How to Fly to Bora Bora

Bora Bora is a small island group located in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Formed by the remnants of an ancient volcano, Bora Bora is known for its beautiful beaches and lagoons and has, over time, become an increasingly popular destination for tourism. Despite it’s remote location, flying to Bora Bora is a relatively easy process as long as you know who to fly with and what flights to look for.^{[1]XResearch source}

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Booking a Flight

Depending on where you live, flying to Bora Bora will take between 2 and 3 flights. The first, if necessary, will be to a hub airport that offers flights to French Polynesia, either Los Angeles, Tokyo, Honolulu, Auckland, or Santiago. The second will be to Fa'a'ā International Airport in Tahiti. The third will be to Bora Bora proper. Tahiti requires return tickets for legal admittance, so make sure to purchase them at this time.^{[2]XResearch source}
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Book a multi-flight package. To minimize the stress of flying to a new country, try to purchase a multi-flight package. Available from websites like Travelocity and Kayak, these packages find and combine multiple tickets to get you from your home to a hub airport, the hub to Tahiti, and Tahiti to Bora Bora as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- If you’re traveling on a budget, be aware that multi-flight packages are often more expensive than individual tickets.
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Book flights during April or November. Though Bora Bora is a great vacation spot year round, some months are more advisable than others. Booking your flights around April or November will help you avoid the extreme heat and busy tourism of summer while staying away from the erratic weather of winter.^{[3]XResearch source}
- If you’re willing to risk potentially poor weather, months like January and February may see a decrease in the price of resort rooms and island activities.
If possible, book your flights at least 6 months prior to your trip. Airline tickets are not sold at a fixed cost and will typically increase in price closer to the travel date, so earlier purchases will be significantly cheaper.
International airfare is expensive, so make sure to purchase ticket insurance in case you need to refund or reschedule your ticket at the last minute. This option will be offered by your booking website or agent at the point of purchase. If purchasing a multi-flight package, make sure the insurance covers every individual stretch of the trip.^{[4]XResearch source}
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Flying to French Polynesia

For admittance into Tahiti, make sure you have a valid, government issued passport with at least 6 months left before expiry. The name on this passport should match any other identifying documents you have, including your tickets. For information on how to obtain a passport, contact your country’s department of state.^{[5]XResearch source}
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Acquire a visa if necessary. For citizens of the United States, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada, no visa is required if you are staying for under 30 days. For citizens of the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, St. Marin, and the Vatican, no visa is required if you are staying for under 90 days. If you are traveling from another country, check with your local French embassy for potential visa requirements.^{[6]XResearch source}
- A current list of French embassies around the world, along with their contact information, can be found on EmbassyPages.com.^{[7]XResearch source}
Since you will be using multiple airlines to get to Bora Bora, make sure the amount of luggage you bring and the content held within meets the regulation standards of every flight provider. Current baggage regulations will be available on each airline’s website.^{[8]XResearch source}
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Depart from a Tahitian flight hub. When flying to Bora Bora, you will first need to travel to a city that offers direct flights to Tahiti. Currently, only Los Angeles, Tokyo, Honolulu, Auckland, and Santiago provide this service. Your flight will be provided by Air Tahiti Nui, Air France, or Air New Zealand.^{[9]XResearch source}
- When flying from Honolulu or Aukland, expect a trip of 5 hours.
- When flying from Los Angeles, expect a trip of 8 hours and 30 minutes.
- When flying from Tokyo, expect a trip of 11 hours.
- When flying from Santiago, expect a trip of 13 hours.
Located just outside the Tahitian capital of Papeete, Fa'a'ā International Airport is the only major flight hub that offers access to the greater islands of French Polynesia.^{[10]XResearch source}
To make travel between islands safer and easier, you will go through customs in Papeete, not Bora Bora. All passengers will be required to show a valid passport and return flight ticket, and visitors traveling from certain countries or staying for an extended period of time may be required to show a French Visa.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Connecting to Bora Bora

After reaching Fa'a'ā International Airport, you will have to take one more flight to reach the island proper. These flights usually depart 6 times per day and last about 50 minutes. Due to regional wind conditions and the shorter runways used by most islands, planes do not depart from the airport at night, so you may need to book a local hotel if your international flight arrives in the evening.^{[11]XResearch source}
Your Air Tahiti flight will land at Bora Bora airport, a small connecting hub built on the nearby Motu Mute islet. Though not technically part of your final destination, this is the only major airport connecting Bora Bora with the rest of the world.^{[12]XResearch source}
Air Tahiti offers free boat shuttles from Bora Bora airport to the town of Vaitape, located on the island proper. From there, buses and taxis are available to take you to most hotels and places of interest.^{[13]XResearch source}
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Take a resort transfer to the main island (optional). For major hotels like the Hilton Nui, Maitai, and Intercontinental Le Moana, specialty boats may be available to take you from the lagoon directly to your resort. These will cost extra, but can save time and reduce some of the stress caused by navigating a foreign country.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Resort transfers are typically booked through the hotel’s website or concierge hotline.
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