San Francisco – Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia. $659 (Basic Economy) / $809 (Regular Economy). Roundtrip, including all Taxes – The Flight Deal

Getting to this island can be quite expensive.

United Airlines offers a standard economy fare of $809, which includes one checked bag and a regular-sized carry-on.

Alternatively, there’s a $659 Basic Economy fare available, which comes with several limitations:

• No advance seat selection
• No checked bags included – First checked bag costs $55 each way; second checked bag costs $100 each way
• No changes allowed
• No cancellations – If you cancel after the 24-hour risk-free period, the Basic Economy fare will have no value for future purchases
• Many online travel agencies fail to properly label these fares as BASIC ECONOMY with United, Air Canada, Austrian, Lufthansa, and Swiss Air.

Traveling to Bora Bora requires purchasing a separate flight with Air Tahiti, which typically costs around $500 roundtrip. Unfortunately, Air Tahiti is not part of any mileage redemption programs.

Sign up for our Real Time Newsletter to get economy class deals for your area about an hour before they hit our website and social media, all for just a nickel a day.

Interested in Business Class, First Class, or Premium Economy deals? Sign up for our Premium Newsletter for about a quarter a day.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia – Photo: tensaibuta via Flickr, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)

Sample Travel Date:

• January 23rd – 30th, 2025

• This is just ONE SAMPLE travel date. For more options, please refer to the “Fare Availability” and “How to Search for Availability” sections below.

Fare Availability:

• Travel valid between January 2025 and March 2025; availability is limited. Purchase must be made at least one day before departure.

• Note: This fare is valid at the time of posting, but if this post is more than two days old, it may no longer be available.

How to Search for Availability:

• This section is solely for checking availability. For ticket purchases, scroll down to the “How to Buy” section of this post.

• Utilize Matrix Airfare Search by ITA Software with the following criteria:
  • Origin: SFO
  • Origin Advanced Routing Code:
    • Routing Codes: ua
    • Extension Codes: This will direct Matrix Airfare Search to focus on Basic Economy fares. Use these dates on United to see the option to upgrade to a standard economy fare.
  • Destination: PPT
  • Return Advanced Routing Code:
    • Routing Codes: ua
    • Extension Codes:
  • (Click on the Advanced Codes link for routing code entry)
  • Select “See calendar of lowest fares”
  • Duration “3-10” (This is just an example; you can choose any 7-day range such as 3-10, 7-14, etc.)
• Refer to the Beginner’s Guide on How to Use Matrix by ITA Software
• Learn How to Read Airfare Rules to Your Advantage

• Your Matrix Airfare Search by ITA Software page should resemble the image shown below once all values are entered.

• Tickets cannot be purchased using Matrix Airfare Search by ITA Software. For purchasing instructions, see the “How to Buy” section below.

Fare Class:

Elite Qualifying Dollars:

Routing:

• SFO – PPT (Papeete, Tahiti) – SFO

Stopover:

Mileage:

• Miles Flown: 8,400 miles
• Redeemable Miles: 3,000 miles

How to Buy:

• Book directly through United utilizing the dates found via Matrix Airfare Search by ITA Software.

Accommodations

• TripAdvisor – A premier hotel meta-search platform offering the lowest prices from over 200 websites.

Car Rentals

• Rental Cars – Partnering with leading car rental companies including Hertz, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, and more.

Activities and Tours

• Viator – The largest marketplace globally for activities and tours at your destination.

Background Information:

• Visa: Not required for US citizens. Other nationals should check the TIMATIC Visa Database.
• Currency: CFP Franc (XPF). Currently, $1 USD = 115 XPF.

Tips for Saving When Using Credit Cards Abroad:

For more updates on the latest flight deals from San Francisco/Bay Area:

* The Flight Deal earns a commission if you use our affiliate links for accommodations, car rentals, activities, or apply for a credit card through our links. Thank you for your support.

=====

To stay in the loop with our latest deals, LIKE our The Flight Deal Facebook Page, follow us on Twitter @TheFlightDeal, Threads @TheFlightDeal, or join The Flight Deal WhatsApp channel. You can also subscribe to The Flight Deal RSS Feed or via Email (once daily).

The Flight Deal does not sell travel products or services. We provide information about third-party travel suppliers’ offers and link to their sites. The information shared by The Flight Deal is accurate at the time of publication, but we cannot control suppliers, and thus do not guarantee that their offers will remain unchanged or available. Please visit their sites for the latest offers and all applicable terms and conditions.