Virgin Australia launches new Melbourne-Bali flights from $499 return

It’s one of our favourite places to holiday, and now getting to Bali just got cheaper with a new Virgin Australia flight set to shake up the competition.

Virgin Australia is set to shake up one of Australia’s most popular Bali flight routes, with the airline laying down a challenge to its competitors with $499 return fares from Melbourne.

From March, Virgin Australia will become the fifth airline flying the Melbourne-Bali route – and its $499 return launch fares are threatening to spark a price war.

Virgin’s launch fares look competitive when compared with Jetstar, which offers Melbourne-Bali fares under $200 each way during sales – not including checked luggage or meals – on its Boeing 787 services.

Other full-service carriers on the route include Indonesian airline Garuda and Qantas, which launched its own daily flights on the route last year.

Malaysian-based airline Malindo Air launched its Melbourne-Bali flights in June 2018, spruiking fares from $608 return.

WATCH: VIRGIN AUSTRALIA’S ‘CRAZY’ NEW AD

WHAT NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT BALI

13 TRICKS TO BAG A DIRT CHEAP FLIGHT

From March, Virgin Australia will become the fifth airline flying the Melbourne-Bali route Picture: AAP Image/Claudia Baxter.

Virgin Australia’s re-entry to the Melbourne-Denpasar flight market comes three years after it pulled out of the route, to make way for its low-cost subsidiary Tigerair to fly to Bali.

Tigerair’s Bali flights were short-lived, surviving less than a year before the route was cancelled following a stoush with the Indonesian Government.

Subject to regulatory approval, Virgin’s new flights, to be operated on a Boeing 737, will depart five times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with the first flight departing Sunday, March 29.

The launch sale runs until Monday, November 25, with economy fares from $299 one way and $499 return.

Passengers can upgrade to Economy X from an extra $89, giving them extra legroom, priority screening and boarding (where available), and allocated overhead baggage storage.

Business class companion fares start at $699 one way and $1299 return (a minimum of two fares must be booked together).

The sale fares are available for travel from April 16 to June 17, and from July 19 to September 9, 2020.

To book, visit virginaustralia.com.au

9 RULES TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT BALI

HILARIOUS TRUTH ABOUT EVERY AUSSIE IN BALI

20 BALI RESORTS TO BLOW YOUR MIND