Feb 15, 2019, 1:04 pm
Last edit by: PbodyPhoto
A day tour to the island of Aitutaki is available for $493NZD/$338.50USD. The tour is apparently highly recommended and includes round trip flights, a 6 hour boat tour, a bbq lunch, and snorkelling. More info can be found at: https://www.aitutakidaytour.com/about/
The Double New Year DO
Feb 14, 2019, 2:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Gold 0.66MM, MR LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 740
The Double New Year DO - Dec 31, 2019 (twice) - Jan 3, 2020
Way back in 2007, I resolved to spend New Year’s Eve in a different place every year, never repeating a location. I’ve come to enjoy the project so much that for the last New Year's Eve of the 2010s, I’ve decided to celebrate it twice.
The plan is to meet in Auckland on or before December 31st, celebrate the arrival of a new decade, sleep (maybe), and then meet back at the airport to board Air NZ flight 46 back in to 2019. Upon arrival in Rarotonga, we'll celebrate 2020 for a second time and then spend a few days enjoying the culture of the Cook Islands, a self-governing island nation in a free association with New Zealand (good enough to count as a country in my book). It also appears to the least populated country with a non stop flight to the US.
I'm co-planning this with PbodyPhoto, and more details to come as we do our research and get an idea of how many others are interested.
Working Itinerary
Tuesday December 31st (or earlier):
Meet in Auckland
Celebrate NYE #1
Wednesday January 1st:
Wake up far too early
8:55am - Depart AKL on Air NZ Flight 46 (Or VA91 for those who want a sleep in) back to 2019
Tuesday December 31st (again):
1:45pm - Arrive in the Cook Islands
- transfer to hotels TBD
Celebrate NYE #2
Wednesday January 1st (again):
Recovery on the beach + explore the island
Thursday January 2nd:
Explore
Day trip to Aitutaki
Friday January 3rd:
11:55pm - A nonstop flight to LAX is available for those wanting to return to America.
Accomodations
Auckland
Four Points Sheraton
monitor +1 (12/30-1/1)
PbodyPhoto (12/31-1/1)
thewayofthefuture +1 (12/30-1/1)
Raratonga
TBD
Attendees
Confirmed
monitor +1
PbodyPhoto
thewayofthefuture +1
Interested
nomadic.relief
penagal
wijomas +1
The plan is to meet in Auckland on or before December 31st, celebrate the arrival of a new decade, sleep (maybe), and then meet back at the airport to board Air NZ flight 46 back in to 2019. Upon arrival in Rarotonga, we'll celebrate 2020 for a second time and then spend a few days enjoying the culture of the Cook Islands, a self-governing island nation in a free association with New Zealand (good enough to count as a country in my book). It also appears to the least populated country with a non stop flight to the US.
I'm co-planning this with PbodyPhoto, and more details to come as we do our research and get an idea of how many others are interested.
Working Itinerary
Tuesday December 31st (or earlier):
Meet in Auckland
Celebrate NYE #1
Wednesday January 1st:
Wake up far too early
8:55am - Depart AKL on Air NZ Flight 46 (Or VA91 for those who want a sleep in) back to 2019
Tuesday December 31st (again):
1:45pm - Arrive in the Cook Islands
- transfer to hotels TBD
Celebrate NYE #2
Wednesday January 1st (again):
Recovery on the beach + explore the island
Thursday January 2nd:
Explore
Day trip to Aitutaki
Friday January 3rd:
11:55pm - A nonstop flight to LAX is available for those wanting to return to America.
Accomodations
Auckland
Four Points Sheraton
monitor +1 (12/30-1/1)
PbodyPhoto (12/31-1/1)
thewayofthefuture +1 (12/30-1/1)
Raratonga
TBD
Attendees
Confirmed
monitor +1
PbodyPhoto
thewayofthefuture +1
Interested
nomadic.relief
penagal
wijomas +1
Last edited by thewayofthefuture; Mar 19, 2019 at 10:25 am
Feb 15, 2019, 10:31 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Gold 0.66MM, MR LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 740
I've booked 2 reward nights (12/30 and 12/31) at the Four Points Auckland. Looks like they are requiring a 2-night minimum for points redemptions over NYE.
Mar 18, 2019, 10:49 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: So Fla & NYC
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA MM, BV LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 23,766
2020 is a double, right? So what better way to do it than to celebrate its coming twice? We are in and have booked at the 4Pts AKL 12/30-1/1 and also on the NZ nonstop to RAR which, as thewayofthefuture has mentioned, is much too early that morning. We also will be with him on that NZ nonstop RAR-LAX on 1/3.
Unfortunately the VA flight to RAR which we would prefer, cuts the arrival a bit late but might serve as an emergency backup if NZ has a hiccup (or if somebody were to oversleep).
Unfortunately the VA flight to RAR which we would prefer, cuts the arrival a bit late but might serve as an emergency backup if NZ has a hiccup (or if somebody were to oversleep).
Jul 12, 2019, 7:15 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: So Fla & NYC
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA MM, BV LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 23,766
I do not think that airfares will moderate since the NZ RAR-LAX flight is completely sold out in Business and only has a couple left in PE. The back is about 80% sold at this writing.
NZ AKL-RAR has a bit more availability, probably due to its timing. All of this I found out when I went to EF thinking that I would place a bid for an upgrade.
NZ AKL-RAR has a bit more availability, probably due to its timing. All of this I found out when I went to EF thinking that I would place a bid for an upgrade.
Last edited by monitor; Jul 12, 2019 at 7:23 pm