Virgin Australia Targets Perth-Bali From 2027

Virgin Australia wants a serious slice of the Bali market. In an application lodged with the International Air Services Commission (IASC) this week, the airline has asked for 5,086 extra seats per week in each direction on the Indonesia route. The largest share of that is set aside for a new service between Perth and Bali from 21 June 2027.

Virgin’s Bali expansion plans are less toe in the water and more cannonball off the pool bar, with the application seeking 17 weekly return flights between Perth and Denpasar. On Saturdays, that’s four flights a day!

In its filing, Virgin says the capacity will support “increased frequencies from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Denpasar and the introduction of services between Perth and Denpasar”.

The extra seats come from an updated Australia-Indonesia air services agreement signed in September, which opened up 5,000 additional weekly seats for Australian airlines.

There's just one catch: Qantas wants them too, and it got in first. Its application asks for 4,539 weekly seats for Qantas and Jetstar, so with Virgin now chasing 5,086, the two bids add up to almost double what's on offer. Of course, this means it’s unlikely both airlines will get to operate every flight they’ve proposed.

Virgin Australia is however highlighting that they currently hold only about 20% of the capacity available to Australian airlines under the agreement. Its Perth flights would also make Virgin the second Australian airline group on the route.

Virgin Australia hopes to launch Perth to Bali from 2027

Virgin Australia Plans Perth-Bali Flights

Virgin Australia hopes to launch a new service between Perth and Bali from 21 June 2027. Flights would run on Virgin’s Boeing 737-8 MAX, which seats 182 passengers, with eight recliner seats in business class and 174 economy seats.

The plan is for 17 weekly return Perth-Bali flights, with the airline sharing the following proposed schedule.

Extra Flights From Melbourne, Sydney And Brisbane

Perth isn’t the only city where Virgin wants more Bali flights. The airline has also requested extra weekly flights from three east coast cities, on top of its existing services:

• Melbourne: four extra weekly flights from 13 December 2026
• Sydney: four extra weekly flights from 23 March 2027
• Brisbane: three extra weekly flights from 16 September 2027

Summing Up

Virgin Australia has asked IASC for enough capacity to run 28 extra weekly return flights to Bali, led by 17 a week from Perth, with Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane also in line for more flights.

The catch is that Qantas and Jetstar have also bid for seats, and with the two applications adding up to almost double what's available, the IASC will have to pick winners. If Virgin gets its way, Perth travellers are about to have a lot more choice on the run to Bali.