Getting to Bali from the East Coast of the US

[boulderjohn]

And BTW, Heathrow sucks too.

Coming back from Turkey last year, we had to go through Heathrow. It was one of the very worst travel experiences of my life. We had to walk forever through labyrinthine passages, struggling to find our way. At one point, as we approached a node where we would have to put luggage through, we encountered repeated signs and audio warnings telling us not to yell at or harass the workers, or we would be prosecuted. When we got there, those workers were so rude and unfriendly that I wanted to say "The Hell with it! It's worth going to jail to yell at these jerks!"

This year, we returned through Heathrow, traveling from Prague, and we were prepared for more horrors. As we left the plane and started our travel, we passed a woman carrying a Viking Cruise sign with a list of passengers to meet. We had been on a Viking trip, so we naturally glanced and were surprised to see our names were on it. Once she had gathered everyone, she led us all through those labyrinthine passages and got us to our connection without difficulty. She explained that the sheer, unmitigated Hell of Heathrow Airport was so very famous that Viking had gotten permission to provide that service for its customers, at no extra charge.

 

[Doc Harry]

...we had to go through Heathrow. It was one of the very worst travel experiences of my life. We had to walk forever through labyrinthine passages, struggling to find our way...

Yes! And then we had to wait in a very long line on stairs at a gate for a bus that took us all the way across the airport to a completely different gate! WTF?

 

[boulderjohn]

Yes! And then we had to wait in a very long line on stairs at a gate for a bus that took us all the way across the airport to a completely different gate! WTF?

I left that out for brevity's sake.

 

[nippurmagnum]

Do you have an airline alliance??

I travel alot so I always try and get the most out of my points and status as well. Currently United 1K and Delta Platinum Medallion so I usually try and find a Star Alliance or Sky Team route.

If you are flying out of WAS you can get to DPS with only 1 stop (actually really really nice) you can go around the Doha way or the other way through Inchon. Both are about the same travel time plus or minus a couple hours. So if I were you I would base it on what airline alliance you are collecting points with. Personally I like going through Inchon and I would actually split the flights up so that I had a full 24hr + layover in Korea. two back to back long haul flights is not very pleasant. Doing one flight then putzing around Seoul, eating lots of amazing food seeing some sight etc then flying the next day is a lot less tiring.

Actually my favorite way to get to DPS from the US is flying through Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. It is not the most direct route but set yourself up with a 1 day layover in istanbul with Turkish Airlines they have a deal where they give you a free hotel (nice hotel) and shuttle bus. Istanbul is such an interesting city to walk through, I just love it an the food is amazing!! Also Turkish Airlines give you a free additional checked back of scuba gear. Lots of times you can get some really good deals on business class seat with Turkish Airlines as well.

I can tell you that there are plenty of direct flight from tons and tons of airports around the world into DPS so there is no need to fly to CGK. Avoid Jakarta as much as you can.

Many thanks for the Turkish Air suggestion. Just earlier this month I flew Turkish Air to Cairo for a Red Sea dive trip, and did the overnight layover at an Istanbul hotel, courtesy of the airline, which was great. So I looked into it for a flight to Bali and just found I could do the same with just one stop in Istanbul for as little as $1,100. Really love that idea so planning to book that for a trip this October. My wife has never been to Istanbul and I think she’d really enjoy it.

 

[GF99/99]

Many thanks for the Turkish Air suggestion. Just earlier this month I flew Turkish Air to Cairo for a Red Sea dive trip, and did the overnight layover at an Istanbul hotel, courtesy of the airline, which was great. So I looked into it for a flight to Bali and just found I could do the same with just one stop in Istanbul for as little as $1,100. Really love that idea so planning to book that for a trip this October. My wife has never been to Istanbul and I think she’d really enjoy it.

Yup if you time it right you can get some really good deals on Turkish Airlines. Also its really nice to split up the long haul flights and have a nice rest day in Istanbul. Flying back to back long haul flights is not ideal. I know some just want to rip the bandaid off and get the whole thing over with but I would much rather split up long haul flights. Same if you fly through Dubai. I always get my flights setup where I have a day or two in Dubai be for my next long haul flight.

You will really enjoy Istanbul, great city to just walk/roam around. Lots to do and see.

 

[boulderjohn]

A month or so ago I heard a man talk about problems with travel plans, and he had had to go out of his way because the best route would require him to fly Turkish Airlines, and he did not want to do it because, well, frankly, he assumed it would be bad. Why? Well, it was Turkish, after all.

He was absolutely shocked when I told him that in my experience, Turkish Airlines was excellent, one of the best I had ever flown.

