The Thrifty Traveler Podcast · Thrifty Traveler

A Trip to Bora Bora, New Zealand & Australia — (Almost) All on Points!

·1 hr 2 min·4 clips

Air Tahiti Nui unlocked Bora Bora, Tahiti, Auckland, and Sydney with a free stopover.

1. The Thrifty Traveler Podcast episode centers on Kyle Potter's Bora Bora, New Zealand, and Australia trip and the points-and-miles strategy behind it. 2. Gunnar Olsson hosts as Thrifty Traveler's travel reporter and flight deal analyst, and Kyle Potter is the co-host who booked the itinerary and explains the redemptions. 3. The episode asks how to string together French Polynesia, Auckland, Queenstown, Milford Sound, and Australia using points, miles, and hotel credits. 4. Kyle says the trip started with a goal to reach all seven continents by age 40 and a bucket-list wish to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. 5. He says the full itinerary involved 13 flights and 10 boat rides across 18 days. 6. He also says the trip used seven airline mileage programs and eight different hotel booking methods. 7. Air Tahiti Nui became the key airline for getting from Los Angeles to Tahiti and onward to New Zealand or Australia. 8. Kyle first booked the Los Angeles-to-Tahiti flight in economy for 40,000 Alaska miles per person with a free stopover in Tahiti. 9. He later rebooked that same route in business class for 60,000 Alaska miles plus $18 per person after award space opened. 10. The French Polynesia stay centered on the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, which Kyle says was available for as low as 120,000 Hilton points a night at the time. 11. Kyle says the hotel later devalued to 200,000 Hilton points a night, but free night certificates could still work if standard award space exists. 12. He describes the Conrad as having overwater villas, Mount Otemanu views, and one of the best hotel breakfasts he has had. 13. The ferry transfer to the Conrad cost about $130 per person, and he used Hilton Aspire resort credits to offset it. 14. Kyle and his wife also rented a small boat from La Plage Bora Bora and spent four hours on the water with stingrays, baguettes, cheese, and ham. 15. On the way to Auckland, Kyle says American Airlines mileage pricing made Tahiti-to-Auckland business class unusually cheap at 30,000 miles on Air Tahiti Nui. 16. New Zealand brought a tight Auckland connection, a Queenstown stay, a rental car through AutoSlash, and a drive to Milford Sound on the left side of the road. 17. The tone is conversational and detail-heavy, with Gunnar pressing for numbers while Kyle gives step-by-step redemption and logistics breakdowns. 18. The format mixes travel-news quick hits with a long practical case study built around specific bookings, credits, and airport-to-hotel transfers. 19. Listeners who like points redemptions, island-hopping, and hotel strategy will get the most value. 20. Listeners who want a simple single-destination trip may skip it.

As heard by us

A French Polynesia travel discussion that keeps the jokes, logistics, and cost math in view.

The episode starts with a continent-sized argument before settling into a French Polynesia trip built around Tahiti and Bora Bora. Gunnar and Kyle keep it loose, but the practical bits land: the Capital One Venture X travel credit helps with the cost, Air Tahiti makes a seven…

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Why you'd press play

Turn French Polynesia into a points-and-cash plan with a few smart splurges.

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