Where to fly in Oceania ?

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Jay95

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
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G'day All,

I'm new to using MP points to fly so have a few quick questions.

I've rang United a few times but I haven't found them very helpful. They seem to be reading from a script and sound like robots. lol :)

OK, I've got a bit over 20,000 points and wouldn't mind putting them to use. I'll be flying out of Sydney and I beleive I can fly anywhere in the Oceania area that UA or one of their partners flies to?

Now is this a RETURN flight or just a one way flight?

Apart from NZ and Fiji, where are some locations that I can fly to in the Oceania area? Somewhere where it's warm, has a beach etc.. I was thinking about Fiji, but if at all possible somewhere like Vanautu would be nice and probably cheaper ;)

Is there a list of all the places that UA's partners fly - I know UA has one for themselves, but apart from digging through hundreds of web pages looking for destinations that they fly too, is there an easier way?

And lastly, I have 20,974 points, of them I have 14,974 Lifetime United flight miles. The difference of 5,000 miles was a bonus because of a flickering light that kept us all awake on a 16 hour flight...

Do these 5,000 have a limited life ? Would I need to use them before a certain date ?

I'm mainly posting this to get an idea of where I can fly using the points. Once I get a location I'll start booking :)

Thanks and sorry for the noob questions.

J
 
Welcome to AFF Jay95 :)

Yup anywhere in Oceania on NZ (only relevant UA partner).

20,000 miles is round trip in economy.

In Oceania NZ flies to NZ, Australia (SYD/MEL/BNE/CNS/ADL/PER), Fiji (NAN), Cook Islands (RAR), Norfolk Island (NLK), Noumea (NOU), Niue (IUE), Tahiti (PPT), Samoa (APW), Tonga (TBU), Vanuatu (VLI). Some flights to NAN, RAR, PPT, APW & TBU are on 767 (ie longhaul a/c), rest are shorthaul (mixture 733 and A320). Note some destinations are flown only once a week.

You might find Air NZ route map and online timetable useful.

United Mileage Plus miles if no activity for 3 years.
 
That's a great help - just what I was after. Thanks :D

One strange thing, going by the flight schedule I can get a flight from Vanuatu back to Sydney, but I can't get one from Sydney to Vanuatu :?:

I've never travelled to any of these island but I intend on scanning the net and doing some research, but what are your opinions (for people that have travelled or heard about) of Vanuatu, Tahiti etc ??

I'll be looking at a cost effective way for a mid 30's bloke to have a 5 or so day break, may be by myself (a REAL break.. lol).

I might stop into the travel agent tomorrow and grab some info as well - I like pictures ;)

Thanks again.

J

P.S - I shold also mention that I'll be travelling around June 2008 so I've got a bit of time yet, although I beleive that you need to jump in quick to get the 'free' seats ?
 
Kiwi Flyer said:
Yup anywhere in Oceania on NZ (only relevant UA partner).
I recall reading on this Flyertalk thread that you can't get to the closer destinations on United awards from SYD because you exceed the maximum permitted mileage when going via Auckland. Vanuatu is one of these destinations.

That thread indicates the only valid destinations are:
  • Tahiti (Papeete)
  • Cook Islands (Rarotonga)
  • Samoa (Apia)
  • Tonga
  • Niue
Steve
 
Jay95 said:
I'll be looking at a cost effective way for a mid 30's bloke to have a 5 or so day break, may be by myself (a REAL break.. lol).
Avoid Tahiti if you want something cost effective. I'm going there in November - everything is so expensive!. I made the mistake of looking at pictures of Bora Bora.

The earliest you can book award travel is 330 days before travel.

Steve
 
StevePER said:
I recall reading on this Flyertalk thread that you can't get to the closer destinations on United awards from SYD because you exceed the maximum permitted mileage when going via Auckland. Vanuatu is one of these destinations.

That thread indicates the only valid destinations are:
  • Tahiti (Papeete)
  • Cook Islands (Rarotonga)
  • Samoa (Apia)
  • Tonga
  • Niue
Steve

Yeah I'd forgotten about that. Probably okay from PER (and possible MEL/ADL also)?

No flights direct from Australia to the islands, they all go via AKL (except NAN can go via WLG or CHC also and RAR via CHC - none of which help from a maximum permitted mileage perspective).
 
Kiwi Flyer said:
Welcome to AFF Jay95 :)

Yup anywhere in Oceania on NZ (only relevant UA partner).

20,000 miles is round trip in economy.

