As of September 2026, no airline or charter brand runs a scheduled seaplane service between Lombok and the Gili Islands. Every crossing to Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, or Gili Meno today is a boat plus land transfer; seaplane flights exist only as private charters, and the Bendungan Batujai waterbase is still being prepared.
That gap is exactly what this guide maps. Juara Holding Group runs this site as an independent coordination desk, founded in 2015, that arranges seaplane charters and connecting transport with licensed operators and partners — we do not own or operate any aircraft ourselves. Every page below states plainly what is scheduled, what is a private-charter option, and what is still a government plan on paper.
Where Do Seaplanes Land Around Lombok and the Gilis?
A seaplane needs a certified or registered water aerodrome under Indonesia’s Ministerial Regulation on Water Aerodromes (August 2025), plus a coordination agreement with AirNav Indonesia and the relevant maritime authority before it can touch down commercially. Around Lombok and the Gilis, most of the sites people ask about are still at the planning or approach-study stage rather than open for booked traffic.
| Water-landing site | Current status (as of Sep 2026) | What’s confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan | Not permitted for take-off/landing | The area is a marine conservation zone; a February 2026 government report states permits had not been issued here |
| Gili Air | No public operation | No scheduled or charter waterbase confirmed; approach would need the same conservation clearance as Trawangan |
| Gili Meno | No public operation | Smallest of the three Gilis; no waterbase or permit activity reported |
| Mandalika (south Lombok coast) | No public operation | No waterbase project reported for this stretch of coastline |
| Bendungan Batujai, Central Lombok | In preparation | NTB provincial government and PT Aman Air signed an MoU on 28 Feb 2026 to build a waterbase here, planned to serve amphibious flights to five NTB island destinations including Gili Trawangan |
| Lombok International Airport (BIZAM) | Existing runway, not a waterbase | December 2025 NTB tourism reporting said seaplane links from BIZAM to small islands were being prepared to start in 2026; this is a land airport, not a water landing site |
If you are told a seaplane will land directly at your Gili resort’s jetty today, treat that as a charter-specific arrangement to confirm in writing, not a standing route — see how charter requests and aircraft options actually work on our operators and aircraft page.
Seaplane or Fast Boat for the Gili Crossing?
For nearly everyone crossing to the Gilis this year, the honest answer is: boat. Public boats from Bangsal Harbour run about IDR 15,000 to Gili Air (roughly 20 minutes), IDR 18,000 to Gili Meno (about 30 minutes), and IDR 20,000 to Gili Trawangan (about 40 minutes). Faster options exist too — Teluk Nare fast boats cost IDR 85,000–150,000 per person for a 10–15 minute crossing, and a private speedboat chartered from Bangsal runs about IDR 550,000 per boat regardless of headcount, reaching Trawangan in roughly 15 minutes.
Where a private seaplane charter can make sense is a Bali-to-Gili or multi-stop itinerary where a broker can coordinate an on-request flight with a licensed operator, timed around daylight water-landing windows — realistically mornings between 08:00 and 11:00 or afternoons between 13:00 and 16:00, since low-light water landings are not viable. No confirmed seaplane fare table for this corridor exists publicly, and we will not publish invented numbers. Full route-by-route detail sits on our seaplane versus fast boat comparison.
Bali-departure boats to the Gilis run on fixed daily schedules: Padang Bai crossings take about 1.5 hours with departures at 08:00, 09:15, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, and 15:00, fares IDR 250,000–350,000. Sanur and Serangan crossings take 3–3.5 hours, with Sanur fares around IDR 350,000–450,000 and Serangan around IDR 400,000–500,000. Private charter boats from Padang Bai start near IDR 3,500,000 for up to six passengers.
How Does Booking a Seaplane Charter Work?
Because there is no scheduled seaplane timetable to check, every enquiry on this route starts as a direct request. Here is what that process looks like when you contact our desk:
- Send your dates, group size, and starting point — Bali, Lombok’s BIZAM airport, or a specific Gili — by WhatsApp or email.
- We check current aircraft and waterbase availability with licensed operators and partners, including whether a conservation-zone permit or alternative pickup point is needed for your chosen Gili.
- You receive a written quote covering the charter itself plus any connecting boat or car transfer, dated to the day it was issued since availability and permits change.
- You confirm and we coordinate logistics — resort pickup timing, weather contingency, and a fallback boat option if conditions or permits rule out the flight.
- We stay on WhatsApp through your travel day in case weather or a late permit change requires switching to the boat plan.
Because permits, weather windows, and waterbase status can all change month to month, treat every quote as date-stamped rather than a fixed fare. See the full pricing and booking mechanics on our charter cost and booking guide.
Talk to the coordination desk: WhatsApp +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com. Juara Holding Group is an independent broker, not an aircraft operator — we arrange your charter and connecting transport with vetted, licensed partners and tell you plainly when a route is still a plan rather than a booking.
Explore the Lombok + Gili Seaplane Network
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan seaplane landing | Conservation-zone permit status and what a charter to Trawangan actually requires |
| Gili Air & Gili Meno seaplane access | Landing status and boat-connection alternatives for the two smaller Gilis |
| Mandalika seaplane landing | What’s confirmed (and not) for a water landing near south Lombok’s coast |
| Bendungan Batujai NTB waterbase | The NTB–PT Aman Air MoU, its five-island plan, and its 2026 preparation timeline |
| Seaplane operators & aircraft in Lombok | Which operators fly this region and how charter aircraft are sourced |
| Seaplane vs fast boat for the Gili crossing | Time, cost, and comfort trade-offs across both options |
| Seaplane timetable expectations | Why there’s no fixed schedule yet and how charter timing actually works |
| Resort seaplane pickups | How resort and villa pickups are coordinated around water-landing rules |
| Weather & swell for Lombok seaplanes | Dry vs wet season windows and when flights (and boats) get cancelled |
| Seaplane charter cost in Lombok | How quotes are built, what’s included, and why fares aren’t fixed |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a scheduled seaplane between Lombok and the Gili Islands in 2026?
No. As of September 2026, every publicly citable option on this corridor is a boat plus land transfer. The only clearly commercial seaplane brand appearing in searches for this route, Santai Seaplane Indonesia, lists a Bali–Lombok charter product and is a separate, unaffiliated operator — not a scheduled Gili service.
When will the Bendungan Batujai waterbase open for seaplane flights?
No public opening date has been confirmed. NTB’s provincial government and PT Aman Air signed an MoU on 28 February 2026 to prepare the waterbase, and separate December 2025 reporting described 2026 as a preparation year for BIZAM-linked flights. Treat any 2027 network timeline as a projection, not a booking guarantee.
Can I land a seaplane directly at Gili Trawangan?
Not currently. Government reporting dated February 2026 states that take-off and landing permits for Gili Trawangan had not been issued because the island sits inside a marine conservation area. A charter request to Trawangan would need that clearance resolved first, or would land elsewhere with a boat connection.
Is a seaplane faster than the fast boat to the Gilis?
For the short Lombok–Gili hop itself, a private speedboat from Bangsal already covers Gili Trawangan in about 15 minutes, and Teluk Nare fast boats take 10–15 minutes for around IDR 85,000–150,000 per person. A seaplane’s advantage would show up on longer, multi-stop itineraries such as Bali-to-Gili, where it replaces several hours of boat and road transfer — arranged only as a charter today.
How do I get an honest seaplane quote for the Lombok-Gili route?
Contact the coordination desk directly by WhatsApp at +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com with your dates, group size, and starting point. Because no fixed fare table exists for this route, every quote is checked against current aircraft, permit, and weather conditions before it’s sent, and it is dated to the day it was issued.