Australia and French Polynesia

[VinZ]

Hey all

I’m trying to crack the code on a trip for next year. I have sort of fixed dates and some fixed destinations so I’m trying to work out what’s feasible.

LHR-SYD on 27/3/26 booked
Spend a few days in Sydney (not sure what else is there to do around the area)
I then need to go to Tetiaroa via PPT (Tahiti) as I have a free stay there for 3 nights max. This is pretty straightforward from SYD (9h35m via AKL).
From there I would have to fly to BOB via PPT again, as I have another 3 nights for free there.

Then the trickiest part. Going back to SYD to fly back to LHR seems a bit silly – at present there aren’t many possibilities and it looks like it’s at least 10h via AKL and then 24h to get back to LHR (34/35h in total without accounting for waiting times etc)
The other possibility is to fly to LAX via PPT then LHR. That’s 50m + 3h connecting wait, 7h46 to LAX then 10h to LHR. All in all about 30h if you include waiting time at LAX.

But is there a better solution? Has anybody been around the area and done a similar trip? I’m starting to wonder whether it’s worth spending all this time flying to be gone 2 weeks (return date is 12/4/26). Sounds too good to throw away such an amazing opportunity but it’s definitely too far, unless there’s a more straightforward way to get back?

Also there aren’t many flight options at present, but it may be too early for a full flight schedule.

Thanks for any tips!

[phantomchickenz]

What’s the actual question here? Is it just what is the best route back from PPT?

Distance wise it’s clearly via the US – you can get it down to 21-22 hours depending on route and alliance preference, which is fairly reasonable for the distance.

Two weeks to that part of the world is on the short side – jet lag will be tough (both ways), but assuming it’s just a relaxing holiday it’s less of a big deal. Can you stretch it out any longer?

[John]

Do you really need to go to Australia? TN operates NRT-PPT nonstop

[VinZ]

phantomchickenz wrote:

Two weeks to that part of the world is on the short side – jet lag will be tough (both ways), but assuming it’s just a relaxing holiday it’s less of a big deal. Can you stretch it out any longer?

That’s what I thought, but sadly we can’t. Also, after 2 weeks we become a little restless and want to come back home. I know, we’re hopeless! 🙂

[VinZ]

John wrote:

Do you really need to go to Australia? TN operates NRT-PPT nonstop

Actually this was another option too. And it may make more sense too. If I go to Australia I may want to spend a couple of weeks down there, rather than just a meagre week in Sydney. Maybe I could go back to Japan for a week and then Polynesia from there… and the overall count of flying hours will be much less!

Will look into it.

[Norsksaint]

Would have been my recommendation is potentially go via Japan.
I used to have work in Vanuatu and New Caledonia and have gone via Japan, or the other routing is Air Caledonie who will fly New Cal to SIN/LHR.
Thats another routing I have done and avoided the issue of dropping down to NZ/Aus again.

Good luck – beautiful part of the world!

[VinZ]

I realise that way I could save some time. Also, while looking at options, it may be wise to fly PPT – NRT and then HND – LHR as all in all it’s the same flying time as PPT – LAX/SFO – LHR with the advantage that by travelling west you don’t lose a day. Or am I completely wrong here?

[John]

VinZ wrote:

I realise that way I could save some time. Also, while looking at options, it may be wise to fly PPT – NRT and then HND – LHR as all in all it’s the same flying time as PPT – LAX/SFO – LHR with the advantage that by travelling west you don’t lose a day. Or am I completely wrong here?

Err, if you have two itineraries that depart at the same time and are both 30 hours long, you would arrive at the same time no matter the route. However, the time of departure can affect whether you feel like you “lose a day”.

The flight to Japan seems to be a morning departure, so not sure if it’s possible for you to arrive at PPT from the other island the same day, and you also have to change airport for a direct to LHR. Meanwhile if you want to transit the US, there are afternoon/evening departures from PPT.

[u07ch]

Don’t forget the dateline, I have done Syd-PPT several times; you gain a day on the way out and lose it on the way back. If you fly back to UK from PPT you won’t lose a day. First time I went to bob was teh CDG-PPT route and had an awful transit in LAX, so done it via SYD since. Air Tahiti 787s are fine for the flight. If time is of the essence I would fly back via US, more route choice and flights than SYD.