Air Tahiti Nui adds Seattle route and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan partnership
Air Tahiti Nui is headed to the Pacific Northwest, and adding a big partner.
The French Polynesian flag carrier will begin flights between Papeete (PPT) and Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) this fall — its second U.S. destination. In addition, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members will soon be able to earn and redeem miles on Air Tahiti Nui.
Air Tahiti Nui's Seattle flights will commence on Oct. 4, using the carrier's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The 9 hour, 25-minute long flight from Papeete departs as TN52 on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. and arrive in Seattle at 10:25 a.m. the next day, all times local. The 9 hour, 30-minute return flight to Papeete departs Seattle as TN51 at 12:40 p.m. on Wednesdays and Sundays and arrives in Papeete at 7:10 p.m.
Starting April 1, Alaska Mileage Plan members can earn miles flying Air Tahiti Nui, and Alaska Airlines has already published its earnings chart. Redemptions on Air Tahiti Nui will become available later this spring.
Paid business class fares on Air Tahiti Nui will earn a minimum of 125% of the miles flown, while premium economy earns a 105% minimum. (TPG's Clint Henderson recently reviewed Air Tahiti Nui's premium economy.) Papeete is 4,784 miles from Seattle, and Mileage Plan is the last major U.S. frequent flyer program that earns redeemable miles entirely based on the distance flown.
TPG will be watching closely for Alaska to publish its award chart for Air Tahiti Nui, which will easily become one of the most aspirational Mileage Plan partners.
More: Well worth the wait: Air Tahiti Nui to French Polynesia in premium economy
The new partnership stops short of being a codeshare, so don't expect enhanced benefits if you're connecting via Alaska Airlines to this new flight at the airline's Seattle hub.
"It is with great enthusiasm that we are launching this new direct service to the Pacific Northwest," said Mathieu Bechonnet, Air Tahiti Nui's managing director, in a statement. "This will help the further development of tourism to French Polynesia, including from the market of Western Canada. Alaska Airlines is the perfect partner for this, and we are looking with great excitement at the new commercial opportunities that lay ahead. This will strongly reinforce the position of Air Tahiti Nui as the leading airline for services to and from Tahiti."
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month