[Primer] Using Points for French Polynesia
Oct 23, 2012 | 5:42 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 57
I'm enjoying this thread as I hope to get to Tahiti one day.
Regarding your last question about getting from BOB to MOZ or reverse, as far as I get it, coordinating inter-island flights with flights to and from other countries has the tendency to eat up most of a day. This is partly due to the low frequency of both, and partially because they involve different operators who don't seem keen on coordinating their schedules.
Regarding your last question about getting from BOB to MOZ or reverse, as far as I get it, coordinating inter-island flights with flights to and from other countries has the tendency to eat up most of a day. This is partly due to the low frequency of both, and partially because they involve different operators who don't seem keen on coordinating their schedules.
There are flights from Tahiti to BOB, BOB to MOZ, and Tahiti to MOZ. The recommendation though is to hop on the speed boat from Tahiti to Moorea when you land, then flight from Moorea to BoB (you have a lot of time and aren't sitting around waiting), then fly back from BoB to Tahiti closer to your flight time. There are only 2 or so non-stop flights from MOZ to BOB, and probably 5-7 from Tahiti to BOB. Also there are 4 from Tahiti to MOZ. Round trip for random date in May 2013 for Tahiti-BOB 313.7 euros.
You can check flight times interisland at:
http://www.airtahiti.aero/horaires.php
Luggage overages will kill you on the flights probably. If you book Y it is 44 lbs (3 lbs carry on), and Z is 110 lbs (3 lbs carry on). Overage is 1.9 EU per kilo.
http://www.airtahiti.aero/faq.php?cat=Baggage
There is an airpass available making the trip a lot easier. See the pictures and fares below:
http://www.airtahiti.aero/articles.php?id=69
So it is 456 euros for the airpass with 50 kg baggage to hop from PPT to MOZ to BOB back to PPT. Obviously it is a tad cheaper if you pick the round trip option with limited luggage and ride the speed boat.
Oct 23, 2012 | 6:33 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS .. but soon SFO
Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD
Posts: 1,528
Oct 23, 2012 | 6:37 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 704
DL also partners with TN (outside of Skyteam) for flights
Oct 23, 2012 | 7:00 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS .. but soon SFO
Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD
Posts: 1,528
also, for anyone contributing to this thread ....
I would like to make a list of programs that transfer to either airlines that fly this route or hotels at PPT.
I will probably list the threads for current offers.
For instance, the 35k HA cards (good for either the flight or HH points), how SPG transfer 2.5:1 ... I read elsewhere that Virgin points also transfer to HH?
I usually skip points with US, Virgin, or other programs I don't use mainly because I don't use them, but if they are of value for a trip like this, it would be great to have it all spelled out
I would like to make a list of programs that transfer to either airlines that fly this route or hotels at PPT.
I will probably list the threads for current offers.
For instance, the 35k HA cards (good for either the flight or HH points), how SPG transfer 2.5:1 ... I read elsewhere that Virgin points also transfer to HH?
I usually skip points with US, Virgin, or other programs I don't use mainly because I don't use them, but if they are of value for a trip like this, it would be great to have it all spelled out
Oct 23, 2012 | 8:10 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA, UA, DL, AS, LH, BA, VS, HHonors, Hyatt, Club Carlson, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 833
Your miles can get you to French Polynesia (Papeete in Tahiti) from abroad but you can't use your miles to fly within those islands. I think they are only about 4 airlines flying domestically and none of them are part of any alliance.
It's not cheap to fly from one island to the other but if you want to go island hopping, your best affordable option is to buy an Airpass from Air Tahiti. Just don't carry too much luggage with you or they'll make you pay extra.
You can find here the current prices for Air Tahiti's Airpasses:
http://www.airtahiti.aero/articles.php?id=69
It's not cheap to fly from one island to the other but if you want to go island hopping, your best affordable option is to buy an Airpass from Air Tahiti. Just don't carry too much luggage with you or they'll make you pay extra.
You can find here the current prices for Air Tahiti's Airpasses:
http://www.airtahiti.aero/articles.php?id=69
Oct 23, 2012 | 9:57 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Times Square
Programs: SPG Gold, AAdvantage
Posts: 1,397
Wow, this is great information. We briefly considered a French Polynesia vacation for early next year, but I had to put a stop to it when a Facebook friend put up pictures of her honeymoon at St. Regis Bora Bora and my husband declared he must stay there. This is a category 7 hotel and redemption here by points is something beyond ridiculous. So we need to pay cash and thus need to plan and save for a trip like this.
