Fiji Airways, Fiji’s National Airline, has announced plans to commence seasonal twice-weekly direct services from Nadi to San Francisco starting June 2016. The flights, operating in June, July, August, December 2016 and January 2017, will depart from Nadi International Airport to San Francisco International Airport on Thursdays and Sundays.

Fiji Airways’ Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Andre Viljoen said the new route further extended the airline’s reach in North America, with onward connections available to most US and Canadian cities.

“We’re proud to announce this new service which will give our Fiji customers a direct connection to the very popular city of San Francisco and beyond for leisure and family travel. And for our San Francisco customers, the flights will bring them to one of their favourite vacation destinations.”

This new service is in line with Fiji Airways’ network expansion targets and gives it further reach into North America. The seasonal schedule takes into account common holiday 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,” added Viljoen

Fijian Attorney General and Minister for Public Enterprises and Civil Aviation, the Honourable Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the direct flights to San Francisco will position Fiji as the hub of the Pacific and transit hub.

“Fiji now connects to all the continents that rim the Pacific basin except South America and that obviously could be our next frontier that we could get into in the long term,” he said.