If you’re dreaming of a trip to Fiji, you’ll likely need Fiji Airways to make it a reality. Fiji Airways is the main carrier from North America. Due to increased demand, the airline is expanding its network in North America.
Currently Fiji Airways departs from three North American cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver BC. Flights from Dallas begin operating in December 2024.
Flying Fiji Airways
Fijians are known for their hospitality. Your first taste of that experience happens before you even take off.
On every leg of our recent journey with Fiji Airways (traveling on both international and domestic flights), we experienced clean planes and a friendly flight crew. The cabin crew’s uniforms are colorful, with bold prints and styles reflective of Fijian culture and dress.
We upgraded to “Bula Space” for the first leg of our journey. The goal was to get some sleep so we could hit the ground running upon arrival at 6 a.m. in Fiji. Bula space offers more legroom, and a more comfortable seat pitch.
Specific to our international flight, two meals were served on our 10.5 hour flight from Los Angeles. One was served shortly after takeoff, around 1 a.m. LA time. The second meal arrived a few hours before landing in Nadi. Two meals were also served on the return flight to LAX, a dinner and breakfast.
KidTripster Tip: You can preorder meals if you have food allergies or special dietary requests. We ordered gluten free meals for our flights.
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Landing in Fiji
International flights arrive at Nadi International Airport. FYI – it’s pronounced “Nandi”, with an “n”. Although several international flights arrive at Nadi daily, it’s a relatively small airport.
KidTripster Tip: You’ll cross over the international date line when traveling to Fiji, meaning you’ll lose a day. The good news is that you’ll gain the day back upon your return. If traveling from the West Coast, it’s a 19-hour time difference from home.
“Bula” is the first word you’ll hear upon arrival. In fact you’ll hear this word a lot throughout your stay. It’s a friendly greeting meaning “hello” and “welcome” and is also used in other contexts.
As you approach the immigration desk, you’ll be serenaded by island tunes. This is your reminder that you’re on vacation!
Although you’re arriving in a foreign country all the way around the world, you won’t have to worry about a language barrier, at least not if you’re an English speaker. English is one of the three main languages in Fiji.
Many hotels offer a transfer service from Nadi. You may find it more cost effective to book your own car service. We utilized Rosie Holidays during our stay. They were prompt, efficient, and operated clean, air-conditioned vehicles.
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Island Hopping via Fiji Airways
There are 332 islands in Fiji, 110 of which are inhabited. You can get to these islands by boat or plane. The domestic airport is located immediately next door to the Nadi International Airport.
During our stay we hopped over to Suva. The flight is a brief 35 minutes, whereas the drive is a minimum of 3.5 hours. We’re told that this drive can often take much longer and can be difficult at night or during bad weather. Driving in Fiji is on the left hand side of the road. Foreign visitors need an International Driving Permit to drive here.
KidTripster Tip: If you plan to island hop, but don’t want to take all of your luggage with you, there’s luggage storage available in the Arrivals area at Nadi International Airport. Look for the “left luggage” sign.
Suva is the capital of Fiji. As the political and economical center of Fiji, it’s a more commercial town and not typically a tourist stop. A visit to Suva provides a glimpse into city life in the South Pacific. While there are cultural sites, there’s also nightlife, too.
KidTripster Tip: If you do go, consider a stay at the beautiful and iconic Grand Pacific Hotel located along the waterfront. This historic property is part of the IHG hotel group, which also owns the lovely InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa.
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Utilizing the Fiji Stopover Program
Fiji Airways offers a stopover program. Passengers flying to places like New Zealand or Australia can spend a few days in Fiji before heading on to their final destination. It’s a nice way to break up a long flight and experience this beautiful destination.
If interested in booking a stopover, follow the instructions on the Fiji Airways website.
The author was guest of Tourism Fiji and Fiji Airways.
