Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) – With hotel rooms nearly full for the 22nd Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival in the Marianas, STAR Marianas Inc. is offering whole aircraft charter flights for up to five passengers returning to Saipan on Feb. 13 & 14, 2026, as late as 9:30 p.m. Charters are $375.00 per plane and reservations must be made and purchased in advance by calling 1.670.433.9996/7/8 or emailing reservations@starmarianasair.com.
In addition, STAR will have extra flights during normal operating hours, departing Saipan at the top of the hour beginning at 8 a.m. and leaving Tinian at the bottom of the hour until 6:30 p.m.
“In anticipation of increased travel demand for the festival, we have scheduled additional pilots and aircraft to ensure we can provide expanded service and reliable support throughout the event period,” said STAR Marianas Operations/Reservations Manager Donna Lynn Cabrera. “Passengers shouldn’t worry about being accommodated; there will be plenty of flights and seats available to move everyone who wants to travel during our regular operating hours. As always, customers who call and book in advance will receive priority at check-in.”
Micronesia Air Connection Services also operates flights to Tinian.
The festival - affectionately called “Pika (Spicy) Fest” by locals - is organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) in cooperation with the Tinian Mayor’s Office and will be held at the Fiesta Grounds in San Jose, Tinian, bringing food, fun, and flaming-hot island flavor to the island. The festival honors the island’s small but mighty donni’ sali, a hot pepper so fiery and flavorful that it has become a cultural icon of Tinian itself.
The MVA will provide a free shuttle on Feb. 13-14 between the festival grounds, Tinian Airport, and Tinian Seaport, only. Passengers may call 1.670.783.4541 or. 1.670.287.7871 to schedule a ride.
“We’re thrilled for our partners coming on board to make getting to the Tinian Hot Pepper Festival easier so everyone can fully enjoy it,” said MVA Managing Director Jamika R. Taijeron. “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the best of the Marianas in Tinian at Pika Fest. Come for a day, come for the vibe, come to camp, and come for a Far From Ordinary weekend!”
Festival food vendors will open for lunch on Feb. 13, with the festival firing up full force at 6:30 p.m. with an opening ceremony attended by Governor David M. Apatang. Entertainment on Friday will include the Tinian Jr./Sr. High School Chamorro Club Dancers (7 p.m.), Tinian Cultural Dancers, The Marianas Experience Dancers, Kuradang Dancers, North Star Band and One Man Band (9 p.m.,) and J.J. Aguon (11 p.m.). On Saturday, following the early morning Pika Run Run 5K at 6:30 a.m., festival activities will include the Estafao Pika (Spicy Stew) Cooking Competition and free taste testing (2 p.m.), Umang (hermit crab) Race Heat 1 for children (4 p.m.) followed by Pika Fun Run 5K Awards, Little Miss/Mr. Pika Costume Contest (5 p.m.), Umang Race Heat 2, Donni’ Sali Eating Contest (5:30 p.m.), Cultural Dancers (6:30 p.m.), Bailan Batsu Dance Competition (7 p.m.), Cha Cha Dance Competition, North Star and One Man Band ( 9 p.m.), and JJ Aguon (11 p.m.). Arts and crafts will also be on sale at the event.
This year’s sponsors are DOCOMO Pacific, Atkins Kroll Saipan, Inc. and NMI News Service.
Pika Fest Boat Charters are available on Feb. 12-15 for $50 one way or $80 round trip per person. Boats depart Saipan at 8 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 3 p.m. and depart Tinian at 9:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 4:45 p.m. For boat reservations, contact James Roberto at 1.670.285.3110.
The Pika Fun Run 5K on-site registration will start at 6 a.m. at Jones Beach adjacent to the Fiesta Grounds. Registration is $15, and the first 100 registrants will receive a Pika Fun Run 5K t-shirt. The short course will traverse historic Broadway Ave. constructed by the U.S. Seabees during War War II. For more information about the race, contact race co-organizer Tinian Jr./Sr. High School JROTC Battalion at 670.433.7682. Registration forms are also available on The Marianas Calendar at https://www.mymarianas.com/the-marianas-calendar/.
Tinian is known for its diverse historic sites - including the latte stone monoliths of the ancient Chamorro people, shrines and other ruins from the Japanese administrative era, and North Field - the busiest airport in the world during World War II. Pristine beaches, quiet roadways, and friendly locals add to the feeling of stepping outside of time. The celebration is steps away from the picturesque Jones Beach and the historic House of Taga, a U.S. National Historic Landmark featuring latte stones found nowhere else in the world other than the Marianas.
Free camping is available at Jones Beach and Taga Beach, (with toilets, barbecue pits, and outdoor showers), as well as a 10-minute walk away at nearby Tachogna Beach (with barbecue pits, outdoor showers, and toilets).
Hotel accommodations on Tinian include: Bay View Hotel, Flametree Villa, Fleming Hotel, Lorilynn’s Hotel, Lucky Homes Hotel, Marpo Valley Inn, Tinian Ocean View, Tinian Diamond Hotel, Tinian Diamond Suites, and Tinian Western Lodge Hotel.
For more information, contact Tinian Field Operations Supervisor Vida Borja at vborja@mymarianas.com or 1.670.433.9365, MVA Community Projects Coordinator Sherman Santos at ssantos@mymarianas.com, or the Tinian Mayor’s Office at 1.670.433.1802 Follow Marianas Visitors Authority on Instagram at @marianas.visitors.authority or on Facebook at @marianasvisitorsauthority for additional details as confirmed.
FILE - Tinian Hot Pepper Festival is held in February 2025 in San Jose, Tinian, in the Marianas. The 22nd Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival will be held on Feb. 13-14, 2026, with regular scheduled flights, charter flights, and boat charters available between Tinian and Saipan.
The Marianas is an archipelago of 14 islands - including Saipan, Tinian, and Rota - in the Western Pacific. The Marianas are home to indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian people, as well as over 20 different ethnicities from around the world who live and work in this harmonious tropical paradise. Ancient latte stone limestone monoliths, traditional nature-based ocean navigation not reliant on modern technology, and a culture seasoned by East and West influences are just a few of the experiences found in The Marianas, where pristine sea, sand, and skies are only a 3–4-hour flight from major Asian gateway cities. From Korea Republic, Jeju Air and T’Way provide direct flights to Saipan from Seoul-Incheon. United Airlines flies three times a week from Tokyo-Narita, Japan, and daily from Guam. Hong Kong Airlines flies twice weekly from Hong Kong, China. Interisland travel between Saipan, Tinian, and Rota is provided by Star Marianas Air and Micronesian Air Connection Services. For more information on The Marianas, visit www.mymarianas.com, Facebook/VisitTheMarianas, or Instagram @themarianas.
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