NADI, Fiji, Dec. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Fiji Airways, voted Best Airline in the South Pacific as awarded by Global Traveler, has announced plans to commence seasonal twice-weekly direct services from San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji this summer and next December starting June 16th, 2016. The flights will operate from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Fiji (NAN) on Thursdays and Sundays, with flight times to provide easy connectivity within Fiji, to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Island nations. Flights will be available for purchase on www.fijiairways.com.

The new services will allow more Americans to visit Fiji and experience the natural beauty of its islands and the world-renowned hospitality of the Fijian people. The flights will also make it convenient for the Fijian, Samoan and Tongan communities living in San Francisco, to take trips back to their homeland to see family and friends.

Fiji Airways Managing Director and CEO, Andre Viljoen said, “This new service is in line with our network expansion targets and gives us further reach into North America. The seasonal flying takes into account common vacation trends out of the United States. Along with the Fijian community, the Samoan and Tongan communities living in San Francisco are also big winners with this direct service. It will offer them a convenient one-stop flight back to their homeland to see family and friends [via Fiji].”

Fijian Attorney General and Minister for Public Enterprises and Civil Aviation, the Honourable Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said, “Fiji is already a popular holiday destination for Americans, especially those from California. The new San Francisco direct flights will allow even more visitors – including former Fiji residents – to visit our home, its beaches, its multitude of experiences, but most importantly, the world-renowned hospitality of the Fijian people. The flight times are also designed with connectivity in mind, giving visitors easy access to Fiji’s beautiful outer islands on our domestic airline Fiji Link. It will be a further boost to tourism in Savusavu, Taveuni, Kadavu as well as the Coral Coast, Mamanuca and the Yasawa groups.”

The San Francisco-Nadi flight will depart at 11pm (local time) Thursdays and Sundays, arriving in Nadi at 5am (local time, +2 days). The flight will depart Nadi on Thursdays and Sundays at 9pm (local time), arriving in San Francisco 12:30pm (local time, the same day). Operated using Fiji Airways’ A330 aircraft, 10-hour direct flight offers both Economy and Business Class travel options. All Fiji Airways flights are full-service, and include checked baggage, in-flight entertainment, meals and alcoholic beverages.