Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old Dec 13, 2017, 6:16 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related thread inOceania (Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific) forum
Any COVID updates for French Polynesia/Tahiti?
United Airlines Launches Inaugural Flight Between San Francisco and Tahiti, Announces it will Extend to Year-Round Service

United launches the only nonstop service to the Islands of Tahiti by a U.S. carrier from the mainland United States


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today started the only nonstop service by a U.S. carrier to the Islands of Tahiti. The airline launched its first flight between San Francisco and Pape'ete, the capital of Tahiti. As part of its inaugural celebration, United also announced it is extending its Tahiti schedule to year-round service from San Francisco.

"We are thrilled to extend this exciting flight to a year-round schedule," said Janet Lamkin. "For Californians and our customers connecting through San Francisco, this route offers an escape to a little corner of paradise."

United's newest international flight offers customers a convenient gateway to the islands of French Polynesia including Mo'orea, Bora Bora, the Marquesas and Rangiroa. Starting today, United's service to Tahiti departs San Francisco International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Beginning March 30, 2019, United will begin year-round service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. United will operate the route with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft throughout the year. Tickets are available for purchase on united.com.
Flight City Pair Depart Arrive
UA 115 San Francisco - Tahiti 2:45 p.m. 9:25 p.m.
UA 114 Tahiti - San Francisco 11:45 p.m. 9:50 a.m. next day

United and United Express operate more than 250 daily flights between San Francisco and 90 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. From San Francisco, United will continue to operate nonstop seasonal summer service to Zurich in 2019 and recently announced it will be the only U.S. carrier to offer daily, year-round nonstop service to Amsterdam beginning March 30, 2019.

Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
It's SFO-PPT 788 starts October 30 2018.


United Airlines adds the South Pacific's Most Stunning Tropical Paradise to its Growing List of New Routes

Tahiti becomes the 13th international route announced by the airline in 2017
United's new nonstop flight from SFO to Tahiti connects customers to beautiful beaches, overwater bungalows, coral atolls and forested volcanoes

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 13, 2017 -- United Airlines (UAL), the leading carrier in the San Francisco Bay Area, today announced it will begin service between San Francisco and Pape'ete, the capital of Tahiti, the South Pacific's gateway to more than 118 islands in French Polynesia including Bora Bora, Moorea, the Marquesas and Raiatea. United is the only U.S. carrier offering nonstop service to Tahiti from the mainland United States. Tickets are now available for purchase.

"We are excited to announce Tahiti as our 13th new international route this year, and we are even more thrilled about offering our customers a whole new world of vacation opportunities," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network. "We know our customers want more destinations to choose from to escape the winter weather, and we look forward to being the airline that connects them to this corner of paradise.

"United's service from San Francisco will connect customers to the South Pacific's most pristine waters, white sand beaches, stunning turquoise lagoons, coral atolls and volcanic mountain peaks. Visitors to the islands experience a tropical paradise and countless spaces to relax and reconnect in natural beauty and authentic French Polynesian island culture.

United will operate nonstop service, three times weekly with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft between its San Francisco hub and Fa'a'ā International Airport (PPT), beginning Oct. 30, 2018, through March 28, 2019, subject to government approval.
Winter 2018 schedule – Subject to government approval
UA 115 SFO – PPT Tues/Thurs/Sun 2:45 p.m. - 9:25 p.m
UA 114 PPT – SFO Tues/Thurs/Sun 11:45 p.m. - 9:50 a.m. next day
*Flight Times Subject to Change

United's Long History Connecting Customers to the Pacific Islands
United's love affair with the Pacific islands started more than 70 years ago and continues today. It began in 1947 with United's first flight across the Pacific from San Francisco to Honolulu, making the Hawaiian Islands an easily accessible destination for tourism and business. Today, United offers more flights between the mainland and the Hawaiian Islands than any other U.S. carrier.

In 1968, United expanded its Pacific network linking the Hawaiian Islands, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Guam. Today, nearly half a century later, United's Island Hopper - Flight 155 - departs Guam in the morning and makes a series of five, one-hour flights to the islands of Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae; Kwajalein and Majuro. In addition to the airline's popular Island Hopper service, United connects customers from Guam to other island destinations including Palau, Yap and the Philippines.

In 1986, United began nonstop service from its West Coast hubs in the U.S. to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. Today, United is the largest U.S. carrier to serve Australia, offering the most seats to Sydney and Melbourne with its daily nonstop service from San Francisco and Los Angeles.Building its powerful Pacific network, last year United began nonstop service from San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand, becoming the largest mainland U.S. carrier to serve the City of Sails.

United's San Francisco Hub
United and United Express operate more than 250 daily flights between San Francisco and 90 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. Beginning in June 2018, United will start nonstop seasonal summer service between San Francisco and Zurich.
Print Wikipost

UA SFO-PPT 787-8 Experiences, QA, .....

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 13, 2017, 7:53 am
  #61  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,701
Meh. See how long it lasts. Daily flight? (I can't find a news release etc.)
kirkwoodj is online now  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 7:58 am
  #62  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Trenton NJ
Programs: UA Gold MM, Honors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz President’s Circle
Posts: 3,668
Originally Posted by EWR764
Very interesting as this seems to be the reverse schedule from AF, TN and the forthcoming French Blue, which operate a redeye southbound with a daylight service on the return, presumably for this reason. UA's SFO-CDG flight as currently scheduled does not permit such a routing with acceptable connectivity.