In Oceania NZ flies to NZ, Australia (SYD/MEL/BNE/CNS/ADL/PER), Fiji (NAN), Cook Islands (RAR), Norfolk Island (NLK), Noumea (NOU), Niue (IUE), Tahiti (PPT), Samoa (APW), Tonga (TBU), Vanuatu (VLI). Some flights to NAN, RAR, PPT, APW & TBU are on 767 (ie longhaul a/c), rest are shorthaul (mixture 733 and A320). Note some destinations are flown only once a week.

You might find Air NZ route map and online timetable useful.

United Mileage Plus miles if no activity for 3 years.

Believe that the 320's also fly to TBU (check the timetable).
 
clifford said:
Believe that the 320's also fly to TBU (check the timetable).

Yes. I was listing all the 767 destinations since those have the longhaul product. Not every TBU flight is on 767 (ditto for NAN, APW, RAR, CNS).
 
Why don't you think about the Cook Islands.

Have a look at an island called Aitutaki in the Cooks. It's fantastic. a little more expensive than Rarotonga, but beautiful.

Fiji is always great - June is a great time weatherwise.

Tahiti is horrendously expensive - and unless you speak French, or attempt to, you will be all-but ignored by hotel staff, shopkeepers etc...

Vanuatu is nice, great resort on Erakor island (just off Efate island), prices reasonable...

Samoa and Tonga are great - but tourism isn't as developed (which some see as a definite advantage !)

There's a mob called hideaway holidays in sydney, that specialise in Pacific travel - I've used them before, they know tehir stuff and get some good rates/fares.
 
pacblue said:
There's a mob called hideaway holidays in sydney, that specialise in Pacific travel - I've used them before, they know tehir stuff and get some good rates/fares.

The OP is looking for an award destination ;)
 
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pacblue said:
Why don't you think about the Cook Islands.

Have a look at an island called Aitutaki in the Cooks. It's fantastic. a little more expensive than Rarotonga, but beautiful.

Fiji is always great - June is a great time weatherwise.

I'll look into Aitutaki and see what it has to offer - thanks fo the tip :)

Can I fly to Fiji from Sydney using MP ? Or does it exceed the maximum milage thing that was mentioned before ?

J
 
I have redeemed awards to both RAR and PPT which are favourites of ours. UA is a pita to deal with and the X class hard to get. What is really a pita is that you can only hold a flight for 48 hours which makes it really hard to get an outbound and then a return flight a couple weeks later since you can't hold an ourbound alone.
 
Tiki said:
UA is a pita to deal with and the X class hard to get. What is really a pita is that you can only hold a flight for 48 hours which makes it really hard to get an outbound and then a return flight a couple weeks later since you can't hold an ourbound alone.

Can't agree with this, I'm afraid.

IMHO, the UA elite res ctr in Sydney is a joy to deal with (very professional staff, and if you don't agree, please let me know). And NY bookings are not tooo hard to get.

If you don't have the status then you're going to have to deal with Manila, and that is a pita (or so I've heard).

So what is your status? (I'm MM).
 
No status for me. I scrounge up 20k miles and blow them as soon as I can on a flight to RAR or PPT. So I don't get to use any elite desks. Last time I redeemed one was in 2004 for an April 2005 trip and it was Aussies back them. So now it's MNL call centre? I need to call end of May this year to book for APR 2008. Would I be better off calling the USA? This will be my last go at this as I have switched to One World airlines and possibly Velocity later on.
 
Tiki said:
No status for me. I scrounge up 20k miles and blow them as soon as I can on a flight to RAR or PPT. So I don't get to use any elite desks. Last time I redeemed one was in 2004 for an April 2005 trip and it was Aussies back them. So now it's MNL call centre? I need to call end of May this year to book for APR 2008. Would I be better off calling the USA? This will be my last go at this as I have switched to One World airlines and possibly Velocity later on.

I'd call the 1300 number in Oz (patched through to Manila), and if you don't get what you want, then call the US.

Filipinos are quite good when compared with Mumbai (which you may get when calling the US).
 
What an excellent thread... I am prem exec with I think about 130,000 miles to burn up (don't do the US run any more) before they expire...

I thought I was going to have to burn them by flying to the US, or buying something from their shop (have the item sent to a friend then have them send it to me)....

Every day I always pick something up from this forum... (must say, better than some things I have picked up on other forums!!!!):D :eek: :D

So can these award trips to oceania be booked on line??...
better yet, why don't I just try.

Cheers
 
wallacej said:
So can these award trips to oceania be booked on line??...
better yet, why don't I just try.
You'll need to call the robots on 131777 to book.
 
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