any connection involving two airlines is to ask whether your bags will be transferred. On separate bookings, assume they will not, and that a delay on one flight is not the other airline's concern.
Baggage allowances
Indonesia's Transport Ministry sorts domestic airlines into three service groups, and the checked baggage included in an economy fare depends on the group. According to Indonesian legal and business press reporting on Regulation PM 185 of 2015, full-service airlines include up to 20 kilograms, medium-service airlines up to 15, and no-frills airlines may charge.
Why it catches Americans out
A traveler who flew to Bali with a generous international allowance may hold a domestic ticket that includes far less, or nothing. 20 kilograms is about 44 pounds and 15 kilograms about 33. Two large suitcases that crossed the Pacific without charge can cost extra on a short hop to Lombok.
Which airline is in which group
We do not list which airline falls in which group, because classifications and fare products change, and we could not open the regulation itself to confirm the current position. The airline's own fare conditions, shown before payment, are the authority. Look for the checked baggage figure on the fare you are choosing.
Buying baggage
Where baggage is charged, our advice is to buy it when you book, since adding it at the airport is the costly way. Weigh your bags before you leave the hotel. We quote no fees, because they vary by airline, route and when you pay.
Carry-on and special items
Carry-on allowances on domestic flights are set by each airline and are often smaller than on long-haul flights. We have no official figure to quote. Check the cabin allowance for your fare, and keep medicines, documents and valuables in the bag that stays with you.
Surfboards and dive gear
Surfboards, dive equipment and other sports gear are handled under each airline's own rules and are often charged separately. Ask the airline before booking if you are traveling with a board. A short domestic flight can cost more for the board than for the passenger.
Medicines and batteries
Keep prescription medicine in hand luggage in its original packaging, with the prescription. Indonesia's medicine rules apply on domestic flights as they do on arrival. Spare lithium batteries and power banks belong in the cabin on any flight, not in checked bags.
