Upgrading flight to business class

Has anyone upgraded their flight from LAX to Papettee? Can you do it if you buy air through PG? Is the cost too high?

Thank you. We are trying to decide on the cruise, but, I don't want eight hours in economy particularly an evening flight.

I think the price from LAX to PPT is now $900 for the upgrade at the airport.

Not 100% sure of this. Was $800 last year.

From my limited understanding (although I upgrade with points to and from Europe routinely), if you have points/miles with American Airlines, you could upgrade as a codeshare. The problem is that ATN limits these tickets pretty significantly, and you'd have to buy the ticket through AA to do it.

We bought directly with AA for coach for next March to get the points; disadvantage is we had to pay now, advantage is we got to select seats, so we are along the window in their 2-4-2 seating instead of in the middle as we would have been with a PG air booking.

ATN also codeshares with others, so it's worth exploring. There is space-available upgrades at the price point Emdee noted. Thanks, Bob H

We got air through PG - LAX-PPT RT for 2 - Bus class - $6000 This is for 6/15/13 11 day cruise.

Back in July when I asked PG about a business class upgrade, their add-on was much higher then what I could get a business class ticket on Air Tahiti myself. I dropped air from my PG reservation and bought directly from the airline.

Of course I don't get the day room and the free transfers, but the savings more than offset the difference.

If you are able to reserve early, Air Tahiti has a limited number of "E" fares that are lower priced then the standard business class fare.

We were thinking we would try the airport upgrade, but were worried that we would end up in the first row of business where the leg room isn't a heck of a lot better than coach - so sprung for the up-front ticket.

Some things I've read recently about upgrades on ATN, can't verify them, except my own experiences but something to consider:

Several folks told us the " code share" upgrades are offered one seat at a time, which really doesn't work for couples!

Most people have been reporting that no BC or FC seats have been available for gate upgrades (full flights). That was true for our flight in Oct. My DH did request an exit row on the way home and the clerk at the counter did take pity on him (he's 6 foot 6) and give us two exit row seats near the door. The recline was no better than standard, but the legroom was unlimited.

Good luck!

poor :rolleyes:

18 trips to FP all in economy

Couldn't afford going every year if we has to dish out business class.

I'll put up with the tight 8 hours in order to enjoy 10 days in paradise.

Of course that's me, if you got money to burn enjoy ..........

But for the many like us don't worry about the tight 8 hours in coach, your heading to paradise : )

Two business class tickets were available for our way over, but ATN only opened up one for the flight back. The AA rep booked the ticket for me and immediately checked and another ticket was released, so she booked it for my husband. You have several days to cancel the booking, so if another ticket did not open up, we would have canceled mine. It is a bit of a hassle, because separate locator numbers had to be used, but when we called ATN, we were able to pick seats together. The best part was that we were able to get first class tickets on AA from Florida to LA with no extra points- there is no business class on those flights and AA charges the same points from anywhere in the continental US.

We are flying in a week early and disembarking the night before the cruise ends to catch the midnight flight, so don't need a day room and will taxi to the pier and airport.

so we are along the window in their 2-4-2 seating instead of in the middle as we would have been with a PG air booking.

We recently flew in coach and unfortunately it was one of the worst flights ever. The seats are narrow, hard as a rock, and the arm rests only went up about 3/4 of the way. We had the two seats together aisle/window. I will never do that again.

While American Airlines is "partnered" with Air Tahiti NUI (ATN) you cannot use AA miles to upgrade a coach seat. You can use AA miles to obtain a business class seat as I have done for June 2013. If you do this you probably have to plan 330 days in advance as it appears that ATN only releases 2 business class seats per flight.

Two business class tickets were available for our way over, but ATN only opened up one for the flight back. The AA rep booked the ticket for me and immediately checked and another ticket was released, so she booked it for my husband. You have several days to cancel the booking, so if another ticket did not open up, we would have canceled mine. It is a bit of a hassle, because separate locator numbers had to be used, but when we called ATN, we were able to pick seats together. The best part was that we were able to get first class tickets on AA from Florida to LA with no extra points- there is no business class on those flights and AA charges the same points from anywhere in the continental US.

We are flying in a week early and disembarking the night before the cruise ends to catch the midnight flight, so don't need a day room and will taxi to the pier and airport.

This is exactly what folks who tried to book on our cruise described. We are still young enough to " suffer" 8 hours, so no BC for us to FP. But if we go to the Far East, then I will spring for it. I'll reevaluate in another 15 years, when the back is in even worse shape;)

I'm with you Tiki- I look at those prices for a "more comfortable :confused:" 8 hours and think of what I could do instead! Feed people, take another trip, bring one of my relatives along on a trip!

I agree that the prices for business class are ridiculous, but for 125000 points each, getting them for "free" is a bargain.

