How To Visit Tahiti And Bora Bora Using Points And Miles

Many people dream of visiting Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia. These beautiful destinations are often complex and expensive to reach, however. Saving points and miles earned in airline loyalty programs for dream trips like these can be a good strategy.

There are several ways to reach Tahiti (with its main airport of Papeete) using points and miles. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and American Airlines AAdvantage are likely the best programs for this as they allow fixed-price awards with Air Tahiti Nui. For those airlines’ direct flights, there are options with United Airlines MileagePlus, Delta SkyMiles, and Air France Flying Blue.

Getting to French Polynesia

The main international airport serving French Polynesia is Faaʻa International Airport, also known as Tahiti International Airport or Papeete (airport code PPT). It is on the main island of Tahiti and has easy onward land or boat connections to destinations in Tahiti.

The island of Bora Bora is located northwest of the main Tahiti island. To reach Bora Bora, you will need an onward connecting flight. These will need to be arranged and booked separately from international flights to Papeete, and you will not get these with points or miles!

Papeete is served by several airlines. As of November 2024 (based on data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company), the main international routes include the following:

United Airlines MileagePlus

United Airlines MileagePlusis one of the most convenient booking options for Tahiti. United Airlines has the most seats and flights among the US-based airlines, with 18 flights scheduled in November (compared to 13 with Delta), operated with the Boeing 787-8.

The flight from San Francisco to PPT can easily be booked using miles.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

As with all the main US airline loyalty programs, United Airlines Mileage Plus now uses a dynamic pricing system for its own flights.

• This means that there is no fixed rate for award flights, and the pricing will vary generally in line with the underlying cash price.
• This generally offers lower value than traditional fixed-priced awards but has the advantage of more availability.
• Also, any connecting flights into San Francisco will be priced additionally.

Looking at an example in February 2025, rates are priced around the following:

• Economy starts at 43,800 miles but goes up to 55,000 and 100,000 miles on some flights.
• Business / United Polaris is available from 170,000 miles but increases to a staggering 300,000 miles on some flights.

Using Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

Delta Air Lines also offers connections to Tahiti, this time with several weekly flights to/from Los Angeles (operated with a Boeing 767). SkyMilesoperates in a similar way to United Mileage Plus, with dynamic pricing and any connecting flights charged in addition.

For the same February example, flights from Los Angeles are priced as follows:

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

For the same February example, flights from Los Angeles to Papeete are priced as follows:

• Economy class prices from 66,000 miles
• DeltaOne is available at a massive 495,000 miles.
• As a SkyTeam partner, you can also book the Air France flights on the same route. In this case, they price the same in economy.

Using American Airlines AAdvantage miles

Although American Airlines does not serve Papeete itself, the AAdvantage loyalty program offers some of the best options and value to reach Tahiti.

• AAdvantage has a partnership with air tahiti nui and also with Hawaiian Airlines.
• Air Tahiti Nui has the most regular service of any carrier, with daily flights from LAX. It also flies from Seattle, Tokyo, and Auckland.
• The program also prices all partner awards at fixed rates, potentially offering much better value than the other US programs’ dynamic pricing.

Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock

The Air Tahiti Nui flights from LAX and Hawaiian Airlines flights can be added to any AAdvantage award booking. AAdvantage prices awards as fixed price depending on origin and destination zone. Adding in American Airlines connecting flights from anywhere in the US will not change the mileage rate.

All awards from US/Canada to Tahiti are priced as follows:

• Economy 40,000
• Premium economy 65,000
• Business 80,000

Using Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Again, Alaska Airlines does not operate flights to Papeete. But in a similar way to American Airlines AAdvantage, its Mileage Plan miles can be used on partners, including Air Tahiti Nui.

Alaska Airlines now uses dynamic pricing for all flights awards, including partner airlines. A starting rate is published depending on travel region and flight length, but rates can increase above that. In practice, flights with partners often price at this starting level – but this could change.

For flights to/from Tahiti are priced using the Asia-Pacific chart. For the Air Tahiti Nui flight from LAX to PPT (a flight distance of 4,108 miles), the starting rates would be as follows. Adding connections is possible on the same award, with rates then increasing.

• Economy 30,000
• Premium economy 40,000
• Business 60,000

Alaska Airlines offers another major advantage by permitting international stopovers on tickets. This is rare among loyalty programs and can create some very good value options.

Read more about making the most of the Mileage Plan stopover rules

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

One of the best options for programs in other regions is with Flying Blue. Air France offers a regular service between LAX and PPT (there are 23 scheduled flights in November). This is operated using the Airbus A350-900 as a continuation to or from Paris CDG.

As an Air France flight, it is, of course, possible to book this using the Flying Blue loyalty program. Flying Blue moved to a dynamic pricing model for miles redemptions in 2018 for Air France, KLM, and other group airlines.

There are published starting rates depending on origin and destination zone, but rates can increase well above this. For just the LAX to PPT sector, the starting rates are:

• Economy 15,000
• Premium economy 30,000
• Business 55,000