Tonga Airports: Where to Fly to?
All getaways to Tonga start with booking a flight, but where should you book a flight to? We’ll go over some advice in this guide to which airport to arrive in Tonga!
There are two international airports in Tonga, taking in arrivals from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Samoa and American Samoa. You might decide on which airport to arrive in Tonga depending on which destination you’re coming from, as well as which arrival island sounds like the best destination to you. This guide will outline which airports you can arrive in from various destinations.
For more travel advice, see Which Airlines Fly to Tonga?
The Tonga Airports
Tonga has six airports, two of which are international airports, which also serve domestic flights, while the rest are solely domestic airports.
Tonga International Airports
- Fua’amotu International Airport (Tongatapu)
- Lupepau’u International Airport (Vava’u)
Tonga Domestic Airports
- Salote Pilolevu Airport (Lifuka Island, Ha’apai)
- Kaufana Airport (‘Eua)
- Mata’aho Airport (Niuatoputapu)
- Kuini Lavinia Airport (Niuafo’ou)
Learn more about each airport in Tonga, the airlines that service them, and what facilities they have in What Are the Airports in Tonga?
(c) tongapocketguide.comArriving from New Zealand
One of the most frequent flights available to Tonga from overseas is from Auckland, New Zealand. Flights from Auckland with Air New Zealand go back and forth to Nuku’alofa (Fua’amotu Airport) daily except Sundays with a slightly reduced schedule in the low season (around February and March).
Fua’amotu International Airport, Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu
Flights from Auckland land in Fua’amotu International Airport, which is Tonga’s busiest airport with frequent flights to other islands in Tonga, as well as to Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa and Australia. Fua’amotu Airport is 25km (15 miles) from Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital, where travellers can also connect to ferry services or stick to the main island. Learn more about Nuku’alofa in The Complete Guide to Nuku’alofa.
Arriving at Fua’amotu Airport means you also have easy access to the rest of the island of Tongatapu, which you can learn more about in The Complete Guide to Tongatapu.
(c) tongapocketguide.comArriving from Australia
Flights arrive from Sydney, Australia twice a week, landing at Fua’amotu International Airport near Nuku’alofa, the nation’s capital on the island of Tongatapu. Flights operate all year round with Virgin Australia.
Fua’amotu International Airport, Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu
Flights from Sydney land in Fua’amotu International Airport, where travellers can connect to other destinations in Tonga, as well as to Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa and New Zealand. Fua’amotu Airport is 25km (15 miles) from Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital, where ferry services provide an alternative way to get to Tonga’s other island groups. Learn more about Nuku’alofa in The Complete Guide to Nuku’alofa. You will also have easy access to the rest of the island of Tongatapu, which you can learn more about in The Complete Guide to Tongatapu.
(c) tongapocketguide.comArriving from Fiji
Fiji is one of the best-connected South Pacific islands to Tonga in terms of air travel. Flights with Fiji Airways operate between Nadi and Fua’amotu Airport around four times a week, as well as between Nadi and Lupepau’u International Airport twice a week.
Fua’amotu International Airport, Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu
Flights from Nadi land in Fua’amotu International Airport, where passengers can connect to other destinations in Tonga via domestic flights, as well as to Australia, Samoa, American Samoa and New Zealand. Fua’amotu Airport is 25km (15 miles) from Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital. Learn more about Nuku’alofa in The Complete Guide to Nuku’alofa. You will also have easy access to the rest of the island of Tongatapu, which is a holiday destination in its own right. Learn more about in The Complete Guide to Tongatapu.
Lupepau’u International Airport, Vava’u
Flights from Suva land in Lupepau’u International Airport on the main island of Vava’u, 10km (6 miles) from Tonga’s second-largest town, Neiafu. Due to the infrequency of flights at Lupepau’u Airport, connecting to other island groups in Tonga from Vava’u is usually a lengthy process. It’s best to land in Vava’u if you want to visit it as a destination, which you can learn more about in The Complete Guide to Vava’u.
(c) tongapocketguide.comArriving from Samoa and American Samoa
Samoa and American Samoa are connected to Tonga through flights between Apia in Samoa, Pago Pago in American Samoa and Fua’amotu Airport with Talofa Airways. Both routes operate twice a week.
Fua’amotu International Airport, Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu
Flights from Apia and Pago Pago land in Fua’amotu International Airport, the main airport of Tonga where passengers can connect to other destinations in Tonga via domestic flights, as well as to Australia, Fiji and New Zealand. The airport is 25km (15 miles) from Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital, where you can find more information in The Complete Guide to Nuku’alofa. Those who arrive at this airport will also have easy access to the rest of the island of Tongatapu – find out more in The Complete Guide to Tongatapu.
Lupepau’u International Airport, Vava’u
Flights from Apia land in Lupepau’u International Airport on the main island of Vava’u. The airport is 10km (6 miles) from Tonga’s second-largest town, Neiafu. However, due to the infrequency of flights at Lupepau’u Airport, connecting to other island groups in Tonga from Vava’u is usually a lengthy process, so it’s best to spend some time visiting Vava’u, using The Complete Guide to Vava’u, before visiting other islands.
(c) tongapocketguide.comArriving from Elsewhere in the World…
Those travelling from elsewhere in the world will need to get a connecting flight from either New Zealand, Australia, Fiji or Samoa. Auckland Airport (New Zealand) and Sydney Airport (Australia) are the best-connected airports to other international destinations, generally making them the best option if you need to do a stopover.
Nadi Airport (Fiji) is your next best option with flights connecting to Seoul (Korea), Los Angeles (US), Honolulu (Hawaii), Melbourne (Australia), Christchurch (New Zealand), Apia (Samoa), Port Vila (Vanuatu), Funafuti (Tuvalu), Tarawa (Kiribati) and Honiara (Solomon Islands).
More About Which Airport to Arrive in Tonga
