French Polynesia, officially known in French as Polynésie Française or Porinetia Farani in Reo Tahiti (Tahitian), is located in Oceania. The archipelago is made up of 118 islands and atolls, many of them having air connectivity within the French overseas collectivity.

Faa’a International Airport (PPT/NTAA) is the main airport in French Polynesia, situated in Papeete, the territorial capital. The runway, with heads 04/22, is 3,420 meters long, about 11,420 feet, and receives wide-body aircraft from foreign airlines such as Air New Zealand, Hawaiian, and United, as well as French and French Polynesian airlines including Air France, French Bee, and Air Tahiti Nui.

Papeete – Bora Bora is the airport’s main route, being an inter-island route within the archipelago. It is operated by Air Tahiti and Air Moana, the two main domestic airlines in French Polynesia, both flying ATR aircraft.

This year, Air Tahiti and Air Moana added a brand new ATR 72-600 to their respective fleets, which conducted a long delivery flight between Toulouse and Papeete.

Air Tahiti’s new ATR 72, registered as F-OPFN, flew the Toulouse – Cairo – Muscat – Hyderabad – Kuala Lumpur – Denpasar – Cairns – Nadi – Papeete route, which took 11 days. Meanwhile, Air Moana’s new ATR 72, with registration F-OORA, arrived in the capital of the overseas territory from Toulouse via Cairo, Muscat, Hyderabad, Kuala Lumpur, Lombok, Cairns, and Nadi, following a 13-day trip.

Air Tahiti’s new ATR 72 landed on June 17th, while Air Moana’s new ATR 72 on June 25th. Both started operating shortly thereafter.

The beginnings

The idea of establishing flights between the islands of the archipelago began to emerge in the early 1950s, with the creation of the first Air Tahiti, which is not related to the current airline, founded by a group of entrepreneurs. Due to a lack of infrastructure and technology, Polynesia was not connected to any of the continents, and the only aeronautical activity was linked to the United States Air Force, with a military base in Bora Bora since 1943.

Air Tahiti commenced operations with a Grumman J-4F Widgeon seaplane, configured to carry seven passengers. Given the limited capacity and high demand for these services, the French Ministry of Overseas Territories purchased a 12-seat Grumman Mallard for French Polynesia, which allowed its expansion to other islands.

In July 1953, the Air Tahiti brand disappeared from the skies following a decision by the territorial government in favor of TAI (Transports Aérins Intercontinentaux), which had asserted its entitlement to the allocation of local transport services under agreements signed with Air France. Air Tahiti’s operations were transferred to RAI (Régie Aérienne Interinsulare), continuing to develop connectivity and expand its fleet, all of them seaplanes.

Development

The development of runways and airports in French Polynesia started as of 1960, with the construction of Faa’a International Airport in Tahiti, currently the territory’s main airport, enabling the arrival of international commercial flights. In addition, during that same decade, eight other runways were built in the archipelago, and around 30 in the following 20 years.

In 1970, RAI became Air Polynésie, a subsidiary of Union de Transports Aériens (UTA), which ended up merging with Air France in the next decade. This resulted in the sale of Air Polynésie, acquired by local investors in 1987. The airline was renamed Air Tahiti and incorporated its first aircraft that same year, marking the beginning of a long-term agreement with aircraft manufacturer ATR, as its first aircraft was an ATR 42-300 registered F-ODUD.

Air Tahiti

Air Tahiti (VT/VTA) underwent significant growth within the archipelago, establishing itself as the leading airline in the domestic market. Its fleet currently consists of two ATR 42-600s with 48 seats in single class, and ten ATR 72-600s configured for 68 passengers. 

In addition, for some of its operations in Nuku Hiva (NHV/NTMD), the airline currently uses a Twin Otter with registration HB-LUB, which belongs to Zimex Aviation and covers flights to Ua Huka and Ua Pou, four times a week each.

Routes

Air Tahiti has about 90% of the domestic market, being Faa’a International Airport its hub.

Air Moana

Air Moana (NM/NTR), the latest French Polynesian airline founded until now, is based in Papeete, and began regular operations in February 2023 with one ATR 72-600. 

As you can see in our database, the inaugural flight took place on February 13th, 2023, aboard the ATR 72-600 with registration F-ORMT, named “Poeiti.” It departed Papeete at 07:39 local time and arrived at Motu Mute Airport in Bora Bora at 08:24 local time after a 45-minute flight. An hour later, the aircraft returned to Tahiti, thus making its first Papeete-Bora Bora-Papeete flight.

Almost a month following its launch, Air Moana added its second ATR 72-600 (“Poenui”) which was given the French registry F-ORMU. After serving between September 2016 and May 2022 for PNG Air, an airline from Papua New Guinea, it joined Air Moana, where it continues to operate.

