Air Tahiti Nui: Your Ticket to Paradise

Beach in Moorea (Photo: Gerry Barker)

​By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

If you were to name the most beautiful spots on the planet, one place that should make everyone's list is French Polynesia. The home of the Society Islands, including Tahiti and Bora Bora, its volcanic peaks, surrounded by crystalline waters in every shade of blue, create indelible memories for any visitor.

One person who knows that first hand is Sebastien Desfresnes, Air Tahiti Nui's Head of Sales - The Americas, who talked about the latest news from both the airline and the islands at the recently-concluded Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach.

"We are seeing a lot of traction with smaller ships," said Desfresnes, "which is good for Tahiti," pointing out that the smaller cruise ships take guests to five or six islands, delivering a lot of value for the money. Both Windstar and Paul Gauguin offer year-round cruises there. In 2027, Windstar will deploy the newly-refurbished sailing ship, Wind Star, to join Star Breeze in French Polynesia with its "Dreams of Tahiti" itinerary.

Another key development Desfresnes pointed out is the opening of a new cruise terminal in Tahiti's capital, Papeete. Named Te Anuanua, it debuted in 2025, and can handle up to three cruise ships at a time, along with 2,000 passengers. "It's a modern building with all the amenities," he said.

Known for their award-winning, onboard service, Air Tahiti Nui operates a fleet of Boeing Dreamliner jets from their main hubs in Tahiti, Paris, Los Angeles, Auckland, Sydney and Tokyo, and maintain partnerships with a number of major carriers, including American and Alaska Airways. "With the interline agreement you can check your bags all the way through to Tahiti on a single ticket," he said.

Their jets offer three classes of service, and no matter which you choose, "we want the journey to be as enriching as the destination itself," said Desfresnes. "As soon as you step on one of our aircraft, you will feel the atmosphere of the islands," adding that every guest "is greeted with the iconic tiare flower -- it's really what sets us apart from the other airlines."

Having spent a week cruising the islands, and extra days on Moorea, the hard part isn't getting there -- it's having to leave. 

Find out more at Air Tahiti Nui's website.

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