Flights to Palau?

[h3o]

The word about Continental having a monopoly in Micronesia is old news. There has been a new airline for a little while now. It is called Palau Air Micronesia.

I am originally from Guam and fly back often. The best way to get a ticket to Micronesia is through a consolidator agent (authorized agents who buy seats for bulk, and have lower profit margins but make it up on high volume). The lowest I have flown to Guam for example from LAX is $850, average around $1,000, the highest being $1,400. The worst thing to do is buy a ticket directly from Continental.

Some example fares I have gotten in the past from consolidator agents:
LAX to Cairns, Australia, with a stop over in Guam $1,189. LAX to Yap with a stop over in Guam: $1,070. The first was during May/June, the latter being in January.

Call around to see who is a consolidator agent. The consolidators usually advertise in the weekly city newspapers. The equivalents of LA Weekly, SF Bay Guardian, etc.

 

[Shasta_man]

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Does anyone know of a place to get decent prices on flights to Palau? I can use Continental Airline miles but it seems the availability is next to impossible to get. Prices seem to be $1800-2000 right now in the Dec/Jan months. Thanks.

 

[h3o]

Palau Micronesia Air has a Thanksgiving special from Guam to Palau for only $299! It's the cheapest flight I've seen to Palau. I'm going in one week! I've been to Palau before but it was when I was young and didn't dive. I hear the diving there is just mind blowing.

 

[melyssaandscott]

We were able to get to Palau using 60,000 frequent flyer miles on Continental (which is a small number of miles considering the high price of a ticket). We made plans 8 months in advance. Also, we flew there on Wednesday and came back Tuesday. We called to ask about when miles could be used and built our trip around those dates. We acquired miles by taking trips on Continental to cheaper places and using their credit card. It was worth it to save the $1,700-$2,000 per person. The only other option is to pay the high price.

 

[cdiver2]

We were able to get to Palau using 60,000 frequent flyer miles on Continental (which is a small number of miles considering the high price of a ticket). We made plans 8 months in advance. Also, we flew there on Wednesday and came back Tuesday. We called to ask about when miles could be used and built our trip around those dates. We acquired miles by taking trips on Continental to cheaper places and using their credit card. It was worth it to save the $1,700-$2,000 per person. The only other option is to pay the high price.

On AA and co share with Quanta's to PNG, without the FF miles the trip would have cost nearly as much again

 

[kevink]

I have tickets for Palau in February. Leave on a Thursday back on a Saturday. This was the only way to get there for a reasonable amount of miles (still 90K / roundtrip ticket). At least the one-pass website now shows you the dates you can fly on the 'saver miles' instead of having to plug in trip itineraries until you hands go numb. I booked my tickets 11 months out and spent a week trying to get there on miles.

Book air, diving, hotel with a trip wholesaler and you get a decent rate on airfare (it gets blended in with everything else). Try World of Diving or Trip-n-Tour.

If you are very adventurous there are two flights a week out of Taiwan on Far East Air Transport. I have come across $599 rountrips from NYC to Taiwan, then another $375 and you are in Palau. It helps if you speak the langauge or have someone with family there in Taiwan.

If you accumulate miles with American Express rewards they are offering a 25% bonus when you move points from AMEX to One-Pass. This help boost your mileage as well - -

American Express is offering a 25% bonus for points transferred to
Continental when you transfer 10,000 membership miles or more.

To register for this, use promotion code 24023 at continental.com or call
1.800.346.6090

 

[med99map]

You think 1800 dollars is expensive?

Try Copenhagen (cph) - Panau (ror) at continentals website!

6 flights! Only US 4800!

I guess I'll just go to Thailand instead...

 

[h3o]

palau micronesia air has closed down temporarily, so they say... some say it's for good.

 

[Starwatcher]

We book complete dive trips from here at Micronesian Divers Assoc. Cindy, in travel, can get you VERY decent pricing on everything from the hotels, to dive boat trips, etc. I think we get a little better pricing from the resorts than if YOU call them. Check our website for contact info, and some info about the shop here. http://www.mdaguam.com