You are planning your next trip to French Polynesia but you don't know how to find a cheap flight to Tahiti.
Indeed, when you want to visit the most beautiful islands of Polynesia, you must first book a flight to Tahiti and then domestic flights for the islands or atolls you wish to discover. See for example my 3 week multi-island tour.
However, flights represent a big expense for a trip to the other side of the Earth, especially since currently ticket prices have risen sharply. But you will see below that there are tips and good plans to find a cheaper plane ticket to Tahiti.
How long is the flight to Tahiti?
Whichever company you choose, none offers a direct flight from France to Tahiti. And whatever your departure city, there will always be at least one stopover. As a result, it takes at least a 21-hour journey to get to Tahiti.
It is important to know this because if you take a route with several stops, your journey will be even longer. So avoid choosing a cheap plane ticket with two or three stopovers because you risk spending 48 hours or more in flights and airports!
Which airline to fly to Tahiti?
How to choose among the airlines that take you to Tahiti: Air France, French Bee, Air Tahiti Nui, Air Caraïbes, Lufthansa, United…
Choosing the cheapest company like is not necessarily a good idea. Indeed, the cheapest fares can hold unpleasant surprises (very cramped seats, longer flight times, overbooking, high fees for checking baggage, weight limit in the hold and/or hand baggage, paid meals on board , sometimes even ticket printing is chargeable).
Choosing Air France is a guarantee of quality, but it is a company whose staff is often on strike. As a result, choosing Air France means taking the risk of having to cancel or postpone a trip due to a strike on the day of departure.
Personally, I preferred to choose Air Tahiti Nui to book my tahiti flight at a very attractive price. Indeed, it is a specialized company for flights to Polynesia from France but also from many cities in Europe, Asia or the United States (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle...).
It is recognized by tourism professionals for its reliability, the quality of its welcome and its low prices (tickets include meals and snacks on board and luggage in the hold). For example, in 2021 for the 3rd consecutive year, Air Tahiti Nui was elected Best Leisure Airline by the Global Traveler. Classification APEX Official Airline Ratings also elected her Great five star company in 2023.
How much does a flight to Tahiti cost?
It all depends on the airport you are departing from, the airline and the dates of your trip. To give you an idea, the average price of a Paris Papeete round trip is between 1300 and 3000 €. You can see that the pricing can go from single to double!
So here are some tips for finding a cheap flight to Tahiti:
Tips for finding a cheap flight to Tahiti
To pay for your plane ticket cheaper, here is how to do it:
- Book cheaper flights in traveling on the best dates : Avoid school holidays, go during the week rather than the weekend, favor the intermediate periods rather than the most favorable periods in terms of weather;
- Book your ticket several months in advance favoring the months of January, February and March. Note that ticket prices are the highest if you book them in August;
- Ticket prices also vary depending on the day of the week you book it. See on my article at what day and what time to find a cheaper plane ticket for Tahiti!
- Prices change constantly, so I recommend that you use Google Flights which allows you to follow the evolution of the price of flights to Tahiti and to receive notifications when flight prices drop. Google Flights will notify you when shifting your travel dates by a day or two is going to result in some great savings.
- If you have no professional constraints, also consider the last minute flights at bargain prices.
