The weather will soon be gray and drizzly in Seattle and the rest of the Pacific Northwest, meaning it’s the perfect time to get away for a warm-weather vacation. Air Tahiti NuiThe inaugural flight from Seattle to Tahiti on Wednesday morning brought with it visions of sunny weather, pristine beaches and romantic bungalow resorts on the water.
The French Polynesian flag carrier arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with a water cannon salute. While the staff were cleaning, refueling and preparing the plane for the return trip to Tahiti, passengers and guests enjoyed a joyful festival. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony preceded by brief speeches by officials from Seattle, Tahiti, the Port of Seattle and Air Tahiti Nui. Then an emotional Tahitian dance by a group of Nonosina Polynesian performers made it clear to the entire station that this was a special occasion.
Air Tahiti Nui will fly one of four 787-9 Dreamliners it calls “Tahitian Dreamliners,” twice weekly between SEA and Faaa International Airport (PPT) – a few miles from Papeete on the island of Tahiti.
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Related: Review of Air Tahiti Nui in Premium Economy
Flight TN51 will leave Seattle every Wednesday and Sunday at 12:40pm and arrive in Tahiti at 7:10pm Flight TN52 from Tahiti will depart Seattle every Tuesday and Saturday at 10pm and land at 10pm :25 am the next day. All times are local. Scheduled travel time is nine hours and 35 minutes from Seattle to Papeete, and nine hours and 25 minutes from Papeete to Seattle.
During the gate-side ceremony, Lance Lyttle, the Port of Seattle’s aviation executive, noted that Seattle is Air Tahiti Nui’s second US gateway after Los Angeles. It is also the airline’s fifth destination worldwide. “I know I speak for many Seattleans when I say I look forward to visiting some of the most mythical destinations in the world, such as Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea,” says Lyttle. He also noted that in addition to providing a new service and a new direct route to the airport, the Air Tahiti Nui flight also had a positive economic impact: “It brings a lot of jobs to the region and to the economy. city”.
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With Air Tahiti Nui’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner parked just outside the window, airline CEO Michel Monvoisin said he was honored to “bring this beautiful bird back to its homeland” and have present in Seattle to celebrate the inauguration of the Seattle-to-Tahiti route.
“This is an opportunity for North American travelers to discover the beauty of … the islands of Tahiti, which are the backdrop for many wonders to discover, landscapes to discover and memories to create,” said Monvoisin. .
Mathieu Béchonnet, president and chief executive officer of Air Tahiti Nui, said the airline has been offering flights from Los Angeles to Tahiti and continuing to Paris for many years. The airline was looking for another gateway in North America.
Not only does Seattle share the same time zone as Los Angeles, he said, but it also has “a level of wealth that’s compatible with (here) the high-end type of destination.”
While Hawaii is a traditional Seattle island destination, Béchonnet says Tahiti is a completely different experience. “The … islands make it really a place where you lose your connection. I’m not saying you can’t disconnect in Hawaii, but in Tahiti, in French Polynesia, you’ll feel yourself sinking. sunk in a paradise,” he said.
Air Tahiti Nui . Tahitian Dreamliners and Alaska Airlines Partnership
Air Tahiti Nui’s 787-9 Dreamliners come in three cabins: Moana economy class (232 seats in 3-3-3 configuration), premium economy class (32 seats in 2-3-2 configuration), and premium economy class (32 seats in 2-3-2 configuration). merchant (30 seats in configuration 2- Arrangement 2-2). In each cabin, the seats are upholstered in ocean blue, with brightly colored pillows and blankets adding to the tropical feel throughout.
To help set the Tahitian tune, passengers receive a tiare flower (a plant for the Tahitian people) upon boarding. That flower can also be seen on the tail of each airline’s Dreamliners.
The airline’s hard-to-miss colors include three shades of blue inspired by the ocean, lagoon and sky over Tahiti; it also features a variety of tattoo patterns representing a stingray, an albatross, ocean waves, a hook and a Tiki eye.
Air Tahiti Nui and Alaska Airlines have a codeshare partnership, and their frequent flyer programs allow passengers to earn and redeem miles on all flights operated through the codeshare. Alaska Airlines customers can earn or use Plan miles when flying with Air Tahiti Nui. Similarly, Air Tahiti Nui customers can now use their Club Tiare miles within the Alaska Airlines network.
Related: Which Bora Bora Resort is right for you?
In addition to the Seattle to Tahiti flight, Air Tahiti Nui flies to Tahiti from Los Angeles. That direct route is also served by Air France and, Starting December 2022, Delta Air Lineswill begin offering flights every three weeks.
If you are interested in booking this flight, yes extensive mileage redemption… even in business class using Aectsage or Alaska miles.
