The Federated States of Micronesia maintains one international airport with regular service: Pohnpei International Airport receives United Airlines flights from Guam and Honolulu under the island hopper route that continues through Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Kwajalein, and Majuro. This route operates twice weekly. Chuuk International Airport and Kosrae International Airport also receive the United island hopper. Yap International Airport connects through Guam and Palau via United Airlines, though with less frequency than the Caroline Islands route. No direct flights connect the FSM to any destination outside Micronesia except through Guam or Honolulu.
United States citizens enter visa-free for stays up to thirty days under the Compact of Free Association signed in 1986. Extensions to ninety days require approval from FSM Immigration. Other nationalities should verify requirements at https://fsmgov.org before booking, as the FSM does not maintain extensive consular networks. The immigration process at arrival requires a valid passport with six months remaining validity, a return ticket, and proof of accommodation. Officers routinely verify onward travel documentation.
Inter-state travel between Chuuk, Pohnpei, Yap, and Kosrae requires domestic flights on Caroline Islands Air or small charter operators, as no passenger ferries operate regular schedules. Caroline Islands Air uses small propeller aircraft for routes between states. Flight cancellations occur frequently due to weather or mechanical issues. Road infrastructure exists only within individual islands, with Pohnpei maintaining the most extensive network at approximately seventy kilometers of paved road circling the main island. Kolonia to Palikir measures fourteen kilometers.
Mobile phone service exists in the main towns of Kolonia, Weno, Colonia, and Tofol through FSM Telecommunications Corporation. Service does not extend to outer islands or rural areas on the main islands. The FSM Telecommunications Corporation sells local SIM cards in capital areas, though network speed rarely exceeds 3G equivalent. Internet access concentrates in hotels and government offices, with residential connections uncommon outside Kolonia and Weno.
The United States dollar serves as official currency throughout the FSM under the Compact of Free Association. No local currency exists. The Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia operates branches in each state capital with ATMs dispensing twenty-dollar bills. These ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard but frequently run empty during weekends or holidays, particularly on Kosrae and Yap where only one machine serves each island. Credit cards see limited acceptance outside hotels and dive operators in Chuuk and Pohnpei.
Banking hours run Monday through Friday 09:00 to 15:00 with Friday closure at 17:00. All banks close on FSM national holidays, United States federal holidays, and individual state holidays, creating extended closure periods. Wire transfers from United States banks typically clear within three business days. No currency exchange services exist as none are needed. Travelers should arrive with sufficient cash in twenty-dollar bills or smaller, as businesses outside main towns cannot break fifty or hundred-dollar notes.
Daily costs concentrate in accommodation and inter-island transport. Budget hotels in Kolonia and Weno start at sixty to eighty dollars per night. Mid-range hotels with air conditioning run one hundred to one hundred fifty dollars. Meals at local restaurants cost six to twelve dollars. A plate of rice with tuna or chicken at a family-run eatery in Kolonia costs eight dollars. Imported goods at stores in Kolonia carry United States mainland prices plus shipping costs. A gallon of milk costs approximately nine dollars. Fresh produce at local markets costs substantially less, with breadfruit selling for one to two dollars each.
Tipping does not form part of local custom in Micronesia. Service charges do not appear on restaurant bills. Some hotels catering to dive tourists include suggested tip envelopes for housekeeping, reflecting United States rather than Micronesian practice.
English serves as the official language for government and education throughout the FSM. Proficiency varies significantly by age and location. Residents over fifty in rural areas, particularly on Yap and outer islands, may speak minimal English. Government officials, hotel staff, and younger residents in state capitals speak English fluently. Each state maintains its own language: Chuukese in Chuuk State, Pohnpeian in Pohnpei State, Yapese in Yap State, and Kosraean in Kosrae State. These languages are not mutually intelligible. Outer islands in Yap State speak Ulithian and Woleaian. The Polynesian outliers of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi maintain their own languages unrelated to other FSM languages.