Qantas to Tahiti

[offshore171]

I'm looking at the Qantas offering from Sydney to Tahiti. This consists of a Qantaslink [Correction JetConnect] flight to Auckland and then an onward QF codeshare to Papeete operated by Air Tahiti Nui.

A couple of questions to anyone who may have done this route recently:

Do your bags get checked all the way through?

How is transit in Auckland? The layover is pretty tight, 90mins. Is this a safe connection? I'm assuming international to international transit doesn't require any customs or security formalities?

Thanks

 

[snabbu]

Bags get checked all the way through.

Transit is always tight however TN will hold the AKL-PPT sector for connecting pax as the scheduled arrival time into PPT (2210) doesn't allow for any intra island connections, so holding the aircraft is no big deal. You will go through a security check in AKL which in my experience rarely takes more than 15 mins.

EDIT
Actually scratch the "tight" connection comment above. I notice you stated you were on "Qantaslink" and the 90 minute connection is ample. My last few times over to PPT have been on the EK388 SYD-AKL (on a QF ticket) connecting to QF3815. As you can't get your AKL-PPT BP in SYD, you have to join the ridiculous queue where only one attendant serves the hoards of people and is in absolutely no rush. As much as I rather the 388 across the ditch I'll never take it again when connecting through to PPT.
/EDIT

 

[offshore171]

Excellent, thank you.

And as you mentioned the late arrival time into PPT, what's it like trying to get a cab at that time?

 

[Timtammi]

Did this earlier this year. Can confirm bags checked through. Don't remember the connection in akl being tight, I remember we had time to visit the QP so couldn't have been too tight. Love love love Tahiti. It was only my second trip having been there as a teenager many years ago. It was everything I remembered and more but it is very exxy. There are ways to economise though and if I event back again would probably self cater more.

 

[TomVexille]

Int-Int transfer is very easy at AKL. Did it twice recently, only one or two people at the security checkpoint.

 

[snabbu]

Excellent, thank you.

And as you mentioned the late arrival time into PPT, what's it like trying to get a cab at that time?

No problems.

Cab is about 3000XPF flat fee to most of the hotels on the mainland.

 

[Anna]

as you mentioned the late arrival time into PPT, what's it like trying to get a cab at that time?

IME there are always cabs waiting at PPT. The drivers know what time the AKL flight comes in and they wait for it.

Arriving on the outlying islands can be a different matter re cabs, so my usual tactic is to ring my accommodation and ask them to tell the local cabbie to come to the airport to get me (assuming the hotel isn't running a shuttle bus itself, which many do).

Don't stay in PPT any longer than you have to if you want to see the best of French Polynesia. PPT is not that attractive - not a complete hole, but not beautiful. Even just getting the ferry over to Moorea would be better than staying in PPT. Flight schedules are likely to mean you need to spend a night at PPT at the beginning and at the end of your trip, but apart from that my advice is to get away from PPT.

 

[Timtammi]

While I agree re ppt itself, I think Tahiti Nui itself has a lot to offer. There are some interesting sights and attractions and a drive around the island stopping at various sites along the way is quite rewarding.

 

[eminere]

To be precise, if taking Qantas metal from Sydney to Auckland you will actually be flying JetConnect, not QantasLink. The former operates flights between Australia and New Zealand exclusively on B738 aircraft; the latter operates short and regional flights domestically on B717 and Dash 8 aircraft.

 

[kamchatsky]

No problems.

Cab is about 3000XPF flat fee to most of the hotels on the mainland.

It is normally about 1800XPF from airport to town, or Intercontinental Tahiti. Plenty of taxis waiting to pick up passengers even in weird hours in the morning (eg NZ40 arriving PPT at 1 or 2 am depending on season). You should have no problems.

 

[kamchatsky]

I'm looking at the Qantas offering from Sydney to Tahiti. This consists of a Qantaslink flight to Auckland and then an onward QF codeshare to Papeete operated by Air Tahiti Nui.

A couple of questions to anyone who may have done this route recently:

Do your bags get checked all the way through?

How is transit in Auckland? The layover is pretty tight, 90mins. Is this a safe connection? I'm assuming international to international transit doesn't require any customs or security formalities?

Thanks

Alternatively you can also look for all Air Zealand flights from Australia to Tahiti. NZ has 2 flights per week to Tahiti from Auckland (NZ40/41). They are pretty good IMO. I have done the trip there twice and it is always with AirNZ.

