Flights to Federated States of Micronesia (Palau)

Hi

I have to book a flight for a person at work (it’s my job to arrange travel so it’s not out of the goodness of my heart).

Can anyone tell me which airlines fly from NZ (or Australia) connectingto Palau [Federated States of Micronesia]. The flight would be in mid May of this year.

I have looked online and found a site www.visit-palau.com which appears helpful, but am finding it difficult to work out if any airlines fly from Australia (pretty much given up on getting a flight from NZ).

Continental Airlines says it flies from Cairns to Palau via Guam but I can’t seem to actually access the page. Grrr. On the Palau site it mentions some flying from Asia but I don’t know if this would add to flying time or not.

The person I am booking it for told me that Air Nauru flies there - I have found their website but they don’t seem to fly there anymore??

Can anyone help me please? Any particular Airlines that I could check would be appreciated.

Alternative Idea:

I had wondered if it was better to book a flight for the person to Guam and then a separate one from Guam to Palau. If booking to Guam then I can book a flight from Auckland – Hong Kong – Manila – Guam on Air NZ/Cathay Pacific/Continental. This says total travel time 19 hours. Is this reasonable?

I am sorry if I sound a bit vague – I am having a problem trying to work out so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Finally, I know I could go to a travel agent but wanted to have an idea of approx costs, airlines and travel times if I do.

Thank you so much for any help you can provide.

Gosh I just read over my post and realised how 'wordy' it was. Typical me.

The routing I am looking at is approx 30 hours worth of travelling time from Wellington, NZ to Palau. I have noticed from the Guam - ROR leg that there seems to be one flight per day on Continental and a couple from Seoul, Tokyo and Osaka.

Can't seem to fit the routing via Cairns. Pity. Oh well.

Uh- first you need to know where you are going. The Federated Statesof Micronesia include (east to west) Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Yap. Palau is the Republic of Palau, quite seperate from the FSM.

If you are booking to Manila then you can fly directly to Palau. The Manila-Guam flight stops in Koror. No need to go all the way to Guam and fly back. There keep being other airlines, but Continental is the one which keeps flying to Palau. I don't think that the Cairns-Palau flight is still going, nor the Air Nauru, which used to fly to Guam.

It is also well known that you almost cannot get to Palau from down under. Which is why the Cairnes flight appeared to be such a winner. But it didn't keep flying for political reasons- Continental Air Mike rules the world of Micronesia.

Hi 5waldos

thanks for your response. I had wondered if Palau was separate (if the fact it is called the Republic of Palau didn't tip me off I don't know what would!) but wondered if I was just interpreting something differently! The info i got from the person going said FSM but I obviously didn't think about it too much!

Actually, that means that there are different immigration rules for Palau then i assume. Bugger I had better look into that...

Really good to know that the staff member who is going can go from Manila. I might look into airlines flying from there. It definitely seems more sensible than flying up to Tokyo or Seoul and then back down again.

I am going to ring Continental on Thursday and find out about that Cairns flight! Its a public holiday tomorrow so can't do it until then unfortunately.

As I said, thanks for that.

Immigration? Wow- although I doubt that the rules are very different from the FSM.

I think that it is still only Continental that flies from Manila, although there is another airline that did fly from someplace further south in the Phillipines. Not certain it still is, but maybe. People have written about it here someplace. The flight is outrageously expensive, but that is the rule when flying around the islands. And why it is such a money maker for Continental.

I'd love to hear about the Cairns flights, although I am pretty sure that it is canceled. In fact, not certain that it ever flew.

It looks like you are getting the right advise from 5 Waldos, as I am sure you are aware flights come and go as often as fares in the islands. Air Micronesia (Continental) is pretty much the only game in town. I have flown from Manila on that flight to Koror, nice clean plane, usually plenty of seats. I have no suggestion on getting from Australia or New Zealand to Manila, but there must be mutiple options. When is he flying? The Palau Tourist Board has a good website with visa and immigration information.

Good Luck

Papa Mike
Papa Mike's Palau Islands Handbook

Try Quantas for Auckland-Manila
Asian Spirt for Manila-Koror, Palau

Or Qantas

I didn't think that Asian Spirit went from Manila but someplace south of Manila. And Quantas? Into Koror? Uh- is this new? It would be quite shocking to imagine that Air Mike and its local people would have allowed that one in. They have fought real competition for years, and that would be a real airline.

Asian Spirit flies from both Manila and Davao to Koror.

Quantas flies to Manila from Auckland via Sydney. I think it might be the easiest way to get from Auckland to Manila. Then it would be Continental or Asian Spirit into Koror (but Asian Spirit should cost far, far less than Continental).

Hi everyone

well as an update....currently I am managing to confuse every single travel agent I have contacted. I would like to be able to book directly on the internet but it is proving a bit of a problem (workplace requiring invoice/statement on proper letterhead paper grr). not to mention the fact that I really don't want to have to book separate legs if I can help it. So I have to go through an agent. The only contact I have for Continental Micronesia in NZ is a wholesaler so they can't help.

Incidentally - Continental fly twice a week between Cairns and Palau (via Guam) on Thursday and Sunday.

He would prefer to fly from Cairns as he can spend time with people he knows in Cairns rather than simply hanging around an airport somewhere else. Also, whilst the CNS-ROR segment is definitely expensive it is currently [relatively] cheap to fly to Cairns from NZ.

The fun part is the fact there is a stopover of around 13 hours in Guam. So I have to break that to him as well :)

Thanks for all your help.

The flight is actually going? Wow- will wonders never cease. But they go though Guam? Well, so much for wonders. And 13 hours in Guam is no real fun.

Sorry Silvano- misunderstood about Quantas. Thought you were saying that it flew to Palau. The Asian Spirit flights must be a new wrinkle- I knew they flew from Davao.

Maybe, if this competition keeps up Air Mike will have to drop its prices. But I won't hold my breath.

To those who responded - thanks lots for all your help.

I have booked the flight for the person. It cost about NZD2300 all up and considering he leaves in a week wasn’t as much as I was expecting! Because of the regional airport he is leaving from here and the connection times (and not wanting to be on a flight to Asia if he could simply go to Australia) this actually worked out quite well. There were a few issues due to not being able to leave here before a certain date, and seeing as it was a work thing he didn’t have a lot of time to spend transitting airports. Even though he isn’t going on Asian Spirit, I have to show that I have found a cost effective flight and the alternatives available so it was still very helpful.

And I might add that now I know that Palau is a separate country (and not part of the Federated States of Micronesia!) I will be sure to post a question on the proper part of the tree!

Regards

Hope he has a wonderful time!