Air Passes Can Mean Savings for South Pacific Travelers

A variety of air passes are available for travel in the South Pacific.

Air Vanuatu, based in Port Vila, Vanuatu, west of Fiji, offers a 30-day “Paradise Pass” for $399 that can be used on any two one-way flights or a round-trip flight on any of its 36 routes.

Some flight possibilities are: Sydney, Australia-Port Vila-Sydney; Melbourne, Australia-Port Vila-Brisbane, Australia; Brisbane-Port Vila-Auckland, New Zealand; Nadi, Fiji-Port Vila-Brisbane, and Nadi-Port Vila-Sydney. As an example of the potential savings, the regular economy fare on the Brisbane-Port Vila-Auckland route is currently $1,018.

The 30-day “Discover Vanuatu Pass” on VanAir, the Vanuatu domestic airline, costs $199 and permits any four one-way flights between Port Vila, on Efate Island, and the islands of Espiritu Santo, Malakula (Norsup), Erromango and Tanna.

Both passes must be purchased in the United States.

Air Pacific, a Fiji-based airline, has created a business-class pass that allows travelers from Nadi or Suva, Fiji, to visit the island nations of Tonga, Western Samoa and Vanuatu and return to Fiji at a savings of 55% over the regular business-class fare. The pass, valid for 30 days from the first flight, costs $749. The regular fare for business-class passengers is currently $1,730.

Air Pacific also has a 30-day economy-class pass for $449 that can be used on the same routes. The regular economy fare is $1,501. Both passes must be purchased in the United States.

Air Tahiti is continuing to offer three 28-day passes for island-hopping around French Polynesia. All passes are for flights that depart from and return to Papeete, Tahiti.

One pass, priced at about $331, allows visits to Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine and Raiatea. A second pass, costing about $493, includes these four islands plus Rangiroa and Manihi. The third pass, for about $547, permits the same stopovers plus more flight options between islands. Itineraries and reservations must be arranged before departure. The non-refundable passes can be bought either in the United States or Tahiti.

Other South Pacific air passes include a 30-day “Fiji Islands Pass” on Fiji Air for about $125; a 30-day “Discover Pacific Pass” on Solomon Airlines and Air Caledonie for $399, and a “Discover Solomons Pass” for $199, for use only in the Solomon Islands.

Generally, these passes save money if travelers plan to stop at several places. Otherwise, point-to-point fares may cost less.

Contact travel agents or Air Promotions Systems at (800) 677- 4277 for the Discover Pacific Paradise Pass, Discover Solomons Pass and Discover Vanuatu Pass; Air Pacific at (310) 417-2236; Air Tahiti at (310) 649-2888, and Fiji Air at (415) 777-2760.