This weekend we shared the fees for business class awards to French Polynesia using the Delta and Air France programs. In this post, we’ll share the coach award pricing, as well as a promotion to earn miles for a “free” ticket with only 6 car rentals.

Delta requires 150,000 SkyMiles and Air France requires 120,000 Flying Blue miles for business class to French Polynesia. But did you know that Air France only requires 60,000 Flying Blue miles for a coach ticket to French Polynesia? I know some of you are asking if this is even a good deal with all of the fees Air France charges.

We will illustrate the differences in Delta and Air France coach award pricing to French Polynesia. In addition, we’ll share a promotion where you can earn 50,000 Air France Flying Blue miles after only 6 car rentals. Since Air France only requires 60,000 Flying Blue miles for a low award level coach ticket to French Polynesia, this promotion will get you almost all of the way to the award.

How To Earn 50,000 Air France Flying Blue Miles With 6 Avis Rentals

The Avis Accumulator promotion is back with Air France this year. With this promotion, you can earn a little over 50,000 Flying Blue miles with only 6 Avis car rentals.

Promotion Details

Simply rent a car with Avis from April 1st through September 30th, 2012 to earn over 50,000 Air France Flying Blue miles.

• Reservations made on www.avis-flyingblue.com (with Flying Blue membership level selected) will automatically have the correct AWD embedded in the rental
• To qualify, reservations must be made using a Flying Blue/Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number:
• Ivory members F982700
• Silver members F982800
• Gold members F982900
• Platinum members F983000
• Or with an Air France Flying Blue AWD number:
• Silver i939700
• Gold i939800
• Platinum i939900
• Qualifying rentals must be booked and taken between 1st April and 30th September 2012
• The promotion is only valid for rentals of 3 days or more
• The number of bonus miles is based on the number of rentals outlined below
• 2nd qualifying rental = 2000 bonus Flying Blue Miles
• 3rd qualifying rental = 5000 bonus Flying Blue Miles
• 4th qualifying rental = 7500 bonus Flying Blue Miles
• 5th qualifying rental = 14000 bonus Flying Blue Miles
• 6th qualifying rental = 20000 bonus Flying Blue Miles
• In addition to the minimum standard Flying Blue Miles award of 500 Flying Blue Miles for a total award of at least 51,500 Flying Blue Miles for the 6 rentals

How To Redeem Air France Flying Blue Miles For Coach Award To French Polynesia

Step 1: Get Flying Blue Miles

You first need to have enough Air France Flying Blue miles in your account. Air France requires 60,000 Flying Blue miles for a coach award to French Polynesia.

You can earn miles through the Avis promotion above, through transferring American Express membership rewards to Air France, or other Air France promotions that are currently available.

Step 2: Search For Air France Availability To PPT

In this example, we searched for coach availability on Air France’s flight from Los Angeles to French Polynesia. Our desired dates did not have the availability, but the award calendar will show the available dates.

Search For Coach Availability

Step 3: Select Your Air France Award Flight

The classic round trip award was available for only 60,000 Flying Blue miles.

Select Your Air France Coach Flight

Step 4: Pay The Astronomically High Fees

Does anyone else think $442.40 on a coach award ticket is a high fee? When a coach ticket to French Polynesia can be purchased for $1,308, using Flying Blue miles for a $865 discount gives you a value of $0.0144 ((1,308-442.40)/60,000=.0144).

Pay High fee

Step 5: Reconsider Fee To Use 100,000 SkyPesosMiles Instead?

Delta only requires a $53 fee, but requires 100,000 Delta SkyMiles for a coach ticket on Air France to French Polynesia. When the same coach ticket to French Polynesia can be purchased for $1,308, using Delta miles for a $1,255 discount gives you a value of $0.01255 ((1,308-53)/100,000=.01255).

Delta Has Lower Fee But Requires Higher Miles

Bottom Line

Delta and Air France have significantly different award pricing for business class and coach class tickets. Both have thier benefits in certain situations so each should be considered for your situation.

With the Avis earning approach outlined above, you could be on your way to French Polynesia after only 6 Avis car rentals.

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