United Airlines is heading to the South Pacific.
Next year it will become the only US airline to fly nonstop from the US mainland to French Polynesia with seasonal Tahiti flights.
United will begin flying three times a week from San Francisco to Papeete on October 30, using Boeing 787 Dreamliners on the eight-hour route which runs seasonally until March 28.
It concludes a busy year for international expansion.
"We are excited to announce Tahiti as our 13th international destination this year and we are even more thrilled about offering our customers a whole new world of vacation opportunities," said Patrick Quayle, United’s vice president of international network.
"We know our customers want more destinations to choose from to escape the winter weather and we look forward to being the airline that connects them to this corner of paradise."
United calls Papeete the ‘South Pacific’s gateway to more than 118 islands in French Polynesia.’
Tickets are now live for booking although the route is still subject to the usual regulatory approval.
Hawaiian Airlines is the only other US based carrier serving Tahiti, which operates flights from Honolulu.
