I want to spend a couple of days in Indonesia and want to make it to Bali (part of a larger trip). However, with the volcano situation last year, I booked my ticket to JKT at the time to see how it goes in late May when I have to travel. My existing KLM flight (KUL-JKT) arrives at 5:25 pm. I can try to 1) get a flight out to DPS that night, 2) get a hotel and get flight in the morning, or 3) just buy a KUL-DPS ticket.The KLM ticket was for $45, so it's not a big deal to lose it.

If I try to get a flight after arriving at 5:25, what's the earliest I should look at?

Any recommendations with airlines? I was thinking I might try using Malindo or Garuda (also need to go back to JKT for my flight out of Indonesia).

Do you have checked luggage? If not, look at AirAsia schedule either from KUL or from DPS. But expect that schedules change frequently.
Going from KUL directly to DPS is the most logical and cost effective option.

Agree with invisible; if your KUL-CGK ticket is a separate leg (and not trying to dump the final sector), then yes, go direct from KUL to DPS.

Thank you, this helps a lot. My KUL-JKT is a separate ticket on KLM. My longhaul ticket only takes me to Malaysia (ORD-ZRH-IST-KUL). I travel only with a wheeled bag (9kg or less) which passes for a carry-on but often I check it in if I have long layovers. I also typically have a backpack with a laptop. In full-service airlines, I can getway taking both but haven't ever flown Air Asia.

I'll be coming from Taman Negara national park and my friend from SIN who is driving says that can take up to 6 hours. Most late-night choices seem to require an overnight transit in CGK, so perhaps it's just easier to spend the night in KUL and take a direct flight in the morning with a new ticket.

I've never been to Indonesia and am looking to spend 5 full days there. I was thinking of going to Yogyakarta but that doesn't seem like it's a 5-day destination and I don't think I want to spend a lot that time in buses/airports. If there are suggestions regarding other places with history and scenic nature that are not Bali, I'm open to going somewhere else :-) I considered going to Mount Bromo but again that seemed like a lot of travel days and not enough there to stay the whole duration.

In 2014, I spent 10 full days in Indonesia. Of that, I spent 5 days in Java visiting Yogyakarta and Bromo, and 5 days in Bali in Ubud.

I do think you have enough time to visit Yogyakarta and Bromo, in 5 days. You can fly KUL to JOG. Spend 3 night, and visit Prambanan and Borobudur. On the 4th day you can fly in the morning from JOG to SUB. There flights are not expensive. You can arrange car and driver to pick you up from the SUB airport and drive you to Bromo. See the sunrise early next morning, hike to creator, and then after a late breakfast, have the driver take you back to the SUB airport to catch an evening flight back to KUL on the 5th day.

Just don't get LCC brain-washed. Malaysia can come up with some very good fares on this route, which include bags and a meal, and (joy of joys) it's just over the hurdle for them to serve you a beer with your meal. My post-Christmas flight on MH was significantly cheaper than the Air Asia offer - though it might have been a promotional fluke.

Another option is fly KUL-JOG; train JOG-SUB (connecting to Probolinggo/Mt Bromo by rail or private car; SUB-KUL. (or vice-versa)

5 days is definitely enough to cover this route, and the train would provide a scenic relief from dealing with airports. Prambanan and Borobodor will definitely provide some history and scenery, and you can book a private car to see both for ~$30.

I have flown Air Asia quite a bit, and I have never had a negative experience. The airfare can be dirt cheap if you catch a sale or book way in advance, but it does seem to keep going up quite a bit as the dates get closer. They are usually not very strict at the gate, but I always purchase the fare that covers my luggage. One advantage on LCC is that you can get the bulkhead/exit row seats for a few dollars more, unlike most legacy carriers that require status or hefty surcharges. You can book a package including these seats, a checked bag, and a meal for only a little more than the standard ticket price. These tickets are usually modifiable as well.

Thank you - these are some excellent suggestions. I have been researching Yogyakarta. Prambanan and Borobudur seem exactly up my alley. I previously visited Siem Reap and loved it there (though I think I was templed out after 3 days). I was thinking, however, I might spend all the time there. I looked up that one can go see sunrise from Mount Merapi (so that's a replacement for Mt Bromo activity). If there's a day trip to some scenic Ubud-like place, I think that would complete everything I want. If I stay put in one place, I could also get a free night using my Marriott credit card.

Downinit - yes, I agree with the bulkhead seats. I've gotten them on Frontier Airlines (US LCC), and it works out cheaply enough.

But I'll definitely check Malaysia as well as Garuda. I'm just disappointed there's no Star Alliance carrier there (Singapore and Thai just don't work for Malaysia/Indonesia price-wise).

For intra-SEA flights full service Star Alliance airlines do not make financial sense. For 1-3h flights you are going to pay 3x-6x the price comparing to LCC.

There have been really cheap Malaysia Air flights KUL-DPS in business. Not Star, but.

Sounds like you'd rather do Yogyakarta which I've never managed to get to.