Topic Wiki

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

(If you are looking to purchase a paid ticket, please post here)

FAQs:

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

Great tool to see the mileage cost for a route http://www.awardhacker.com

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 (United, 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 United 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 United) they can issue a ticket on a partner (ie AirCanada). Trying to call AirCanada with United 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.  ;D ;D Just kidding. Please copy the following lines, delete the non bolded parts, 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

IF you have any airline status or credit cards (Ie, United CC or status) that gives extended seat availability, please add that. Would be helpful to find you correct availability.

An additional note about using miles for direct flights from NYC-TLV

NYC-TLV is only served by 3 carriers non-stop, United, Delta, and El Al. Saver availability on Delta is non-existent. Saver availability on United is rare but sometimes available close-in. It is almost never available on or near holidays or holiday weekends, or around yomim tovim. Any award space that opens will be snatched up immediately so you have to constantly be checking if you hope to snag it if/when it opens. El AL awards are more readily available but prohibitively expensive using Matmid points (El Al's frequent flyer program) but may be able to be booked using Quantas points (transfers from Citi & Amex) at a much more reasonable rate.

This leaves the following options if no saver availability:

The Chase travel portal will let you use Ultimate Rewards, or a combination or UR and cash to book flights. If you have a Sapphire Reserve or a Sapphire Preferred, the redemption rate will be 1.5 cents per point or 1.25 cents per point respectively, instead of the regular 1 cent per point without them. (A, Ink cash or Ink Preferred will also give you the 1.25 cpp redemption rate.)

The Amex travel portal will let you redeem points at 1 cent per point towards the cost of air travel. If you have a grandfathered Business Platinum card, you will get 50% of the points you redeem back around a month after you book the ticket. If you have a non-grandfathered card, you will get 35% of your points back. (This is only available when redeeming points for tickets on your selected American carrier in economy class or on any airline in business or first class.)

The Citi travel portal also lets you redeem points at 1 cent per point towards travel and seems to have better pricing on El Al in business class.

Alternatively, you can sell your points (not here on DDF) and use the cash to buy regular tickets. This is usually the best option for people without either a Chase Sapphire Reserve or grandfathered Business Platinum who are flying economy.

Those are your only options for nonstop travel. For options with a stopover and more information in general, see https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/milespoints/the-ultimate-israel-mileage-award-chart/

This keeps on getting asked over and over. Besides Dan's comprehensive list of how to get to, or from, TLV here is a short list of options for travel to or from NYC in Y:
Lowest point per RT is FB 50K (less with promo, but YQ of ~$500 unless you can find unicorn DL availability), AA 80k (AA metal for transatlantic), AC 80k (LX or LO for low YQ) and UA 85k. Half that for OW.

Please add any other information to this wiki that you feel might be useful.



Author Topic: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)  (Read 1839207 times)

Offline hvaces42

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whats the best way to book a ticket in Europe? specifically Frankfurt Germany to London england and back
1. is it worth it with points and which points?
2. how much around will it cost me?
thanks in advance
Wrong thread but Avios or United (8k awards) are your best options. Search on Ba.com or United.com
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Offline Y G

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Wrong thread but Avios or United (8k awards) are your best options. Search on Ba.com or United.com

8k is alright, but what are the taxes etc.?

2. Which thread is more accurate?

Thanks

Offline hvaces42

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8k is alright, but what are the taxes etc.?

2. Which thread is more accurate?

Thanks
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=46609.msg1893934#msg1893934

Nobody is going to spoonfeed, sorry. You gotta do some work on your own too.
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Offline spiegel187

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One way/Round trip: round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non-stop
From: jfk/ewr
To: tlv
Departure dates: march 26-28th 2018
Return airports: jfk/ewr
Return dates: 4/8/2018
Class: economy
Seats: 2 with 1 child that is 4 months old - seat or bassinet?
Alliance/Airline: does not matter
I have a chase reserve card 630,000k points

Offline world2see

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  • Location: israel
One way/Round trip: round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non-stop
From: jfk/ewr
To: phx
Departure dates: April 2 2018
Return airports: jfk/ewr
Return dates: 4/8/2018
Class: preferably business/first
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline: have allot of chase/Amex

Offline sruliL

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One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: 6/10/18
Return airports: EWR
Return dates: 6/17/18 OR 6/18/18
Class: J or F
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: United points and I have a lot of Chase UR.
I have the MPE card.
I would prefer to not spend more than 180k points on this trip.
Life's not about doing things good, its about doing good things.

