Author Topic: Best cards for mileage to Israel  (Read 3678 times)

Offline bands

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Best cards for mileage to Israel
« on: January 12, 2010, 01:53:42 PM »
What are the best cards to open to collect mileage and bonus point to get flights to Israel?

Offline zalman123

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2010, 01:58:12 PM »
starward aa co there are alot of posts with ways to churn them and other ways like a chase account for miles on co two accounts with a cc will get you there on co

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2010, 11:44:12 PM »
starward aa co there are alot of posts with ways to churn them and other ways like a chase account for miles on co two accounts with a cc will get you there on co
Which Chase co account are you referring to?

Offline ChaimB

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2010, 06:44:20 PM »
If you plan on earning the flight from straight up credit card spend (and not churn) nothing beats the Travelocity mastercard (http://mytravelocitycard.com/app/japply/lp/27822.jsp?product.IowaEnable=true&legacy=true).
 Every $10K in spending gets you $400 in credit at Travelocity. 
So, for example, if you want to go to Israel on 3/9 and return 3/16, you can get an Iberia flight for $890 at Travelocity.  You only need to spend $20K on the card and contribute $90 to the fare and you have your ticket.  [You also can earn 10,000 miles for the flight on AA.]
Also, there is a signup bonus which is the equivalant of $2500 in spend ($5000 if you pay $50 to transfer $5000 balances over to the card).
This card can't be beat.
I am awaitng mine in the mail, got approved pretty easily. Wil report on how the program works out.

 I might be wrong but I dont think you did your homework on IB

 IB gives either 0 miles or 25% on its very cheap discounted coach tkts. So all a person would earn is appx 2900 miles for the roundtrip, samething with BA which of cause you cant put onto AA except maybe the LHR-TLV flights

 so if earning miles is important then this isnt a good way to do it

also if a person doesnt earn enough miles during the 1st yr then they are in effect paying $138 for the annual fee . So unless a person knows for sure they would be spending at least $10k for 2x on the pts this free tkt will be anything but free

Offline sayba74

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2010, 04:52:24 PM »
If you would only consider ELAL then HAS Advantage Visa is a good way to go.  Nice sign up bonus.
It's only 56K of spending (with a lot of double points merchants) and that transfers to 1400 Matmid points.  Thats about the only thing it's good for, and it would probably be less miles with a 50K Star Alliance redemption partner.

Offline Dan

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2010, 06:21:47 PM »
If you would only consider ELAL then HAS Advantage Visa is a good way to go.  Nice sign up bonus.
It's only 56K of spending (with a lot of double points merchants) and that transfers to 1400 Matmid points.  Thats about the only thing it's good for, and it would probably be less miles with a 50K Star Alliance redemption partner.
Nice to ignore that El Al charges hundreds of dollars in fuel surcharges and that you are locked into the availability on 1 airline instead of dozens.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline silverfaxmachine

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2010, 12:58:17 AM »
The thank you points with Citi started off as an amazing card! They bought you a domestic business ticket for 60k pts. The ticket was worth $2700 you then cancel the ticket and are left with 2700 -$150 change fee giving you great value! What a loss!! 

Offline silverfaxmachine

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2010, 01:00:09 AM »
I am assuming this thread is dealing with coach tickets! For business you def have to go with miles. Spg or Amex MR Gold Premier

Offline sayba74

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Re: Best cards for mileage to Israel
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2010, 10:40:18 PM »
Nice to ignore that El Al charges hundreds of dollars in fuel surcharges and that you are locked into the availability on 1 airline instead of dozens.
Point taken. I totally concur. The fees are crazy. I take back my statement, HAS is good for nothing ;)