Even though the Pacific islands are not a cheap destination, travel to the Cook Islands on a budget is definitely possible. Surrounded by a crystal clear lagoon with the finest white sandy beaches, the Cook Islands are a paradise on the Earth. There is just one place we have ever visited that could compete with the beauty of Cook islands. And that is Bora Bora in French Polynesia. So let´s dig deeper on how to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget.
The atmosphere on the Cook Islands is very laid-back. Locals are very friendly and they always find a time to chat with you. Even though the Cook Islands are a very tranquil destination, there are still plenty of exciting activities to do. From scuba diving to snorkelling, from exploring the island´s rainforest to hiking the famous cross-island trek. While you stroll through rainforest you see waterfalls and no matter where you are, you always find an ancient marae close by.
When to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget?
The climate of the Cook Islands is tropical with two main seasons – dry and rainy season. The summer months of January and February are hot, humid and rainy. The weather is much more pleasant during the winter months of June, July and September. During those months the average temperatures drop and rain is less likely to occur. Also, December through April is a cyclone season. There is always a chance that a cyclone will hit during these months.
Overall there is not a really bad time for visiting the Cook Islands. Winter months and shoulder season of April, May and September are just much more pleasant. Because it brings the best combination of sunshine, warmth and prices. During the shoulder season, there are the most affordable prices on accommodation and flights. Thus travelling during the shoulder season is your best chance to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget.
How to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget?
Flights
The easiest way to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget is to fly. There is just one international airport in the Cook Islands called Rarotonga airport. It is located on the north side of the main island Rarotonga. No matter form which country you are coming from, you will always have to fly to Rarotonga first, before switching to connecting flights.
The Cook Islands gained their popularity recently for being an absolute paradise. Plus it is a budget-friendly destination. It is a great way to experience a Pacific paradise without breaking your bank account.
However, it comes with a price. Because of its gaining popularity and a close proximity to New Zealand and Australia, it is a very popular destination. So book your flights and accommodation as soon as possible, because spots can be easily booked out weeks prior.
How to find cheap flights to the Cook Islands?
When you seek to find the cheapest flights possible, it is always a good start to find out which airlines serve the particular country.
The main island Rarotonga is currently served by four international and one domestic airline. The only direct flights are from Australia and New Zealand. So unless you travel from Australia or New Zealand, you will have to switch the flights. The international airlines which serve Rarotonga are:
- Air New Zealand. The only carrier that serves flights from the USA to Cook islands. It leaves from Los Angeles with a stopover in Auckland. Air New Zealand also flies to Cook islands from almost every major city in New Zealand. However, the only direct flight is from Auckland.
- Virgin Australia – serves the direct flights from Sydney.
- Jetstar – Australian budget carrier with a direct flight from Sydney and Melbourne.
- Air Tahiti – Air Tahiti serves Rarotonga from main island Tahiti, Papeete. More about How to travel to French Polynesia on a budget.
There is also one domestic airline that serves all of the domestic flights:
- Air Rarotonga – this airline also flies once a week to Papeete in French Polynesia. Air Rarotonga is the only carrier that serves the Inner Islands of the Cook Islands like Aitutaki)
Rarotonga island is served with daily international flights from New Zealand and twice weekly from Tahiti. Plus weekly non-stop flights from Los Angeles and Sydney.
Now when you know what airlines serve the Cook Islands, visit their websites and sign up for their newsletter. That way you always know about the latest discounts. Especially smaller airlines often offer pretty good deals and discounts directly on their websites. Thus those discounts don´t appear on search engines like Skyscanner or Kayak.
Air Rarotonga is a domestic airline that serves all inner islands of Cook Islands. Rarotonga Air is your only chance, except sailing, how to visit the beautiful island of Aitutaki.
Air Rarotonga flies between Rarotonga and Aitutaki up to 4 times a day. But keep in mind that almost everyone who visits Rarotonga fly to Aitutaki. So it is not a good strategy to wait with booking your flight when you are at Rarotonga unless you have unlimited time to spend there. We spend 10 days at Rarotonga and during that time all flights to Aitutaki were fully booked. So if we had waited with booking our flights, we would have never flown to Aitutaki.
Tip: Air Rarotonga charges their fares in NZD, so don´t forget to recalculate your fares with an exchange rate.
The average cost of an air ticket from Rarotonga to Aitutaki is about 450 NZD return ticket, which is around 420 AUD or 350 USD. It´s not that cheap, we know. But there are not many places on Eart like Aitutaki. So the trip is definitely worth spending that money. You will not regret it.
Here you have a list of cities from which you can fly to Rarotonga directly. So if you want to travel from Europe or another part of the world, watch the deals for air tickets into these gateways.
Tip: Visit Air New Zealand airlines and look for the deals in the section Grab a seat. It is a section where Air New Zealand usually offers great last minute deals on flights.
Flying to Cook Islands from the USA is pricey. The cheapest way how to visit the Cook Islands is obviously from Australia or New Zealand. When you book your flights well in advance, you can find flights from Los Angles to Rarotonga for 700 USD return ticket. The closest to your departure date, prices can jump up to 2 500 USD per return ticket.
Tip: Jetstar often offers amazing deals on flights. But just keep in mind that Jetstar is a budget airline. Therefore, they are very strict about luggage limits. This airline is well-known for charging additional fees practically for everything. So the final price can vary from what you saw on the website.
Our tip: As much as we love Skyscanner, Kayak, and other search engines, there are times that we do not book flights with them. Especially, if we plan to travel to the smaller destinations, like the Cook Islands, it is better, according to us, book your flights directly with the airline.
Why?
Because when something happens, flights get cancelled, delays, you can deal straight with the airline that serves the destination. Instead of trying to deal with the agent that you book your flight through. Airlines dealt with you differently if you booked your flights with an agent and not directly with them. Sometimes they cannot even change the details of the flight without contacting the agent. Which aside from being expensive might be a hassle to do from the middle of the Pacific.
Cruises
There are several cruises that circle between Sydney, Cook Islands, Tahiti and other Pacific islands. Some of these cruises even sail to the USA. But those cruises aren´t typical backpacker option, because they are very expensive. A typical cruise that includes Cook islands can cost you around 2 000 USD. And it is not the best way how to experience those beautiful islands anyways.
Cargo ships
Currently, there is just one shipping company that operates between the islands of the Cook Islands. Even though information about shipping times could be found in local newspapers, it is hard to find any precise information on a website. It is not a recommended way of travel, especially if you wish to visit any outer islands. It might be many weeks between ships and you can be stuck on the island for many, many days.
Sailing
If you really wish to visit Cook islands by boat, the best option would be probably sailing. As in Tahiti, there are hundreds of yachts sailing around and between islands. Your best shot would be taking part as a member of any sailing yacht.
We hope you guys enjoyed our guide How to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget. If you know about more ways how to travel to the Cook Islands on a budget let us know in the comment section down below.
