SAIPAN — Team Marianas could be headed to the 2027 Tahiti Pacific Games on a charter flight, as the Northern Marianas Sports Association moves forward with plans aimed at reducing travel time and helping athletes arrive better rested and ready to compete.
NMSA said it has accepted a proposal from an airline company for a charter flight to Tahiti for the Games, which are scheduled for July 24 through Aug. 8, 2027. The proposal calls for a B787-900 aircraft with a 290-passenger capacity.
NMSA President Jerry Tan said travel has long been one of the biggest challenges for Team Marianas when major regional competitions are hosted “down South,” citing the physical and mental toll of extended travel and long layovers. He said a charter option would significantly shorten the trip and give athletes more time to recover, acclimate, and prepare to compete.
For regular commercial travel, Saipan-to-Tahiti travel time is estimated at 20 to 30 hours depending on layovers, while a charter flight would take about 10 hours. The initial target delegation for Tahiti is set at more than 200 athletes and officials, competing in 13 sports out of the 24 events scheduled for the 2027 Games.
Team Marianas previously chartered a flight for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, where more than 110 NMI athletes and officials traveled together and returned with a medal haul of five golds, one silver, and seven bronzes.