Oct 24, 2012 | 11:07 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 57
Wow, this is great information. We briefly considered a French Polynesia vacation for early next year, but I had to put a stop to it when a Facebook friend put up pictures of her honeymoon at St. Regis Bora Bora and my husband declared he must stay there. This is a category 7 hotel and redemption here by points is something beyond ridiculous. So we need to pay cash and thus need to plan and save for a trip like this.
Yeah the St Regis looks pretty awesome, but there are plenty of "points" hotels nearby. Intercontinental and Hilton or probably the 2 easiest to book. Each runs about 50,000 points per night for the basic room (which is about $500), and you can e-mail the resort to pay cash to upgrade to an OWB (from $200+ per night).
We're planning a trip next year. Probably will use miles to fly coach, then get an airpass via cash. Book 3 nights in the hilton moorea (upgrade to OWB), and 3-4 nights in intercontinental thalliso or hilton bora bora (probably with the AXON). I'd assume we'd spend about $4-5K all told for the trip with food/upgrades/interisland flight/activities, and saved about $3.5K for the room (IC/Hilton) and $2.2K for the flights (wife and I) using points (AA).
Oct 24, 2012 | 6:41 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA, UA, SQ, VA, QF, AF, BA
Posts: 2,885
For Aussies-SQ has *A awards for 25K Y and 35K J but good luck trying to get J class on the AKL-PPT sector! SQ doesn't charge YQ on NZ awards.
SQ is a partner of Australian Membership Rewards, I think also the USA one as well. A possible advantage to using them vs USDM is that I think if you book Y in advance because J is not available, then closer in J opens up it's cheaper to change the class of travel though I haven't done it myself. I vaguely remember reading it somewhere.
SQ is a partner of Australian Membership Rewards, I think also the USA one as well. A possible advantage to using them vs USDM is that I think if you book Y in advance because J is not available, then closer in J opens up it's cheaper to change the class of travel though I haven't done it myself. I vaguely remember reading it somewhere.
Oct 24, 2012 | 9:22 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: Peon status: last row in economy and the occassional upgrade at roach motels.
Posts: 617
For those that have Citi ThankYou points, you can search Tahiti inter-island flights (Air Tahiti). Last I checked a PPT-BOB R/T priced out to around 30K points (or $406) in Mid-March, and around 33K points (or $438) in mid-August. It is also possible to do a multi-stop that includes MOZ. Also bookable through Chase Ultimate Rewards but at higher point redemption. Have not booked one myself but it looks like it is definitely possible to fly to Bora Bora on miles and points.
Last edited by eknock007; Oct 24, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Oct 24, 2012 | 11:07 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 240
So from my research it appears that the cheapest way to fly to Tahiti from West Coast North America is to use Avios miles (25K r/t) to fly from the West Coast to Honolulu (with either Alaska or American Airlines) and then Korean Airlines miles 30K r/t (with Air Tahiti Nui) from Honolulu to Tahiti totaling 55K miles round trip. Is there any cheaper mile redemption?
Oct 25, 2012 | 8:20 am
#29
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Times Square
Programs: SPG Gold, AAdvantage
Posts: 1,397
Yeah the St Regis looks pretty awesome, but there are plenty of "points" hotels nearby. Intercontinental and Hilton or probably the 2 easiest to book. Each runs about 50,000 points per night for the basic room (which is about $500), and you can e-mail the resort to pay cash to upgrade to an OWB (from $200+ per night).
We're planning a trip next year. Probably will use miles to fly coach, then get an airpass via cash. Book 3 nights in the hilton moorea (upgrade to OWB), and 3-4 nights in intercontinental thalliso or hilton bora bora (probably with the AXON). I'd assume we'd spend about $4-5K all told for the trip with food/upgrades/interisland flight/activities, and saved about $3.5K for the room (IC/Hilton) and $2.2K for the flights (wife and I) using points (AA).
We're planning a trip next year. Probably will use miles to fly coach, then get an airpass via cash. Book 3 nights in the hilton moorea (upgrade to OWB), and 3-4 nights in intercontinental thalliso or hilton bora bora (probably with the AXON). I'd assume we'd spend about $4-5K all told for the trip with food/upgrades/interisland flight/activities, and saved about $3.5K for the room (IC/Hilton) and $2.2K for the flights (wife and I) using points (AA).
Oct 25, 2012 | 11:29 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 221
So from my research it appears that the cheapest way to fly to Tahiti from West Coast North America is to use Avios miles (25K r/t) to fly from the West Coast to Honolulu (with either Alaska or American Airlines) and then Korean Airlines miles 30K r/t (with Air Tahiti Nui) from Honolulu to Tahiti totaling 55K miles round trip. Is there any cheaper mile redemption?