Trip Coach: October 21, 2008

And check out Airtahiti.com. They are always offering amazing packages. If you can find a cheap flight from Orlando to New York's JFK, you might be able to make it work.

_______________________

Atlanta, Ga.: Help. I would like to visit Australia and Tahiti, and limit my trip to 15 days. I would like to keep the price below $2,500. Is that possible? What time of year is it most affordable to travel to this area?

Alexis Kelly: I hate to break it to you, but I don't think it's possible to keep this type of trip under $2,500. The airfare alone could cost that much. I did see recently that Qantas was offering an economy ticket from NY's JFK to Sydney for about $1000 roundtrip. They were also offering special deals with American Airlines for connecting flights from other US cities to get to NYC, but none of the cities were Atlanta. So this means you still have to get to NYC, and then get to Tahiti once you're in Sydney. And then you have to stay somewhere, eat something, and maybe even leave your room to see some sights. It all adds up!

For this type of trip, I would figure around $3,500 for flight and accommodation, but again that does not include food. See what a travel agent, Air Tahiti Nui, or maybe even Qantas can come up with.

Air Tahiti Nui offers stopover packages from LA to Sydney, with the option to stay in Tahiti for 2-4 nights (a longer stay is an additional cost), but I would suggest calling them directly (or checking out their web site) to see what they have to offer.

I know calling a travel agent seems so archaic, but they do know of great packages and can do all of the research and leg work for you. They may even be aware of deals before they are published.

As for the most affordable time to travel, anytime between October and May will give you great weather and a good price. July and August are the most expensive and worst weather times.

_______________________

Honolulu, Hawaii: We vacationed in Tahiti in 1983, and it was truly our "dream" vacation. I'd love to go back, but we don't see airfare deals from Hawaii. It appears that all of the specials are on Air Tahiti Nui out of Los Angeles. Any suggestions for economy airfare?

Alexis Kelly: I hate to sound so repetitive, but Air Tahiti Nui really does have the most competitive packages. But alas, as you said, they only fly out of LA (or NYC in the high season). Hawaiian Airlines has great service and they do fly between Honolulu and Pape'ete, but may be a little more pricey, while United and America are probably the most competitive price wise for flights between Honolulu and Pape'ete.

_______________________