French Polynesia is one of the most distant destinations from mainland Europe. Allow at least 22 hours of flying from Paris to reach Papeete-Tahiti Faa'a International Airport (PPT), via a mandatory stopover.
Three main carriers operate the France–French Polynesia route:
Air France: daily flights Paris CDG → Los Angeles → Papeete, codeshared with Air Tahiti Nui. Total journey: 22-24 hours (11h Paris-LAX + 3-5h layover + 8h30 LAX-PPT). Return fares: €1,800-3,500 depending on season.
Air Tahiti Nui (the Polynesian flag carrier): Paris CDG → Los Angeles → Papeete, several times a week. Identical to Air France on duration and pricing. Air Tahiti Nui offers a cultural experience from takeoff (pareo-wearing cabin crew, mai tai cocktail on board).
French Bee (the long-haul low-cost from the Air Caraïbes family): Paris Orly → San Francisco → Papeete. Significantly more accessible fares (€1,200-2,200 return), with a compact economy cabin and à la carte extras (luggage, meals, seat selection). Ideal for a tight budget.
From London, the usual options route via Paris, Los Angeles or San Francisco — count on 26-30 hours total with two stops. Direct LA–PPT or San Francisco–PPT connections from North America are much faster: about 8 hours of flight.
Once in Papeete, inter-island travel is mainly by plane via Air Tahiti (the Polynesian domestic carrier, not to be confused with Air Tahiti Nui): Tahiti–Moorea in 15 minutes (€40-60), Tahiti–Bora Bora in 50 minutes (€300-400 return depending on season), Tahiti–Rangiroa in 1 hour (€250-350 return). The Air Tahiti multi-island passes (Bora Tiare, Lagons, Moorea-Bora) save significantly on 3-5 island combinations: €600-1,200 for a full pass.
Between Tahiti and Moorea, the Aremiti or Terevau ferry is the economical option: 30-minute crossing, €17-25 per person, several rotations per day.
Read also
- Society Islands — The main archipelago: Tahiti the capital, dramatic Moorea, sublime Bora Bora.
- Tuamotus: the diving atolls — 77 scattered coral atolls — Rangiroa and Fakarava are among the world's finest dive sites.
- Marquesas: the wild archipelago — Remote mountainous islands, the graves of Gauguin and Brel on Hiva Oa, monumental tikis.
- Bora Bora, the pearl of the Pacific — Mont Otemanu, the turquoise lagoon and the overwater bungalows: the world's honeymoon icon.
- Moorea, the dramatic island — 30 minutes by ferry from Tahiti — Mont Rotui hikes and humpback whales from July to October.