Leostar

Hi,

Please help. My trip starts in less than one month.

I"m planning an almost around-the-world journey trying to use points. I've hit a snag; and seem to be stuck in Tahiti because I do not seem to be able to book a flight from PPT to SYD. I've also checked via AKL, NOU, RAR, VLI and had no luck.

Perhaps I'm not allowed a one-way to SYD as a non-Australian. BUT since I tried to book the same ticket onwards to DPS, Indonesia should that be the problem?

And with *A not having the same airline for all legs should not be an issue.

So, how do you book travel in one direction to Australia?

And, what's the best way to go, allowing for low cost (award travel if possible I also have oneworld BA Avios points), and nice stopovers if possible? :-:

Thank you! Rae

number_6

You need to specify the type of award you are trying to use. Many of the cheaper/more attractive awards are limited as to country of sale or origin (this means you may have 0 inventory for PPT-AKL-SYD for example but lots of inventory for LAX-PPT-AKL-SYD on the same airline). All airlines do that, on some routes. It sounds like you are trying to redeem on Star, in which case ask on the Star forum, to get expert advice (as your question has nothing to do with this forum which is not about how to redeem awards). There is very limited service PPT-SYD so your options are few. You can always buy a point to point ticket if you can't make the dates work. BA ponts would be redeemable on LA (LAN) flying PPT-IPT-SCL-SYD ... so quite the long way round, but a viable option.

Leostar

Thanks for the reply Number 6. I'm actually coming from SCL-IPC-PPT on LAN so I'd like to avoid going backwards - for many reasons: so many extra hours in the air, I'll have just seen these places and I've already paid for an expensive ticket in cash get to PPT since I was worried about getting stuck on Easter Island (couldn't find any award seats and only LAN flies there and only once per week going to PPT.)

So what would I need to put as a code? I may try your *A forum idea about that too. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears.

The second part of my inquiry belongs here since it's about getting around from Tahiti. Perhaps someone knows of a boat or island hopping route to get to SYD indirectly. Right now I'm leaning towards a cash ticket to Noumea, New Caledonia and picking up a Qantas flight from there if I can, hopefully using oneworld/BA points. I'm looking for these type of other options since I cannot find a direct flight. I'm also open to seeing another islands for the culture.

number_6

Not sure how viable it is, but I'd investigate PPT-NAN-SYD on TN/FJ (not sure if PPT-NAN service still exists, a lot of those routes were dropped in the past few years). Airfares ex-NAN are very cheap, fwiw.

Leostar

Thanks Number 6. Yes, both work, NAN and NOU, so I now have a choice. It seems QF has award seats from NOU to SYD daily. NAN has fewer award seats dates possibile and it''s a little more expensive to get there for the dates I want but it's an option I may take.