Ngurah Rai International (DPS) — locally called Bali International, formally named after the local Balinese hero — is one of the most heavily-trafficked tourist airports in Asia and is also one of the most underwhelming for drinking. The terminal is functional rather than ambitious. The Premier Lounge (Priority Pass accessible) is the best public-side option at DPS, with a proper cocktail bar and decent wine list. The Garuda Indonesia Executive Lounge is the SkyTeam Elite Plus play.
The cheat code at DPS is the Holiday Inn Express Baruna Bali, a five-minute shuttle from the terminal — basic but pours proper Bintang at non-airport prices. The actual cheat is to skip the airport entirely: Seminyak is 15 minutes by taxi, and the rooftop bars at Potato Head Beach Club and Ku De Ta are some of the best beach-side cocktail rooms in Asia. If you've got 60 minutes pre-airport, the round trip is tight but viable; 90 minutes makes it comfortable.
By terminal, ranked
Plays for Bali Airport: post-security, pre-security, lounges, and the airport-hotel cheat code.
Better drinking in Bali proper
Skip the airport entirely. These rooms are worth the cab, even with luggage.
The Friday Pour
Pre-flight drinks, hotel-bar reviews, and the openings we're watching across 200+ cities. Friday mornings, no filler.