So I am writing this in case any readers are, like that man, unduly influenced by personal prejudice.

 

[Dan]

I flew Turkish Airlines a few times to Egypt & Indonesia. I even got free overnight stay in Istanbul & city tour.

I flew other airlines to Bali including Singapore Airlines, EVA Air & Emirates. The Singapore Airlines is the best one for me, so far. They fly from Houston to Singapore with 90 minutes layover without changing flight in Manchester (so no worry about losing luggage there).

EVA would stopover in Taipei & change flight there. My luggage didn’t make with me & got stuck in Taipei twice due to late departure from Houston. The 3-hour layover in Taipei wasn’t enough for any (1-2 hours) late departure. You need to have at least 4-hour layover over in Taipei.

 

[GF99/99]

I flew Turkish Airlines a few times to Egypt & Indonesia. I even got free overnight stay in Istanbul & city tour.

I flew other airlines to Bali including Singapore Airlines, EVA Air & Emirates. The Singapore Airlines is the best one for me, so far. They fly from Houston to Singapore with 90 minutes layover without changing flight in Manchester (so no worry about losing luggage there).

EVA would stopover in Taipei & change flight there. My luggage didn’t make with me & got stuck in Taipei twice due to late departure from Houston. The 3-hour layover in Taipei wasn’t enough for any (1-2 hours) late departure. You need to have at least 4-hour layover over in Taipei.

Uhhhhh I feel your pain with EVA. I can not believe it is a Star Alliance member. I have flew them twice and will never ever fly them again first time was a disaster same thing exact thing happened with my bags but the second time they actually cancelled my ticket with out notifying me until I showed up at the airport and tried to check in. I spent countless hours/days on the phone (mostly on hold) with them arguing about this and filing a dispute with Chase the CC I used to buy the flight (I know longer have a Chase card). I do not even want to think about how many hours/days I wasted on the phone with EVA and Chase it was crazy.

 

[Dan]

Uhhhhh I feel your pain with EVA. I can not believe it is a Star Alliance member. I have flew them twice and will never ever fly them again first time was a disaster same thing exact thing happened with my bags but the second time they actually cancelled my ticket with out notifying me until I showed up at the airport and tried to check in. I spent countless hours/days on the phone (mostly on hold) with them arguing about this and filing a dispute with Chase the CC I used to buy the flight (I know longer have a Chase card). I do not even want to think about how many hours/days I wasted on the phone with EVA and Chase it was crazy.

I had to stay in Anara hotel in Jakarta for one day to let my baggage to catch up with me before flying out to Saumlaki. It’s a good thing that I flew a day early in case things like this happen.

My travel insurance, AlIianz, asked me to provide a proof of travel delay from EVA, but I haven’t been able to talk to them over the phone. The best way to deal with them was at the ticket counter at the airport, which is 75 minute drive from home. I finally got reimbursements for the travel delay (a hotel night stay & rescheduled domestic flight fee for missing the connection from Jakarta to Saumlaki on the next day) from Allianz without any documentation from EVA (other than the ticket number). Fortunately the documents from Jakarta lost baggage claim office help. The claim reimbursement process took 3 months.

My 2nd trip with my luggage stuck in Taipei was to Cebu, The Philippines. It took 2 days for my luggage to catch up with me in Malapascua.

 

[GF99/99]

I had to stay in Anara hotel in Jakarta for one day to let my baggage to catch up with me before flying out to Saumlaki. It’s a good thing that I flew a day early in case things like this happen.

My travel insurance, AlIianz, asked me to provide a proof of travel delay from EVA, but I haven’t been able to talk to them over the phone. The best way to deal with them was at the ticket counter at the airport, which is 75 minute drive from home. I finally got reimbursements for the travel delay (a hotel night stay & rescheduled domestic flight fee for missing the connection from Jakarta to Saumlaki on the next day) from Allianz without any documentation from EVA (other than the ticket number). Fortunately the documents from Jakarta lost baggage claim office help. The claim reimbursement process took 3 months.

My 2nd trip with my luggage stuck in Taipei was to Cebu, The Philippines. It took 2 days for my luggage to catch up with me in Malapascua.

What a nightmare...

All and all if I remember correctly it took me almost 6 months get things sorted out with Eva and my Chase credit card dispute. Chase removed the charge at first but almost 2-3 months later it appeared again because I guess EVA disputed my dispute so the charge was back and then the hoops Chase made me jump through to provide evidence was ridiculous and everything had to be done my physical postage mail or fax (really who has a fax machine????? seriously) If it was not thousands of dollars I probably would have just said screw it, its not worth my time or effort ill let EVA keep my money.