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Odds are you’ll be taking at least one domestic flight in PNG. I took six in one 25-day trip. This post covers what I learned to make your air journeys more comfortable and reliable. Trust me, it’s information you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re actually traveling in Papua New Guinea and not just country-counting on a layover of Port Moresby, you’re going to embark on a handful of domestic departures. And since you’re going to want to book them in advance for the best price, it’s important you read this guide. Because while it is the only way to get around the country, it’s not streamlined, nor easy or convenient.
Everything You Need to Know About Papua New Guinea Domestic Flights
Here’s what you need to know before booking your domestic departures in PNG. For starters, most tours/guides will require you to book the domestic flights yourself. But that’s kinda why this guide exists.
There are TWO carriers in the whole country.
Air Niugini is the government airline. PNG Air is privately owned. Most people have a firm opinion of the one they prefer; I had both poor and good experiences with each. The real truth of the matter is that while Air Niugini is more comfortable and has more departures to more destinations, PNG Air is far, far less likely to be canceled.
It’s not always better to book directly with the airline.
You should check the Trip.com app for deals and better rebooking policies than the airline’s. I know it doesn’t make sense, but still it happens.
Cancellations and delays are a constant problem.
Air Niugini has a reported 50% cancellation rate on some routes. Both Air Niugini and PNG Air canceled on me once during my trip. Two of my flights were delayed by a few hours. One went on time. One went early. As you can see, the flying situation is not great. If you’re on a tight schedule or an inflexible itinerary, you’re likely to be very frustrated. There is, however, *nothing* you can do about it.
Afternoon flights are more likely to be canceled than morning flights.
You’ll notice that morning flights fill first, and it’s because locals know that the morning weather allows for less disruption than the afternoon. If you really need to get where you’re going ON the day you’re planning to fly, take the earliest flight possible.
Flights can be changed earlier, not just later, with little notice.
PNG Air specifically loves to change your flights without emailing you. In fact, they don’t email you at all after the original ticket email. For one of our flights, they actually changed it 8 hours earlier without notifying me, and I only noticed when I went to check in online for the original flight I booked. Fortunately, I didn’t miss it, but you should just be sure to check in online as early as you can.
I witnessed a flight depart 30 minutes before the original boarding time with no loudspeaker announcement, causing a guy hanging out in the cafe to miss his departure.
It’s chaos, I’m telling you. Watch closely and stay near the gate.
Flights operate like buses in Papua New Guinea.
I took a flight from Wewak to Port Moresby. It stopped three separate times on this otherwise short route. No food, no water (bring your own), and a 1.5-hour flight was now nearly 4 hours. When this happens, you don’t have to disembark the plane, though.
If they cancel your flight and force you to stay overnight, they do accommodate you.
Typically, in a relatively nice hotel, with a 70 kina-per-person dinner voucher. Not the worst thing in the world. This gives you a reason to choose the afternoon flight.
Flights only operate during the day.
Domestic airports in PNG aren’t equipped to operate after dark, which means the last flights are always before 5 PM.
Pay attention to your baggage allowance.
If you’re a sucker for masks and really cool souvenirs like me, good news, they are cheap in PNG. Unfortunately, the airlines are not lenient when it comes to baggage weight.
I would opt for a slightly larger baggage allowance than you think or leave bags at a reputable Port Moresby hotel between domestic trips.
Corruption hits the airport, too.
You can get bumped from your flight for any number of reasons, even after checking in. Both airlines constantly oversell tickets and give seats to government officials while kicking other customers to the next flight. Just try to check in as early as possible and get to the airport nice and early to ensure you actually get on the plane.
The earlier you book, the cheaper the fares.
Ideally, more than 6 weeks out. Honestly, the earlier you can buy them, the better. If you need to change them, you’ll need to visit the airport office OR contact the agency you booked them through (like trip.com), but this process is usually straightforward.
Flights can be as low as $100 each if you book early enough.
You have to transit through Port Moresby.
Every time you switch regions, you have to go back through Port Moresby (there are a few exceptions). This means more flights. This is because Port Moresby is the only destination that ALL destinations fly to. Be careful making any tight layovers. Personally, we felt it was better to spend a night in Port Moresby and ensure no missed flights. Port Moresby is the only place you’ll get a decent night of rest too.
There’s no point in round-trip fares.
In fact, it’s simpler if you book everything one way. It makes changes easier if they need to happen. There are no savings for the round-trip tickets, so don’t bother with them.
Arrive at the airport 2 hours early for international departures, 1.5 hours for domestic.
All the airports (even Port Moresby) are tiny in PNG. While you should arrive relatively early just to secure your seat, it’s usually no larger than a single room, and security is not tight. There’s no reason to arrive super early.
Here’s What You Should Takeaway From All This Information
- Always book the earliest flight you can. Morning flights are more likely to actually make it to their destination the same day.
- PNG Air is more reliable. But Air Niugini is more comfortable.
- You should check the official website for changes to your itinerary often.
- Ideally, stick to one carrier if you can. This makes your connections easier; if one gets delayed, then your next flight can be easily adjusted (assuming it’s with the same carrier).
- You’ll spend a lot of time in the Port Moresby Airport. The international terminal has a far better cafe. You might as well walk over and wait there. Just be sure to check back in the domestic terminal often.
- If they delay or cancel your flight, leaving you stranded overnight, they will pay for your hotel and dinner. Just go to the customer service office.
- Understand the luggage charges because they are NOT lenient.
- Be sure you actually get travel insurance for this trip. This way, if there are any serious screw-ups with flights, you’ll be covered.
Domestic flights, while not enjoyable, are a necessary evil in Papua New Guinea. Adopt a go with the flow attitude, and you’ll be fine. Follow these tips and your domestic departures in PNG will go swimmingly!
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