Air New Zealand says a passenger travelling to Samoa died before her flight landed at Faleolo International Airport.
On landing, passengers were kept on board for half an hour to allow health ministry staff to remove the body.
Media reports said the passenger was a nun, Sister Filomena Potogi, who was returning from a visit to New Zealand.
She was from Vaivase and was one of the very first Samoans to join the Order of the Sisters of Nazareth at Lepea.