How to Fly to Bora Bora with Points

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated June 2026

The short answer: Bora Bora is reached via Tahiti (Papeete), served nonstop from the US by United and by other carriers through Los Angeles. Book United through Star programs like Aeroplan or Avianca, then take a short inter-island flight to Bora Bora. Like the Maldives, the magic is pairing the flight with overwater resort points at the St. Regis, Conrad, or InterContinental.

This guide covers how to fly to Bora Bora with points and how to pair the journey with overwater resort points. Award prices and availability change constantly as programs devalue and adjust, so treat every points figure here as a rough, illustrative guide rather than a guarantee. Always confirm the current price and that an award seat is actually available on the airline own site before you transfer points, since transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed.

Getting to French Polynesia

The gateway to Bora Bora is Tahiti, served by Papeete airport. United flies nonstop to Tahiti from San Francisco, which is the most points-friendly option, and other carriers including Air Tahiti Nui, French Bee, and Air France serve Tahiti, largely through Los Angeles. From Tahiti, a short inter-island flight on Air Tahiti takes you to Bora Bora itself.

So a Bora Bora trip is really two flights: the long-haul to Tahiti and the short hop to Bora Bora. The long-haul is where points deliver the most value. See our transfer partners guide.

Booking the flights with points

United nonstop from San Francisco to Tahiti is a Star Alliance flight, so it is bookable through United MileagePlus and Star partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, and Turkish, several of which price it by distance or attractively. This is generally the most straightforward points routing to French Polynesia.

The other carriers serving Tahiti through Los Angeles have their own booking options, and the inter-island Air Tahiti flight to Bora Bora is a short, relatively inexpensive segment often best paid in cash or with a small number of points. West Coast gateways, especially San Francisco and Los Angeles, are the natural starting points. See our Aeroplan and Avianca deep dives.

Pairing flights with overwater resort points

Here is what makes Bora Bora, like the Maldives, the ultimate points trip: the iconic overwater resorts are bookable with hotel points, so you can fund both the flights and the hotel with rewards. Marriott Bonvoy has the St. Regis Bora Bora, Hilton has the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, and IHG has the InterContinental Bora Bora resorts, all with overwater villas bookable on points.

Pairing a Star Alliance award flight with an award stay at one of these resorts can turn a vacation that would cost a fortune into a trip funded largely by points. See our hotel guides for Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards.

Putting the trip together

Planning a Bora Bora points trip means coordinating the long-haul flight to Tahiti, the short inter-island hop, and the overwater resort stay. Because the nonstop United flights and the resort award nights can both be limited, flexibility on dates helps align everything. Booking well in advance is wise for this bucket-list trip.

Consider which hotel program you have or can earn points in, since that may determine which overwater resort you target, then build the flights around it. Transferring flexible bank points can fund both the flight, through a Star airline partner, and the hotel, through a hotel transfer partner. See our Maldives guide for the same flight-plus-hotel strategy.

Is it worth it?

A Bora Bora trip on points is one of the most rewarding redemptions possible, converting points into an experience, a long-haul flight plus an overwater villa, that few people pay cash for. The value captured can be enormous, far above the flat 1 cent floor, which is exactly the kind of aspirational trip that makes accumulating points worthwhile.

It takes planning and flexibility, since both flight and resort award space are limited, but the payoff is a dream vacation funded largely by rewards. If the Maldives is the eastern-hemisphere bucket-list points trip, Bora Bora is its South Pacific counterpart. Award prices and availability change constantly as programs devalue and adjust, so treat every points figure here as a rough, illustrative guide rather than a guarantee. Always confirm the current price and that an award seat is actually available on the airline own site before you transfer points, since transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed. See our hotel program ranking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to fly to Bora Bora with points?

Fly to Tahiti first, then take a short inter-island hop to Bora Bora. United flies nonstop to Tahiti from San Francisco and is bookable through Star programs like Aeroplan, Avianca, or Turkish, which is the most points-friendly routing.

How do I get from Tahiti to Bora Bora?

A short inter-island flight on Air Tahiti connects Papeete to Bora Bora. It is a relatively inexpensive segment, often best paid in cash or with a small number of points, after your long-haul flight to Tahiti.

Can I book Bora Bora overwater resorts with points?

Yes, which makes it a dream points trip. Marriott has the St. Regis Bora Bora, Hilton has the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, and IHG has the InterContinental Bora Bora resorts, all with overwater villas bookable on hotel points.

Which US gateways serve Tahiti?

San Francisco has United nonstop service to Tahiti, the most points-friendly option, while other carriers serve Tahiti largely through Los Angeles. West Coast gateways are the natural starting points for French Polynesia.

Is a Bora Bora points trip worth it?

For many, it is among the ultimate redemptions, converting points into a long-haul flight plus an overwater villa that few pay cash for, capturing enormous value. It takes planning since award space is limited, but the payoff is a dream trip funded largely by points.