Port Moresby is served by Jacksons International Airport (POM), the main international airport of Papua New Guinea. As the primary gateway to the country, it offers essential arrivals from Australia and other Pacific Island nations, along with a limited network of domestic flights from remote towns and airstrips across PNG's challenging terrain.
Travelers flying into Port Moresby will find the most frequent and vital international service from Australian gateway cities. The top arrival routes are from Brisbane (BNE), Sydney (SYD), and Cairns (CNS). Other important international connections into POM include from Singapore (SIN), Hong Kong (HKG), Manila (MNL), Honiara (HIR), and Nadi (NAN). Domestic connectivity into POM is extensive but caters mainly to the local market, with flights from major centers like Mount Hagen, Lae, and Rabaul.
The market for arrivals into Port Moresby is served by a small number of airlines. Air Niugini, the national carrier, operates the majority of international and domestic routes into POM. They are joined by Qantas (operated by its subsidiary) on routes from Australia to Port Moresby, and by regional carriers like PNG Air and Airlines PNG for domestic services into POM. Competition is minimal, which typically results in higher fares for inbound travel.
To secure cheap flights to Port Moresby, booking many months in advance is essential, especially for travel during peak seasons into POM. Compare fares on the competitive Brisbane and Sydney routes between Air Niugini and Qantas. For travel from beyond Australia and the Pacific to Port Moresby, connecting via Singapore (SIN) or Hong Kong (HKG) is the most common strategy — flying into one of those hubs on a budget airline then taking a separate ticket to POM can sometimes yield savings. Due to PNG's remote location and limited airline competition, last-minute deals into POM are extremely rare and fares are consistently high.