How to get to Papua New Guinea: airports, flights and border crossings

Fly into Port Moresby (POM). It is the country's main international gateway and almost every domestic connection to the Highlands, Sepik, Milne Bay, New Britain and the islands starts there. Direct international flights are limited, so most travellers connect through Brisbane, Cairns, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila or Tokyo.

If you are joining a lodge, trek or show, your operator will usually tell you which flight to book and meet you at the airport. If you are travelling independently, arrive in daylight, have a transfer arranged, and plan at least one night in Port Moresby before flying onward.

Jacksons International Airport (POM) sits about 8 km from central Port Moresby. It handles the international flights and most domestic connections, so it is where you will clear immigration and, on the way home, departure. The terminal is small; allow time for queues at peak arrivals.

A few other towns have airports that take some international or regional services — Mount Hagen, Lae, Rabaul, Kavieng, Hoskins (Kimbe), Vanimo and Daru — but schedules and routes change, so treat them as secondary options and confirm before you build a trip around them.

Domestic flying is the backbone of travel inside the country. Air Niugini and smaller operators link Port Moresby with the Highlands, the Sepik, Milne Bay, New Britain and the islands. Baggage limits are tight on small aircraft, so pack light and check the allowance for each leg.

From Australia, Brisbane and Cairns are the shortest and most frequent links. From Asia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila and Tokyo have direct or near-direct services. From the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand, you will almost always connect through one of those hubs, so build in a buffer of several hours and consider an overnight stop if the connection is tight.

Fares swing widely. As a rough 2026 estimate, return fares from Brisbane or Cairns are often the cheapest, while long-haul return fares from the US, UK or Canada commonly run into the high hundreds to low thousands of US dollars depending on season and how early you book. Book early for the Goroka Show (September) and Mount Hagen Show (August), when seats and rooms fill.

Papua New Guinea shares a land border with Indonesia on New Guinea island, and the Torres Strait separates it from Australia. For most visitors these are not practical entry points. The Indonesia border crossing near Jayapura and Vanimo is used by some overlanders, but it has security and paperwork complications and should not be attempted without current local advice.

There are no regular passenger ferries from Australia. Some cruise ships call at ports such as Alotau, Rabaul and Madang, and a few travellers arrive by yacht or expedition ship, but these are special cases with their own clearance rules. If you are considering any of them, confirm the current requirements with the operator and the relevant authority before you travel.

Have your visa or e-visa sorted before you fly, and check the current rules on the official immigration site. Carry a printed or offline copy of your accommodation booking and onward ticket, as you may be asked for them.

At Port Moresby, pre-book a transfer through your hotel or operator rather than hailing a taxi on arrival. Taxis are not metered and public transport is not recommended for visitors. Change a small amount of money at the airport or use an ATM if it is working, but carry some kina as a backup.

Buy a local SIM or eSIM if you need data; coverage is best in towns and limited in remote areas. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is strongly advised, because serious medical care may require transfer to Australia.