Flights

Airlines

Update on 24 Aug 2022.

Flight capacity to Samoa has been severely constrained in July and August, but is set to ease from October and be reasonable from November.  We are seeing the difference in reasonable seat prices from November onwards and very sharp pricing for next year.  These are at a variety of times making it possible to get from almost anywhere in NZ  or Australia to Samoa in a day and to also return within a day, avoiding an overnight in Auckland or Sydney.

Typically Air NZ runs an Islands on Sale special each month.  This typically lasts 3 days and has seats from NZ$600 return.  

By November Air NZ will have 8 flights a week – and we think it is growing to 16 a week by May 2023.   These will include more wide-body flights.

Qantas begins operations to Samoa in November with two wide-body flights from Brisbane (on Thursdays and Saturdays).  These are daytime flights with returns via Sydney on the same day.  The timing of the flights will suit most Australians and typically be reasonable value.

Fiji Airways has flights from Christchurch, Auckland and Brisbane (with some feeder connections from other cities).  Most of these involve overnighting in Nadi.  Currently prices are high but they are promising similar special prices to Air NZ.  

Fiji Airways also has a flight from Hawaii, This is currently via Nadi, but the direct flight resumes later this year.

Virgin resumes flights to Samoa in March 2023 with 4 flights a week (probably in 737s).  These are typically well priced – but flight timing may require an overnight in Australia.

Samoa is now fully open to tourists and all Covid restrictions have been lifted.  As of 22 September 2022, there are NO requirements for vaccination certificates or Covid tests.
The number of flights available is steadily increasing. Qantas starts flying from Australia in November  and Virgin resumes in March.  Air New Zealand flights are expected to reach almost two a day in 2023.