Booking your own air

[MNmomof4]

How far out should I book to get the best prices on air to Tahiti for December?  I'm opting out of PG air and air is about $1300 now.

 

Thanks!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I'd look now. Air France has Premium Economy if your schedule is flexible but seats are scarce. And business seats are all just plain scarce.

Edited January 25, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer

[MNmomof4]

Unfortunately my dates are not flexible.  Air France doesn't work for us.

[Gumtree]

Keep an eye out on Air Tahiti Nui / sign up for their newsletter so you get notice of their sale fare. Last week I purchased a $750 pp round trip for March/April of this year. Air Tahiti doesn't charge for seat assignments either, like Air France does ($22 pp each way). 

[MNmomof4]

9 hours ago, Gumtree said:

Keep an eye out on Air Tahiti Nui / sign up for their newsletter so you get notice of their sale fare. Last week I purchased a $750 pp round trip for March/April of this year. Air Tahiti doesn't charge for seat assignments either, like Air France does ($22 pp each way). 

Thank you!   Seems like 10-12 weeks out is what some people do.  I saw that I could book one way on delta(Air France) with frequent flyers and I would have to book one way home paid on air Tahiti nui since we need to come back right away

[redondalliouga]

Also keep an eye on United from SFO. I got $1107 from South Carolina to Papeete (via Chicago an SFO) roundtrip for March.

[FlightMedic555]

WE were able to get award seats to PPT but have to pay for the return.  ATN charges the same $$ for one way vs round trip.  Air France does charge half for one way vs round trip.  We made it work with ATN to PPT and then Air France back for this coming July

[MNmomof4]

Thanks everyone!  I'm just excited to have my air booked soon.  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

You might be able to get a one-way air credit from PG and have them book the one-way on ATN. Just a thought, haven't tried it.

[Cruzinbabe06]

I'm looking at Frenchbee Airlines out of SFO.

 

Anyone flown them yet?  The rates are unbelievable.

[alwaysonaship]

I did talk to several people who flew on French Bee and said good things. We did the included air in coach on the way out. It was horrible, uncomfortable, and the food was unrecognizable. Business class back was really nice. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

19 hours ago, Cruzinbabe06 said:

I'm looking at Frenchbee Airlines out of SFO.

 

Anyone flown them yet?  The rates are unbelievable.

 

Do they have business class?

[sita]

They offer a 'Premium' class of service, for about the same price as we paid for AF Premium Economy (entering random dates covering about the same time of year, (for that last cruise in November) Service level seems perhaps a bit less than Air France offered (based only on the general website description)

 

Guess the economy offering has its appeal but once we start adding in baggage fees, fees for sitting together, et al, the bargain diminishes quickly from ATN coach.

 

A lot of people do not like ATN. Have flown them many times and save for a couple of really odd meals, found them perfectly acceptable. My husband and I are both very tall and have not found ourselves unable to get comfortable. They serve decent wine, plenty of food offerings, love hearing the annoucements in Tahitian first.

 

Last year, they offered a deal that was too good to pass up LAX to CDG and we enjoyed that 12 hour flight too.

 

 

 

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've always found ATN to be fine as well.  Food coming back to the States tends to be awful no matter what airline you're on, but ATN have been keeping up their planes and modernizing.  The one time we did Biz it was just okay, but that was before they remodeled the planes.  Still prefer Air France--love an excuse to stay an extra day or so in paradise!