Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)

[Chaikel]

Please follow the following rules when posting in this thread. Failure to do so may result in you request being ignored or deleted.

FAQs: (if you are looking to purchase a ticket, please post here)

Q: How many miles will my USA-TLV ticket cost?
Q: How can I use my credit card points to book a USA-TLV ticket?
A: Please read Dan's very helpful and informative guides found here and here

Q: Do I have to pay a lot of money when using miles for a ticket?
A: Sometimes. For more information read this

Q: How do I find award availability?
A: For Star Alliance (Continental, United, USairways, AirCanada, Lufthansa, Swiss, and others) see this guide

For OneWorld (AmericanAirlines, BritishAirways, Iberia, Malev, and more) You can use BA's award search engine (you need to have a free BA account to access the engine). In addition you can use Qantas' engine (free account needed as well), which will (to an extent) search Elal. As of this posting, the Elal business flights that show up are coach, and vice verse.

For Delta and AirFrance, use their respective sites. While not perfect, they are quite manageable for the casual searcher.

And of course, many of us here will take time out to help someone who is trying to learn.

Q: All this searching is making me crazy. Is there an easier way?
A: Yes, but it might cost you. Check out AwardNexus.com, KVStool.com, and expertflyer.com.

Q: I see AirCanada availability, but when I call AirCanada they say I can't use my Continental miles with them. Aren't they partners?
A: You can only use miles with the airline that issued them. Through that airline (in our case Continental) they can issue a ticket on a partner (ie AirCanada). Trying to call AirCanada with Continental miles, is like trying to use shekels in Mexico.

Q: I can't find availability on my dates. What should I do?
A: You should try to be as flexible as possible. Can you add a stop or 2? Can you be more flexible with your dates? The airports?
If all else fails keep trying. Availability is constantly opening up.

Q: Can someone please help me find a ticket?
A: No! Find it yourself.  Just kidding. Please copy the following lines, and fill it out in your post.

One way/Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:
From: All airports from which you can depart
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible.
Return airports: If different from 'To' line. Delete this line for One way tickets
Return dates: Delete this line for One way tickets
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with

Please add any other information you feel might be useful

...and remember, please don't PM members, if it's something you can post.

[MnM1130]

WOW... ur kid keepin u up at night?? i hope its not just cus ur bored....
awesome info btw.... (especially for slow pple like me)
thanks!

[Avid Reader]

Nice job Chaikel. Impressive!

[MnM1130]

One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: All airports from which you can depart: TLV
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line: LON
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible. Any 2 weeks in august
Return dates: Delete this line for One way tickets: 2 Weeks after departure.
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any: Coach
Total number of people traveling over the age of 2: 4 seats
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with With BA miles but prefer not on BA cus of fuel surcharge.

I tried to look on BA but it says nothings avail... not sure what that means if it also has what to do with AA or any other partner airline.
Im new to this and im learning- but if you have any help on the matter thanks!! (thanks all for ur time!)

[aussiebochur]

I need direct before yomtov for my whole family. Can u help?

[AsherO]

I need direct before yomtov for my whole family. Can u help?

Troll.

[plane.love]

Chaikel: These are great threads, I think we should break them down a little further either by Alliance/point type or Continent because the information posted could be a great tool for helping people with similar questions.

I didnt want to post here because the thread was to beautifully crafted to go straight OT but someone had done so already *cough *

[AsherO]

Chaikel: These are great threads, I think we should break them down a little further either by Alliance/point type or Continent because the information posted could be a great tool for helping people with similar questions.

Isn't that what search is for?

[ilikedeals]

Hey! Thanks for starting this.. if anyone can help that would be great!


Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: JFK, LGA, EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: 1 to 3 days before succos
Return dates: Within 2 days after succos
Class: Prefer coach but will take business maybe if thats all that there is and I can get together enough points
Seats: 5
Alliance/Airline: I have miles with Continental, AA, BA, Starwood


Thanks in advance for all the help!!!!!!

[momo]

so is this the place to post and sit back and let e/o else do the searching?AWESOME!

[YOSEF]

I need direct before yomtov for my whole family. Can u help?

Economy or business?

[plane.love]

Isn't that what search is for?

You are right and I can assure you that either way its done not everyone will be satisfied.

My point really is that at this early stage in this project it is easy to change things. The simpler things are to browse and collect info the better resource it will become.
Breaking it down onto three threads where I can just browse through other people going to Asia, Europe or National will be easier then searching.

The truth is I would make a whole new section and each request a new thread. As I know alot of the Requests will be duplicates and it will allow everyone to follow the request and possible solutions with ease. 

[AsherO]

The truth is I would make a whole new section and each request a new thread. As I know alot of the Requests will be duplicates and it will allow everyone to follow the request and possible solutions with ease. 

Perhaps that solution will work best, with the way we are set up now.

In the future I'd suggest a wiki (yeah, again...), where we could collaborate on booking techniques by route and alliance. If people could be guided on where to look, all these threads would be superfluous.

[arie]

Q: All this searching is making me crazy. Is there an easier way?
A: Yes, but it might cost you. Check out AwardNexus.com, and KVStool.com

anyone use expertflyer.com? how do kvs and expertflyer compare?

[djnimon]

Help please?

I have 2 tix booked on El Al Toronto-Tel Aviv at 1 p.m. July 12 through American. I need 2 tix LA-Toronto that will get us there in time to catch our flight. AA has availability in business with anytime miles, but that's 50k miles each! Anyone got a cheap alt? We would prefer a red eye, but are flexible to take an earlier flight and stay overnight in Toronto.

One way
Non-stop
From: LAX, Long Beach, Burbank (or other la area airport)
To: Toronto International
July 11
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Preferably Oneworld (got AA and BA miles), but open to Star Alliance

Thanks!