How to Get to American Samoa, America’s Hidden Tropical Paradise
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
For having the word "America" in its name, American Samoa is pretty far removed from the US. A jewel of the South Pacific, American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States, and it's home to one of the least visited national parks in the entire park system: The National Park of American Samoa.
For explorers and park junkies, this particular one is high on the list of must-dos. The only trouble? Getting to American Samoa.
Pago Pago International Airport (PPG), located on the island of Tutuila, is essentially the territory's only significant link to the rest of the world. Currently, the only scheduled flights are to three other islands: Samoa, Tonga, and O'ahu, Hawaii. You read that correctly: Hawaiian Airlines flies directly from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to Pago Pago (PPG) two times per week on Monday and Thursday, which creates an ideal opportunity for island lovers and savvy points collectors alike to visit one of the most remote places on Earth.
Can I Use Points and Miles to Visit American Samoa?
Why, yes! While Hawaiian Airlines prices this flight fairly consistently on a cash basis (around $560 one-way, or just under $1,000 roundtrip in economy), you can use points and miles as well. Pago Pago PPG falls in Hawaiian's "South Pacific" bucket in terms of award redemptions, which prices Coach SuperSaver tickets at 27,500 miles each way. First/Business class award seats can be had for 47,500 miles.
If you want to buy a ticket from Pago Pago back to North America, Coach SuperSaver prices out at 47,500 miles one-way, or 87,500 in First/Business.
If you don't have any Hawaiian miles, fret not. For a limited time, you can earn a 60,000 mile bonus by spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of with the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard. For small business owners, they too can snag 50,000 miles after their first purchase on the Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard.
Moreover, you can instantly transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to your Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles account at a 1:1 ratio. So, if you're flush with Amex Membership Rewards points, you're flush with miles to use on a Hawaiian flight to Pago Pago — simply login to your Amex account and initiate the online transfer after you've found award space on dates that work for you using Hawaiian's online award search calendar.
For those looking to add an Amex to their wallet, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Amex Membership Rewards. For the hefty welcome bonus and myriad travel perks, we'd suggest The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
What's The Route Strategy?
Now, let's take a look at Hawaiian's little-known flight between two remarkable islands.
Hawaiian Flights 465/466, Honolulu (HNL) to Pago Pago (PPG)
- Distance — 2,600 miles
- Approximate Time — 5 hours, 40 minutes (HNL-PPG); 5 hours, 30 minutes (PPG-HNL)
- Aircraft — Airbus A330
- Schedule — Mondays and Thursdays
When I visited American Samoa in 2012, I hopped 93 miles from Apia–Faleolo (APW) via Inter Island Airways (which is no longer operational), spent a few days on the island, and then proceeded to fly to Honolulu for several more sun-soaked days. Here are a few of my recommended routes to make the most of a visit to American Samoa.
The O'ahu – American Samoa holiday: Use FlyingBlue Miles – which you can transfer from Citi ThankYou Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Chase Ultimate Rewards – to fly to and from Honolulu on Delta Air Lines for as little as 25,000 miles. Set your return date far enough out to sandwich a multi-day trip to American Samoa in between. Essentially, you'd book two roundtrip tickets. One to get you between home and Honolulu, and another to get you from Honolulu to Pago Pago (and back). For the Honolulu roundtrip, be sure to check out our guide outlining the best transfer partners for booking flights to Hawaii.
The Oceania – Samoa – American Samoa trifecta: You can't be 93 miles from The Independent State of Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa) and not visit, right? Faleolo International Airport (APW) is far more connected than Pago Pago (PPG), allowing you to first enjoy New Zealand (Air New Zealand), Fiji (Fiji Airways), or Australia (Virgin Australia) before flying to Samoa, and onto American Samoa via Talofa Airways. All of the aforementioned locales can be reached by nonstop flights to the United States. In other words, if you've had any of those destinations on the brain, you could creatively route back home via Samoa and American Samoa rather than enduring a long nonstop back to California.
Bottom Line
American Samoa consists of five main islands and two coral atolls, while The National Park of American Samoa covers 13,500 acres across pieces of three islands (Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta‘ū). The scenery there is otherworldly. Jagged cliffs rise up from the Pacific to meet thick jungle, teeming with life. It's quite easy to hike 20 miles in a day and spot only a couple of other humans. If you're looking to truly get away from it all, few places hit the mark as well as this.
It's also relatively unknown, and for AvGeeks, landing and departing from a remote airport such as PPG provides a thrill all its own. If you're already scoping out a trip to Oceania, but want to get creative on the return routing, planning a mid-trip visit to American Samoa is an ideal way to do so. Generally speaking, award availability is quite tight on long-haul flights between destinations in Oceania (e.g. Nadi, Auckland, Sydney, and Brisbane) and California. You're much more likely to find award availability between those locals and Samoa, American Samoa to Honolulu, and Honolulu back to the mainland.
While American Samoa is indeed a US territory, it's not a US state. Your phone will be roaming internationally, and you'll want to put purchases on a card that has no foreign transaction fees. With a bit of planning, a stash of Amex Membership Rewards points, and a fresh bottle of sunscreen, one of the world's most far-flung islands is within reach.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.