 

[mannej]

To be precise, if taking Qantas metal from Sydney to Auckland you will actually be flying JetConnect, not QantasLink. The former operates flights between Australia and New Zealand exclusively on B738 aircraft; the latter operates short and regional flights domestically on B717 and Dash 8 aircraft.

I thought I was going mad reading the OP

But yes it is JetConnect indeed.

 

[offshore171]

I thought I was going mad reading the OP

But yes it is JetConnect indeed.

Yes my bad, it's Jetconnect.

Thanks everyone one for the tips. Sounds like transferring in Auckland is pretty straightforward.

 

[offshore171]

Since it looks like many of you have been there recently, another question:

Is it worth hiring a car to explore the main island? I will be travelling with the kids and wouldn't mind getting down to Teahupoo to check out the waves, and do some general exploring.

 

[Timtammi]

YES. We spent 3 days exploring the main island and did not run out of things to do. Its a nice drive down to Tahiti Iti and there are interesting things to stop off and see including some impressive waterfalls and interesting Marai. If you are staying on the main island, depending on where you are staying, its not all that easy to get around without a car unless you just do tours. Also, if you want to do some self-catering to help keep the costs down there is an excellent Carre Four that has EVERYTHING you might need at quite reasonable prices (for Tahiti) and this is more easily accessed by car. If going out to the other islands I would recommend stocking up here before getting on the ferry as the prices are even higher on the smaller islands. A lot of the accommodations do have kitchenettes as eating out all the time in Tahiti can get prohibitively expensive. Take plenty of strong bug spray, the mossies are fierce especially as you go inland into the more mountainous areas. Moorea is gorgeous and easy to get to so don't miss it.

 

[offshore171]

Thanks, a car sounds like a goer. We were also plannning to take our scooters, for getting around the Intercontinental grounds and short trips around the PPT area (our kids are happy to do a few kms by scooter, as long as there are usable footpaths)


I've heard that the foodtrucks in PPT are a decent option for a reasonably priced meal - did you try these?


Will definitely get the ferry across to Moorea.


Thanks again for the great tips.

 

[snabbu]

Thanks, a car sounds like a goer. We were also plannning to take our scooters, for getting around the Intercontinental grounds and short trips around the PPT area (our kids are happy to do a few kms by scooter, as long as there are usable footpaths)

Depends where you are. The footpaths are not all that good in town (which is where the food trucks are located). I'd say they are patchy at best.

I've heard that the foodtrucks in PPT are a decent option for a reasonably priced meal - did you try these?

Absolutely. They are located at Place Vai'ete which is pretty much opposite the ferry terminal. From memory the trucks are not there 7 nights a week.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/plac...2!3m1!1s0x769a3a034afe7a73:0xb6a26313dcf2b7de

Papeete Roulottes (French Polynesia) on TripAdvisor: Address, Top-Rated Specialty & Gift Shop Reviews

Will definitely get the ferry across to Moorea.

Another great way to spend a day. Grab a car for the day and drive around checking out the resorts etc. If you do make it to Moorea, make sure you don't miss out on the Lagoonarium.

http://lagoonarium.e-monsite.com/

 

[Timtammi]

hmmm.. footpaths can be a bit variable but inside the IC it will be fine. The IC is a very nice property, we stayed there for one night before we came home. Main restaurant food is just ok, we had a lovely meal at the over water restaurant near the sand bottom pool on our last night. As you have kids I would recommend that you at least stop by the carrefour and pick up some snacks for them, you could even self cater breakfast if you were so inclined and didn't have it included, we did that and ate sitting on our balcony overlooking the lagoon pool and across the sea. Didn't make it to the roulottes, we meant to but it just didn't pan out that way. Happy to answer any other questions you might have. We spent over 2 weeks in Tahiti in Jan this year.

 

[opusman]

If you get bored you could always do a side trip to Easter Island

 

[Flying mermaid]

Thanks, a car sounds like a goer. We were also plannning to take our scooters, for getting around the Intercontinental grounds and short trips around the PPT area (our kids are happy to do a few kms by scooter, as long as there are usable footpaths)


I've heard that the foodtrucks in PPT are a decent option for a reasonably priced meal - did you try these?


Will definitely get the ferry across to Moorea.


Thanks again for the great tips.

We ate at the food trucks and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lovely crepes and fish. although they had a great variety available so kid friendly stuff as well if they are fussy. We stayed mainly on Bora Bora and T'ahaa which we thoroughly enjoyed, but food was very expensive for not great quality. Food trucks were very cheap by comparison.