It will be interesting to see if UA is able to work with Air Tahiti to set up a late evening PPT-MOZ/BOB service to accommodate the pax who will presumably be connecting on to the other islands. This is a pretty significant capacity increase and one wonders if the absence of later flights on the local airline is a consequence of the schedules of the larger airlines; not vice-versa. It might now be economical for Air Tahiti to operate late night service a few days a week with a 787-load of tourists arriving from SFO after 8pm.
Just looked up the times myself. The arrival time you've posted is wrong. It's arriving at 2125 which means you'd have to have a late night flight. I don't think the airports in French Polynesia outside of PPT have lights. Last PPT-BOB flight leaves before 1800 looking at Air Tahiti's schedule right now.
Bluehen1 is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:10 am
  #63  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Originally Posted by Bluehen1
Just looked up the times myself. The arrival time you've posted is wrong. It's arriving at 2125 which means you'd have to have a late night flight. I don't think the airports in French Polynesia outside of PPT have lights. Last PPT-BOB flight leaves before 1800 looking at Air Tahiti's schedule right now.
Daylight savings... 2025 arrival the first few days of operations, switching to 2125 the next week. I only pulled the inaugural flights. 0950 SFO arrival the other direction as well.
EWR764 is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:20 am
  #64  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
Awful arrival time, can't connect to any other islands.
ctownflyer is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:45 am
  #65  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: United, Southwest
Posts: 572
Originally Posted by ctownflyer
Awful arrival time, can't connect to any other islands.
Thats probably the point. In the 80’s I think Cathay Pacific made me spend 2 nights there on a. RTW ticket.
WheelsUpGal is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:48 am
  #66  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Originally Posted by ctownflyer
Awful arrival time, can't connect to any other islands.
Agreed but the PPT - SFO flight is perfectly timed even for smaller east coast destinations like RDU (what I'm concerned about) which is a challenge with the existing PPT - LAX flights
Duke787 is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:54 am
  #67  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
Originally Posted by WheelsUpGal


Thats probably the point. In the 80’s I think Cathay Pacific made me spend 2 nights there on a. RTW ticket.
Maybe that's why CX doesn't fly there anymore...

People looking to fly to BOB or MOZ aren't going to take this flight over better timed options.
ctownflyer is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:58 am
  #68  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 339
This strike anyone else as a crazy increase in Tahiti capacity? I’m sure a lot Americans will choose United over Tahiti Nui or French Blue if the price is right, but up to 4 widebodies a day from the West Coast to Tahiti seems like a lot now. It’s so expensive I have to wonder how many people can actually go...

I went 2 years ago in Febrary on Air France and my flight was half empty
Edit: Guess I didn’t see it’s 3x a week, that’s much more reasonable.
jk88usa is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 8:59 am
  #69  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Originally Posted by ctownflyer
People looking to fly to BOB or MOZ aren't going to take this flight over better timed options.
Nor will people who don't happen to want to fly on one of the three days UA is operating it. UA isn't trying to be everything to everyone. They're trying to serve PPT whilst allowing ample time for connections at SFO in both directions. A daytime arrival at PPT would mean either a midnight departure from SFO -- which either screws up the return or leaves the plane on the tarmac for 12 hours -- or a ~7 AM departure, which then requires everyone outside of SFO to overnight there instead of at PPT.

Perhaps the rumored LAX long-haul is LAX-PPT with opposite timing on the other 4 days.
jsloan is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 9:04 am
  #70  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,032
Originally Posted by kirkwoodj
Meh. See how long it lasts. Daily flight? (I can't find a news release etc.)
Thrice weekly.

Originally Posted by EWR764
UA115 SFO-PPT 1445 2025 788 247
UA114 PPT-SFO 2345 1050+1 788 247

So a relatively quick turn, daylight southbound and redeye return, 3 days per week, 788 service. ~8h. Unclear if seasonal. Bookable now on United.com, but no discount revenue fares or award buckets available yet.

Connects neatly with SFO-CDG, <2h layovers in both directions, also 788, possible same plane service on the days SFO-PPT operates (not that it really matters).

UA990 SFO-CDG 1450 0935+1 788
UA984 CDG-SFO 0910 1250 788
radiowell is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 10:07 am
  #71  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
Sorry if this is posted I’m surfing on my phone. Can someone post which three days?

Adding. It seems to be TUE/THU/SUN.

Last edited by milepig; Dec 13, 2017 at 10:32 am
milepig is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 10:11 am
  #72  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,663
Tahiti is on my bucket list, and while I would hate the late arrival I could make it work.
COSPILOT is online now  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 10:24 am
  #73  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: UA:1k; MR: PLT; Hilton: Gold
Posts: 1,324
Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
It's SFO-PPT 788
Yayy!

Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
starts October 30 2018.
Nooooo
jmanirish is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 10:27 am
  #74  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
It looks like UA's scheduled arrival in PPT could work with a connection to NZ 43 on to AKL.

Any thoughts about whether there will be interline/code-share opportunities to route to Australia and NZ via PPT on either paid or award tickets?
transportprof is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2017, 10:36 am
  #75  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YEG
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 755
Didn't see it posted, here is the UA press release link: I'm pumped, great route!!

Redirecting...
whitethunder is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.