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Anyone got tips for planning a tour across the Pacific? Inter-island flights seem patchy and I think a spreadsheet is coming. Given some of the prices I’ve seen, especially for business, miles will likely feature though OneWorld is very patchy.
We are going to Easter Island this summer and the Galapagos would be an extension of a South America trip. Highlights for me would be Hawaii, French Polynesia and Micronesia (specifically Chuuk Lagoon).
The Lonely Planet guide is old and not particularly extensive.
I expect we would start at LAX and then either go to HNL or PPT and end either in Oz or Japan. If OneWorld wasn’t so patchy and the ‘land’ sectors so limited, a multicarrier award would be interesting.
So unusually for me I am a bit stumped at the moment on where to start getting into the detail.
We are booked for Galapagos next year. I also would like to visit Easter Island and MP, tour round Peru and take in Chile /Atacama etc. Think it’s going to have to be several SAmerica trips! I’ll be interested in what comments are made on you post @masaccio
We are booked for Galapagos next year. I also would like to visit Easter Island and MP, tour round Peru and take in Chile /Atacama etc. Think it’s going to have to be several SAmerica trips! I’ll be interested in what comments are made on you post @masaccio
Do you have any other FF miles?
I just did a South Pacific trip and found AAdvantage were verey useful.
Theres also Virgin miles that can be used on Hawaaian airlines.
We flew
Ba to LAXLAX-Fiji (well Samoa as AA lets you connect)
Then in an out of Fiji (Samoa,Tonga,Tuvalu) using AAdvantage
Then Tuvalu to PPT on one ticket
PPT-RAR (Ca$h)
RAR-HNL Virgin
HNL-LHR AAADvantageDid Galapagos a few yearws back using AAdvantage and Avios for a RTW trip via Colombia, Peru,Bolivia, Chile Easter Island, PPT, Sydney
Used to be an AVIOS flight from Easter Island to PPT, not sure that’s still on.
Is the united island hopper flight on your plans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Hopper. Might not give you Avios but it’s a unique flight. Easiest way through Micronesia and will hook up.with your HNL start point. It’s worth going to Pohnpei to see the ruins of nan modol. Qantas gives Avios /tp on their partner flights so you can get some milage there. Diving and surfing are big drawer but flying will mean you need to put in days to let your blood gasses normalise for diving. You can snorkel at ch/truuk but the ships are best seen from below.
The Island Hopper looks interesting – United were coming up a lot on my flightsfrom.com searches but I’d not seen this.
We have Avios, a few Virgin miles and a decent amount of MRs. Looking at some quick searches, business transpacific between islands looks poor value £/flown-mile so reward flights would be a good option. Into LAX and out of somewhere on the western pacific rim could be troublesome without miles as I think it will break open jaw rules and maybe other fare rules?
Aside from diving the WW2 Japanese fleet (bucket list for me) and Nan Modol, any other must see tips from anyone? As I say, Galapagos and Easter Island would be different trips for me as they are not accessible from other islands.
The Micronesian islands are all slightly different all have nice hikes in rainforests with a number of waterfalls on some of them, beaches and degrees of sea life. They are all essentially chunks of coral in the middle of the ocean though; Nan Modal and Chuuk are the big exceptions on the history front. Google Gemini/ GPT can likely give hikes or an itinerary along the chain – if you are going to stop and dive at each you might want 10-15 days. You almost certainly can’t get off on Kwajalein. The reason to go to these places of me was to get lost and away from work; rather than the hikes and dives. Chance to just be alone with the waves and sunrises/sets.
My personal preference in Oceania is New Caledonia which has everything that ticks my boxes; great French inspired food; stunning natural scenery, incredible diving, reefs all over for snorkelling across its islands and inside the lagoon and finally the idea of natural swimming pools like the one on the isle of pins, where a coral rock blocks the ocean to create a natural pool filled with fish and some coral.
Fiji are looking to become a full Oneworld member, rather than Connect, so Avios for that in 12-18 months time maybe.
The Lonely Planet guide is old and not particularly extensive.
I recently bought the Chile and Easter Island (September 2023) Lonely Planet to add to a rapidly expanding collection!
The Lonely Planet guide is old and not particularly extensive.
I recently bought the Chile and Easter Island (September 2023) Lonely Planet to add to a rapidly expanding collection!
I have that too, but I want to venture further west in the pacific and see a WW2 battle fleet in gin clear water without a dry suit!
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