How Long Does it Take to Fly to the Cook Islands?
For most of us, reaching a country as remote and unspoiled as the Cook Islands takes time. Only those coming from Oceania countries like New Zealand, Australia and French Polynesia or the Polynesian islands of Hawai’i are lucky enough to get to Rarotonga and the Cook Islands within a few hours.
For the rest of us, it’s long flights with multiple connections. So, whether you’re planning to add the Cook Islands to your round-the-world trip or simply pop over from New Zealand or Australia, these are the approximate flight times to Rarotonga and the Cook Islands!
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Flights to Rarotonga and the Cook Islands
Direct flights to the Cook Islands are available from New Zealand, Australia, French Polynesia, Hawai’i and Los Angeles (TBA). If coming from elsewhere in the world, there are many connecting flights available from the listed countries.
All flights arrive in the Cook Islands at Rarotonga International Airport (RAR) in the country’s main hub, Rarotonga. Learn more about the airport in Airports in the Cook Islands: Where Can You Fly to in the Cook Islands? There are many connecting flights from Rarotonga to the outer islands of the Cook Islands, as outlined in Domestic Flights in the Cook Islands: Your Guide to Interisland Flights.
Learn more about flying to the Cook Islands in Getting Here: How to Get to Rarotonga & the Cook Islands? Plus, for budgeting tips, see How to Book a Cheap Flight to Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFlight Times from Oceania to the Cook Islands
The Cook Islands are located in the continent of Oceania, making for the shortest flights to Rarotonga and the Cook Islands from other Oceania countries like New Zealand, Australia and French Polynesia. These are the cities with direct flights to the Cook Islands, along with their flight time:
- Auckland to the Cook Islands: 4 hours
- Sydney to the Cook Islands: 6 hours
- Papeete to the Cook Islands: 2 hrs 25 mins
Charter flights are also available to these countries from Rarotonga with the following flight times:
- Alofi to the Cook Islands: 1 hr 55 mins
- Apia to the Cook Islands: 2 hrs 20 mins
- Christmas Islands to the Cook Islands: 5 hours
Learn more about direct flights in Which Airlines Fly Directly to Rarotonga & the Cook Islands? as well as charter flights in How to Hire a Plane in the Cook Islands: A Guide to Plane Charters.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFlight Times from the Americas to the Cook Islands
Those flying from the Americas will typically make one or two stopovers on their way to the Cook Islands, with the exception of those coming from Honolulu and Los Angeles.
Some of the best airports to fly from for faster travel times are Honolulu, Los Angeles, Chicago and Buenos Aires. Make connections in Honolulu, Los Angeles (TBA), Auckland or Papeete. Note that the travel times listed don’t include layover times.
- Honolulu to the Cook Islands: 6 hours direct or 8 hrs 25 mins via Papeete
- Los Angeles to the Cook Islands: 9 hrs 30 mins (direct flights TBA)
- San Francisco to the Cook Islands: 11 hours via Los Angeles, 17 hours via Auckland
- Vancouver to the Cook Islands: 12 hours via Los Angeles, 18 hours via Auckland
- Houston to the Cook Islands: 13 hrs 30 mins via Los Angeles, 19 hours via Auckland
- Chicago to the Cook Islands: 13 hrs 45 mins via Los Angeles, 19 hours via Auckland
- Santiago to the Cook Islands: 14 hours via Auckland.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFlight Times from Asia to the Cook Islands
There are no direct flights to the Cook Islands from Asia, so at least one or two stopovers will need to be made, including in Auckland, Sydney or Papeete. The flight times below are from some of Asia’s most popular airports to the Cook Islands, not including layover times.
- Singapore to the Cook Islands: 14 hrs 35 mins via Auckland, 14 hrs 45 mins via Sydney
- Hong Kong to the Cook Islands: 15 hrs 15 mins via Auckland, 16 hours via Sydney
- Bangkok to the Cook Islands: 16 hrs 20 mins via Sydney
- Tokyo to the Cook Islands: 13 hrs 45 mins via Papeete
- Manila to the Cook Islands: 15 hrs 30 mins via Sydney
- Mumbai to the Cook Islands: 20 hours via Singapore, then Auckland.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFlight Times from Europe to the Cook Islands
For flights between major European airports and the Cook Islands, at least two or three connections will need to be made on your way to the Southern Hemisphere. Flight times from popular European locations (not including layover times) include:
- London to the Cook Islands: 30 hours
- Frankfurt to the Cook Islands: 28 hours
- Amsterdam to the Cook Islands: 27 hrs 45 mins
- Dublin to the Cook Islands: 31 hrs 25 mins
- Zurich to the Cook Islands: 27 hrs 45 mins
- Copenhagen to the Cook Islands: 27 hours
- Oslo to the Cook Islands: 28 hrs 10 mins.
More About Flights to the Cook Islands
That’s it for our list of flight times to Rarotonga and the Cook Islands. For more advice on flying to the Cook Islands, take a look at the following guides:
- Arriving at Rarotonga Airport, Cook Islands: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Which Airlines Fly Directly to Rarotonga & the Cook Islands?
- 8 Best Airport Transfers in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
Finally, get more tips for travelling around the Cook Islands in our Cook Islands Transport Guide: 15 Best Ways to Get Around the Cook Islands.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across the Cook Islands and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Transport (Transport operators and licenses - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Finance & Economic Management (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Agriculture (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Statistics Office (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
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