tl;dr – The oneworld trans-Pacific dominance is starting to take hold.
While you are here check out this awesome upcoming retreat from our friends at Aetheria Movement.
Air Tahiti Nui recently announced it will open direct service to Sydney from its Papeete (PPT) hub. While this might seem like a smaller move, it actually could be rather clutch for trans-Pacific itineraries, in particular when flying booking with partner airlines that are members of the oneworld alliance (Alaska, America, Qantas, etc.).
Notably, Air Tahiti Nui has expressed an interest in joining the oneworld alliance as a full member. While that may not (or may?) come to fruition, this PPT-SYD route falls in line with my view that the oneworld alliance is set to dominate transpacific travel in the wake of the Alaska Hawaiian merger.
In particular, increased route coverage from those pesky (beautiful) islands in the middle of the ocean to the mainland on either side of the ocean is a necessary step. And that’s exactly what we have here.
Here’s a look at the planned schedule (subject to airport approvals) which would begin December 2026:
I recently flew Air Tahiti Nui’s Poerava Business Class twice – from LAX to Papeete, and then from PPT to Tokyo (NRT).
I found it to be an enjoyable experience, with friendly service, comfortable seats, and simple yet tasty dining offerings.
I’ll have full reviews for both of those two flights, and I also plan to write a longer piece on the following thought: French Polynesia (despite its remoteness) is actually a great country to pair with another bucket-list destination.
While there aren’t a ton of destinations from Papeete (not counting interisland flights in Polynesia), you can fly direct to Japan (mentioned above), New Zealand, Fiji, the US, Australia, and the super dark-horse destination of Rapa Nui (aka Easter Island). Pairing one of these countries with French Polynesia allows you to enjoy a myriad of different cultural, culinary, and outdoorsy experiences, after you’ve had a chance to float in that stunning South Pacific water. The best part is that, with all of these countries (excluding Rapa Nui, where you’d have to fly to Chile first), you’re just one long-haul flight back to the US. No need to backtrack…unless you want another glimpse of that water!
