Air Tahiti Nui for Lovers

Air Tahiti Nui is the international airline of French Polynesia, a South Pacific island nation. Other airlines fly to French Polynesia, but Air Tahiti Nui’s tropical flair makes couples feel that their Tahiti honeymoon begins the moment they step aboard.

Air Tahiti Nui has been flying since 1998, and is renowned for its gracious service and sparkling fleet emblazoned with French Polynesia’s national flower, the white tiaré. Air Tahiti, the domestic branch of Air Tahiti Nui, operates inter-island flights throughout French Polynesia; fares to these islands can be packaged with fares to Tahiti.

Air Tahiti Nui’s home airport is Faa’a International in Papeete, French Polynesia’s capital, on the main isle of Tahiti. Air Tahiti Nui flies nonstop to and from Papeete and Tokyo, Sydney, Auckland, and Los Angeles. The airline also services Paris, stopping in Los Angeles. The 4,250-mile flight from LAX to Papeete takes eight hours; the return is eight and a half. High season is June through October plus mid-December through early January.

Air Tahiti Nui operates one of the youngest fleets in the air. Its aircraft are French-manufactured Airbus A340-300 jets with four engines and 294 passenger seats. Air Tahiti Nui’s quintet of jets are named after French Polynesia islands: Bora Bora, Mangareva, Moorea, Nuku Hiva, and Rangiroa.

Six seats constitute “PoeravaFirst” class, set in a completely private enclave just behind the cockpit. The extra-wide seats recline fully and are can be adjusted beneath your head, back, and legs. Perks include oversized pillows and plush blankets, PJs, a 12-inch video screen with first-run movies, personal in-flight phones, noise-canceling headphones, and a travel kit with L’Occitane potions. Elegant inflight dining is along the lines of lobster and caviar, and frequently offered libations include single-malt Scotch, vintage Tahitian rum, and French wines bubbly and not.

“Poerava” Business class comprises two dozen inviting seats arranged in pairs. Upholstered in sky-blue leather, these spacious seats recline to a nearly horizontal 154º. Seats have fully adjustable head, leg, and lumbar controls.

Personal video screens run first-run movies, games, and other entertainment. Noise-canceling headphones and a velvet case containing L’Occitane flight amenities are provided. Fresh snacks and liquor are offered continuously in Air Tahiti Nui Business Class. Two several-course meals are served on white china atop silky white cotton personal tablecloths. Entree options are either hot (such as duck breast) or chilled (such as a smoked-salmon platter). Air Tahiti Nui’s genteel flight attendants, clad in tropical yet modest uniforms, are happy to customize orders, mix and match, and suggest wine pairings.

Air Tahiti Nui’s “Moana” class, or coach, is relatively comfortable. Seats are arranged in rows of 2-4-2. Personal video screens feature a wide variety of entertainment. Two tasty meals are served, a limited selection of alcohol is free, and passengers are provided with amenity kits containing a sleep mask, earplugs, and socks. A note to savvy coach passengers who request roomier bulkhead seats at the boarding gate: On Air Tahiti Nui planes, coach bulkhead is the first row, where fold-down baby sleepers are attached to the facing wall. And they are indeed often occupied by high-decibel denizens in diapers. Your call.

Business and First Class passengers have use of lounges in Faa’a International Airport in Papeete and LAX in Los Angeles. The Faa’a lounges (one for Business, one for First) are air-conditioned, unlike the rest of the airport. Both feature open bars and hot and cold snacks. Before hitting the lounge, many LAX-bound Air Tahiti Nui honeymooners do last-minute shopping at the airport’s duty-free shops, which sell everything from Tahitian black pearl jewelry to Polynesian monoi beauty oil to French booze. At LAX, Air Tahiti Nui Business and First Class lounges offer snacks, soft drinks and liquor, wi-fi, and PC stations.

Air Tahiti Nui's frequently offered 5-night "Romance in Tahiti" air-and-land package is geared to honeymoon and romantic getaway couples. Participating French Polynesia hotels include:

• Le Meridien Tahiti
• Hilton Bora Bora Resort and Spa
• Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa
• Four Seasons Bora Bora

Other packages include spa days, scuba excursions, even a French Polynesia cruise aboard the Paul Gauguin.

Air Tahiti Nui Web Site
US Reservations Number: 1-877-824-4846
Air Tahiti Nui is a member of the One World Alliance.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary airfare for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.