Air Moana was in the process of expanding in the archipelago, with the addition of new inter-island routes and the consolidation of its position in the French Polynesian market. However, 2024 was not a great year for the airline.

On September 25th, 2024, Air Moana president Olivier-Jean Bréaud published a statement to the elected members of the assembly that, without private or government support, the company would cease operations in five days, effective September 30th, 2024, due to financial difficulties that had worsened significantly during the year.

Finally, following an agreement with private funds and the government, Air Moana managed to raise 4 billion Pacific francs, around US$40 million, enabling it to continue operating its two ATR 72-600s and retain its 240 employees. Air Moana also hired a new CEO, Lionel Guerin.

Shortly thereafter, the airline announced the addition of a new ATR 72-600 to its fleet, leaving Toulouse for Papeete on June 20th at 11:23 local time. The aircraft was named Poehere, and it arrived in French Polynesia after a 13-day ferry flight.

Air Moana is currently operating with its three ATR 72-600s, registered as F-ORMT, F-ORMU, and F-OORA. The first two ATR have 72 seats in single class, while the latest addition is configured for 68 passengers in single class.

Faa’a International Airport in Papeete is its main hub, where its three ATR aircraft are based. Its routes are also centered in the capital of the overseas territory, although it also connects other cities in the archipelago.

Routes

Air Tahiti Nui

Air Tahiti Nui (TN/THT) is the flag carrier of French Polynesia, owned by the government, operating long-haul routes to/from Faa’a International Airport in Papeete with a fleet consisting of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The airline was founded on October 31st, 1996, and launched operations on November 20th, 1998. Air Tahiti Nui was the first French Polynesian-based airline to perform long-haul routes from the autonomous territory, with the aim of boosting tourism in the archipelago.

Despite its development on the island, Air Tahiti Nui was close to bankruptcy in 2011 after years of deficits and financial problems. The French Polynesian government carried out a restructuring to restore the airline’s profits, which began to take effect in 2015.

That same year, the airline announced the replacement of its Airbus A340-300 aircraft, which had been in service since 2001. Its first aircraft was the Airbus A340-211 with registration F-OITN, being replaced by five Airbus A340-300s, operating until September 2019.

Air Tahiti Nui added its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to its fleet in October 2018, brand new from the factory. The aircraft, with registration F-OMUA, departed Charleston on October 9th, 2018 bound for Papeete.

The airline subsequently introduced three more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, under registration numbers F-ONUI, F-OTOA and F-OVAA, which continue in operation.

Its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners are configured with 30 seats in Business, 32 seats in Premium Economy, and 232 seats in Economy, for a total of 294 seats. Auckland, Los Angeles, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Seattle, and Tokyo Narita are its current destinations, with the following schedule:

Routes

Papeete – Paris Charles de Gaulle, via Los Angeles, is the longest domestic route worldwide, operated by Air Tahiti Nui and Air France. Both airlines connect French Polynesia, belonging to France, with mainland France, with a flight time of around 19 hours for the Papeete – Paris leg, and about 20 hours for the return journey.

French Bee, another French airline, operates a similar domestic route, Paris Orly – San Francisco – Papeete and vice versa, performing three weekly flights with 338-seat Airbus A350-900 aircraft. It is the only French airline connecting the archipelago with San Francisco, competing with United Airlines.

As we mentioned, Air Tahiti Nui operates Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, while Air France offers this service on Airbus A350-900 aircraft configured for 324 passengers in three classes (34 seats in Business, 24 seats in Premium Economy, and 266 seats in Economy).

Until early January 2025, Air Tahiti Nui, in addition to the Papeete-Los Angeles-Paris route and vice versa, also operated the Papeete-Seattle-Paris route and vice versa, which it discontinued in order to strengthen its network in more profitable markets. Furthermore, as of January 2026, the airline will cease flights between Papeete and Seattle, thus definitively leaving Tacoma Airport.

Air Tetiaroa

Returning to airlines operating within the French overseas collectivity, we continue with Air Tetiaroa (TOA), a carrier with four aircraft in its fleet that provides non-scheduled flights.

Tetiaroa is the name of an atoll located in the Society Islands, about 60 kilometers north of Faa’a International Airport in Papeete, where its entire fleet is based, consisting of two Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbin Islanders and two Twin Otters.

Air Tetiaroa was founded in 2013 by Pacific Beachcomber, a major hotel brand with luxury resorts on several islands in the archipelago. It commenced operations in 2014 with two Twin Otters, later adding its two current Islanders.

Although it does not have a schedule with regular frequencies and timetables, Air Tetiaroa usually operates the following routes, according to our database.

Routes

Cover photo: © Cyril Delehaye – JetPhotos (Tahiti, French Polynesia)