Domestic Flights within Vanuatu
Search and buy domestic flights within Vanuatu with Alternative Airlines. We offer flights from airlines flying domestic routes within Vanuatu, plus, international flights flying to and from Vanuatu and beyond.
We’re super proud of our Trustpilot rating, but don’t just take it from us. See why millions of others love booking their flights through Alternative Airlines
Search and buy domestic flights within Vanuatu with Alternative Airlines. We offer flights from airlines flying domestic routes within Vanuatu, plus, international flights flying to and from Vanuatu and beyond.
White-sand beaches, ancient culture and extraordinary diving experiences, if you visit Vanuatu, you'll inevitably need to travel between the islands to get the most out of the country.
The Vanuatu islands are made up of 90 islands, with 65 of them inhabited. While it's not possible to fly between all 65 of them, you can get flights to all of the main islands. Travelling by air is a lot more convenient than travelling by ferry, which are often irregular. If you want to visit a specific island at a specific time, sometimes, flying might be your only option.
Not only is flying the most convenient and regular way of travelling around Vanuatu, but it's also the quickest. For example, a boat ride from Port Vila to Luganville can take up to 24 hours and stops at other islands along the way. A flight between the same destinations only takes 50 minutes and is direct, with no stops.
At the moment, there's only one airline flying scheduled flights within Vanuatu — Air Vanuatu. Air Vanuatu is actually the only airline from the country, both domestic and international.
Air Vanuatu is the national carrier of Vanuatu and currently the only scheduled passenger airline in the country. The airline flies to 25 destinations within Vanuatu. It mainly connects Port Villa and Luganville with other destinations on the islands, although, it does fly other inter-island flights on routes with demand too. For example, although not a hub, the airline also offers many domestic flights from Tanna. Or, connects Norsup with Craig Crove.
As the only airline currently in the country, Air Vanuatu is the only option for flying around the islands. It also flies international flights and is the main way to reach the islands, connecting it with Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
A domestic flight in Vanuatu is any flight that departs within a destination within Vanuatu and arrives at another destination, still within Vanuatu. One of the most popular domestic flight routes in Vanuatu is from Port Vila to Luganville. Most flights take around an hour.
The majority of domestic flights within Vanuatu depart from either Port Vila or Luganville. Flights from Port Vila travel to islands south of the archipelago, while flights from Luganville travel to islands north of the archipelago.
The country's three main islands, Port Vila, Espirito Santo (Luganville) and Tanna each have airports with concrete/asphalt runways. However, outside of these three islands, flights take off and land on grass runways at much smaller airports with no facilities. Flying to these smaller airports is an experience in itself if you're used to flying on big airlines that used large aircraft. The planes used on these flights are very small propeller-type jets.
Here are the check-in times for Air Vanuatu, which is currently the only airline that offers domestic flights within the country:
Online: Online check-in opens 24 hours before scheduled flight departure time and closes one hour before.
Airport: Airport check-in opens 2 hours and 45 minutes before scheduled flight departure time and closes 45 minutes before.
You'll need a passport to enter and leave Vanuatu. But, you won't need a passport to fly around the country. Instead, you can use any form of government-issued photo ID to board your domestic flight within Vanuatu. For example, a drivers license with a photo. Of course, if you'd like to use your passport as photo ID, this will still be accepted.
Check-in counters open 2 hours and 45 minutes before flight departure time and close 45 minutes before. So, we recommend arriving at the airport when the check-in counters open.
If you've checked-in online, you can arrive later. We recommend arriving 90 minutes before check-in time if you've checked-in online.
If you're flying within Vanuatu, you'll be given a free carry-on baggage allowance of 5 kg and a free checked baggage allowance of 10 kg.
If you need more checked baggage, it's available to purchase.
Yes, you can book domestic flights within Vanuatu online on the Alternative Airlines website. We offer all flights from Air Vanuatu, which is the only airline currently flying domestically within Vanuatu. To search for flights domestic flights, use our search form and select to search between two destinations within Vanuatu.
Absolutely! If you'd like to pay for your flights in Vanuatu Vatu, you can do that right here at Alternative Airlines. We have 160+ currencies available for you to pay for your flights with, including Vanuatu Vatu! Read our guide on how to book flights with Vanuatu Vatu for more information.