Air Tahiti Nui operates first direct flight from Tahiti to Seattle

Air Tahiti Nui has just launched the first ever direct flight from French Polynesia’s capital, Papeete to Seattle.

Flight TN 52 departed Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport also known as Tahiti International Airport (PPT) at 21:34 local time on October 4, 2022. It arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) at 09:47 local time October 5, 2022.

With a flight time of 9 hours and 25 minutes, the flight, operated by Air Tahiti Niu’s B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, arrived 13 minutes early in SEA. It was welcomed by a water cannon salute in Seattle.

Air Tahiti Nui partnered with Alaska Airlines on this route for codeshare and miles redemption. Alaska’s Mileage Plan members earn miles on Air Tahiti Nui flights, and can redeem miles or purchase tickets for Air Tahiti Nui flights directly on Alaska Airlines’ website.

A codeshare partnership between the two airlines allows passengers to travel from nearly 100 cities across Alaska’s network through Seattle and onward to Tahiti.

“Just as the weather begins to turn in the Pacific Northwest, our guests can now chase the warm sun all the way to Tahiti with a convenient nonstop flight from Seattle on Air Tahiti Nui,” Nat Pieper, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances said in a statement.

The PPT-SEA route, which is the only non-stop flight between the Pacific Northwest to the South Pacific, flies twice a week between Seattle and Papeete.