Air Rarotonga is an airline

Airline

An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...

 based in Rarotonga

Rarotonga

Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...

, Cook Islands

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

 and is ‘the airline of the Cook Islands’. It operates inter-island scheduled services throughout the Cook Islands. It also operates chartered flights to French Polynesia

French Polynesia

French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

, Niue

Niue

Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...

, Samoa

Samoa

Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...

 and Tonga

Tonga

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...

. Its main base is Rarotonga International Airport

Rarotonga International Airport

Rarotonga International Airport is the Cook Islands' main international gateway, located in the town and district of Avarua, Rarotonga, three kilometers west of the downtown area on the northern coast....

.

History

The airline was established in February 1978 and started operations in July 1978 with a Cessna 337 aircraft. The company is owned by three private investors. More than 70,000 passengers travel between its island destinations each year.

Destinations

Following is a list of destinations Air Rarotonga flies to as part of its scheduled services, . Terminated and codeshare destinations are also listed.

Hub Airline hub An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...

City	Country	IATA	ICAO	Airport	Refs
Aitutaki Aitutaki Aitutaki, also traditionally known as Araura, Ararau and Utataki, is one of the Cook Islands, north of Rarotonga. It has a population of approximately 2,000. Aitutaki is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands. The capital is Arutanga on the west side.-Geography:Aitutaki is an "almost...		AIT	NCAI	Aitutaki Airport Aitutaki Airport Aitutaki Airport is an airport on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands . The airport was originally constructed by the United States and New Zealand militaries during World War II. The runway recently underwent a $3.8 million upgrade.The "terminal" building at Aitutaki Airport is basically a roof with no...
Atiu Atiu Atiu, also known as Enuamanu , is an island lying at 187 km to the northeast of Rarotonga, in the Southern Islands group of the Cook Islands Archipelago.-Geography:...		AIU	NCAT	Enua Airport Enua Airport Enua Airport is an airport in Atiu in the Cook Islands. It is the second airport built on the island, and was constructed in 1978....
Mangaia Mangaia Mangaia is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga.-Geography:...		MGS	NCMG	Mangaia Airport Mangaia Airport Mangaia Airport is an airport on Mangaia in the Cook Islands. In 2007, the airport received $5 million for development.-Airlines and destinations:The Air Rarotonga Rarotonga connection is operated four days a week....
Manihiki Manihiki Manihiki is an island in the Cook Islands known as the Island of Pearls. It is a triangular atoll north of Rarotonga.- History :Polynesians are believed to have lived on Manihiki since at least 900 or 1000 AD. Kupe was the first to explore Aotea Roa. Kupe came from Manihiki, also known as...		MHZ	NCMH	Manihiki Island Airport Manihiki Island Airport Manihiki Island Airport is an airport on Manihiki in the Cook Islands .-Airlines and destinations:The Air Rarotonga Rarotonga flight is available weekly....
Mauke Mauke Mauke is a raised atoll island, the eastern most of the Cook Islands.-Geography:...		MUK	NCMK	Mauke Airport Mauke Airport -External links:*...
Mitiaro Mitiaro Mitiaro, the fourth island in the Cook Islands group, is of volcanic origin. Standing in water 14,750 feet deep it is four miles across at its widest point.-Geography:...		MOI	NCMR	Mitiaro Airport Mitiaro Airport Mitiaro Airport is an airport on Mitiaro in the Cook Islands. It has a runway that is 25 feet above sea level and 3,000 feet long.- Airlines and destinations :Three flights per week are available to Rarotonga....
Penrhyn Island Penrhyn Island Penrhyn is the most remote and largest atoll of the 15 Cook Islands in the south Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...		PYE	NCPY	Tongareva Airport Tongareva Airport Tongareva Airport is an airport on Penrhyn Island in the Cook Islands .-History:During World War II, Tongareva was of strategic importance. In 1942, 1,000 U.S. servicemen began constructing a 10,000 ft airstrip on the motu of Moananui. The airstrip was used by the American military until 1946...
Pukapuka Pukapuka Pukapuka is a coral atoll in the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean, with three small islets threaded on a reef that encloses a beautifully clear lagoon. It is the most remote island of the Cook Islands, situated about 1140 kilometres northwest of Rarotonga. It is a triangular atoll with three...			NCPK	Pukapuka Island Airfield
Rarotonga Rarotonga Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...		RAR	NCRG	Rarotonga International Airport Rarotonga International Airport Rarotonga International Airport is the Cook Islands' main international gateway, located in the town and district of Avarua, Rarotonga, three kilometers west of the downtown area on the northern coast....

The airline also offers scenic flights over Rarotonga and air charter

Air charter

Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft as opposed to individual aircraft seats...

 services to neighbouring Pacific Island countries including Tahiti

Tahiti

Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...

, Niue, Tonga and Samoa. The airline also operates Air Ambulance evacuations from all island airports in the Cook Islands when needed.

Fleet

As of April 2011 the Air Rarotonga fleet includes the following aircraft:

Air Rarotonga Fleet

Aircraft	Total	Orders	Passengers (Economy)
Cessna 172 Cessna 172 The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...	1	0	3
Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante The Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante is a general purpose 15-21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft suitable for military and civil duties...	2	0	15
Saab 340A Saab 340 The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...	1	0	34
Total	4	0