Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340 at Faa’a International Airport, Tahiti
Although it is possible to get to Tahiti by ship and, for lucky ones, by yacht, the only practical way for most people is to fly.
French Polynesia’s international airline is Air Tahiti Nui and it flies to and from the USA, New Zealand and Japan. There are ten flights a week from Los Angeles; with two flights a day on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and one flight on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Air Tahiti Nui is the airline most used by Australians, as its flights from Auckland to Tahiti leave in the afternoon and can be met by a morning flight from Australia. When we first went to Tahiti in 2010 we flew Qantas to Auckland, but in 2015 we went on an Emirates A380, which is a lovely way to fly.
Emirates Airbus A380 after arriving in Auckland from Dubai, via Sydney
At the moment Air Tahiti Nui flies from Auckland on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The airline flies to and from Tokyo, leaving that city for Papeete at 4:15pm on Monday and Saturday.
Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Papeete and return, leaving Auckland at 9:20am Monday and 5:35pm on Friday. The Monday flight is generally impractical for Australians as there is not enough time for a flight to get into Auckland to meet this departure.
Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340 at the gate at Auckland, preparing to return to Papeete as TN101
Air France comes to Tahiti twice a week, leaving Los Angeles on Saturday and Tuesday at 11:55pm and arriving at Papeete’s Faa’a International Airport early the following day.
Air France Boeing 777 at Faaa International Airport after arriving from Los Angeles
Hawaiian Airlines has a Saturday flight direct from Honolulu which departs at 3:30pm. LAN flies into Papeete via Easter Island, leaving Santiago every Monday at 6:25pm.
LAN Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Finally, the domestic airline, Air Tahiti, flies once a week to the Cook Islands and back, leaving Rarotonga at 3:55pm on Thursday.
Air Tahiti ATR72 at Papeete
Once in Tahiti all inter island flights are operated by Air Tahiti, with a fleet of French-built ATR72 and ATR42 aircraft. Air Tahiti flies from Papeete to 26 other islands in French Polynesia, as well as having flights between other islands. The flights range from about seven minutes to and from Moorea to almost six hours to the Gambier and Marquesas Archipelagos.
Air Tahiti ATR42 at Bora Bora