For our trip last Christmas, we used coach tickets purchased by Paul Gauguin and upgraded to Business class on the flights from LA to Papeete and from Papeete to LA. When we inquired about upgrades previous to the trip, PG wanted 8k for upgrades both ways. We declined. We were able to upgrade at the airport each way for $800 per person. However we made a point of being first in line at each airport. This meant arriving at the airport in LA a couple of hours earlier than necessary. And on the way home it meant skipping the included PG transportation to the airport and catching a cab about 1 1/2 hours before the bus was scheduled to leave. In one case we got the only two upgrades available, and in the other I believe that there were four available. For us, it was worth the extra time necessary to obtain the upgrades. I really didn't know what to expect since airlines vary, but it was a very nice business class.

For our trip last Christmas, we used coach tickets purchased by Paul Gauguin and upgraded to Business class on the flights from LA to Papeete and from Papeete to LA. When we inquired about upgrades previous to the trip, PG wanted 8k for upgrades both ways. We declined. We were able to upgrade at the airport each way for $800 per person. However we made a point of being first in line at each airport. This meant arriving at the airport in LA a couple of hours earlier than necessary. And on the way home it meant skipping the included PG transportation to the airport and catching a cab about 1 1/2 hours before the bus was scheduled to leave. In one case we got the only two upgrades available, and in the other I believe that there were four available. For us, it was worth the extra time necessary to obtain the upgrades. I really didn't know what to expect since airlines vary, but it was a very nice business class.

this year PG quoted $2,800 to upgrade to Business class. Airport was $800 but you do need to be first in line. The new ATN planes will no longer have first class, but a larger BC. Last time I looked the new ATN planes were scheduled to be out around May 13. ( not new but refurbished )

We found that the ATN economy class seats on our flight had slightly more leg room than the seats on most U.S. airlines. Of course, that means there was still not much leg room at all.

The seats themselves were quite hard although not nearly as hard as the so-called premium economy seats we had when we took Air France to Europe last year.

We decided to not even try to upgrade to business class at the gate on our outbound flight and see how uncomfortable we were. For the return, my girlfriend insisted we try to upgrade at the gate, but no seats were available.

My girlfriend was so miserable on our last few long flights that she doesn't want to ever fly economy again. I hate the idea of spending so much more for business class so I guess we'll try to find premium economy class seats (but definitely not on Air France) for our next trip to Europe next summer.

Or get a different girl friend :eek:

Just kidding :D

We found that the ATN economy class seats on our flight had slightly more leg room than the seats on most U.S. airlines. Of course, that means there was still not much leg room at all.

The seats themselves were quite hard although not nearly as hard as the so-called premium economy seats we had when we took Air France to Europe last year.

We decided to not even try to upgrade to business class at the gate on our outbound flight and see how uncomfortable we were. For the return, my girlfriend insisted we try to upgrade at the gate, but no seats were available.

My girlfriend was so miserable on our last few long flights that she doesn't want to ever fly economy again. I hate the idea of spending so much more for business class so I guess we'll try to find premium economy class seats (but definitely not on Air France) for our next trip to Europe next summer.

Markser,

Have a look at Air Newzealand from LAX to Heathrow, they have PE which is what we're flying in June 2013

We flew last Dec. to New Zealand from LAX on their new planes and we bought the family seat because I am so small that I could sleep on the futon seat they set up. My DH just cuddled beside me definitely worth the extra cost.

I have used Delta miles to purchase biz class on ATN. $6000 through the cruise line is frankly insane. You can BUY an Air France r/t in business for about $3500 at times.

Until ATN revamps their cabin I think the $900 is too high for the airport upgrade - when there was a non stop from PPT to JFK that was worth it! That being said - I HATE ATN economy as the seats frankly stink and the idiot who designed these planes that don't allow the armrests to fully go up should be drawn and quartered.

We have often done the airport upgrade ( about 60% of the six trips) and have paid from $300 to $800. I do concur that the ATN biz class is one of the worst we have flown.

Family, we always save our points for biz /first class to the far east or south america. Europe is close enough for us to buy economy with the extra room ie bulkhead or exit row for a small add on. If we are able to upgrade at the airport for a good price ( got $800 to upgrade to Madrid in Spain) we do so especially if the flight is overnight and the airline has flatbed.

The business class upgrade was $5600.00 for my My wife and I from LAX. We're sailing on the December 29th cruise next month.

I just took a peek at Air France LAX-PPT. $3450 round trip in business class. First Class $4600 approx. ATN is out of their minds these days. Hey Eric N - any idea when they are revamping the first/biz class cabins?

Reportedly by May 2013 the interiors should be replaced. The new interiors will do away with the one row of first class and will be a two class plane. All new seats in business and economy with new in light entertainment systems.

I travel in late June and hope they are completed by then.

Thanks! Just sent you am email.

We used a "points guy" to assist us in booking our BC tickets on ATN for August. My friend used her AA points for her east coast flight to LAX and LAX to PPT flights. She shared some of her Delta points with mine for my LAX-PPT flight. Can't remember the total amount, but I had to purchase my ticket from the east coast to LAX and add $500. Still much better than the price PC charges for BC.