Offline hvaces42

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One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: 6/10/18
Return airports: EWR
Return dates: 6/17/18 OR 6/18/18
Class: J or F
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: United points and I have a lot of Chase UR.
I have the MPE card.
I would prefer to not spend more than 180k points on this trip.
Sorry. Didnt see. Usually get notified. Right now there are no options from EWR besides ET which is ludicrous. Like @mmgfarb says, if you're willing to wait closer in your options are better. Also, typically a month out availability gets better. and 14 days out you will see LH F for less than 180k each way.
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Offline sruliL

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Sorry. Didnt see. Usually get notified. Right now there are no options from EWR besides ET which is ludicrous. Like @mmgfarb says, if you're willing to wait closer in your options are better. Also, typically a month out availability gets better. and 14 days out you will see LH F for less than 180k each way.
Thanks!
Is there anything out of JFK?
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Offline hvaces42

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Thanks!
Is there anything out of JFK?
2 options on SN through BRU with second leg being Fake J
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Offline Mileager

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Hey,

First post here so please go easy. I have done research and found a round trip that works perfect for me. I'm pretty sure I have enough points to execute the purchase (transfer from SPG).

I am willing to pay somebody here to walk me through the steps and verify all my information is correct.

I have 160k SPG pts. There is an off peak round trip in business on oneworld from ewr<>ory (small airport outside paris) on May 15th-22nd.
 
After researching, it looks like I can get that round trip for 40,000 JAL miles each (looking for two tickets).

Thing is JAL makes their website impossible to maneuver and I would probably need to call in to book. I could not even find how to search for mileage flights on JAL's site. Found the flights on AA and BA though.

Would need confirmation on exactly how many points to transfer from SPG to JAL to maximize the 20% bonus and then how to go about booking the tickets once the points are transferred. I understand this may be child's play to the general populace here but I would rather spend a few dollars up front than blow all my points and/or lose the opportunity.

Thank you for your time.

Offline hvaces42

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Hey,

First post here so please go easy. I have done research and found a round trip that works perfect for me. I'm pretty sure I have enough points to execute the purchase (transfer from SPG).

I am willing to pay somebody here to walk me through the steps and verify all my information is correct.

I have 160k SPG pts. There is an off peak round trip in business on oneworld from ewr<>ory (small airport outside paris) on May 15th-22nd.
 
After researching, it looks like I can get that round trip for 40,000 JAL miles each (looking for two tickets).

Thing is JAL makes their website impossible to maneuver and I would probably need to call in to book. I could not even find how to search for mileage flights on JAL's site. Found the flights on AA and BA though.

Would need confirmation on exactly how many points to transfer from SPG to JAL to maximize the 20% bonus and then how to go about booking the tickets once the points are transferred. I understand this may be child's play to the general populace here but I would rather spend a few dollars up front than blow all my points and/or lose the opportunity.

Thank you for your time.
First of all the flight youre looking at is an Open Skies 757 flight. Shame to waste any points on this dated Business product.

Second, transfers from SPG to JAL can take forever with no guarantee that availability will be there when your points arrive.

Third, are you tied to EWR and/or ORY?

Fourth you may get hit with fuel surcharges by JAL on this route.

Fifth, do you have access to any other currencies?

ETA: Fuel Surcharges are almost $1000. Just doesnt pay to do this IMHO.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2018, 11:33:31 PM by hvaces42 »
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Offline JACKBLUE

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@hvaces42 do you get paid for being notified by this thread?? I’m amazed how you enjoy helping out people in this thread!!! כל הכבוד לך!!!

Offline davidrotts63

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@hvaces42 do you get paid for being notified by this thread?? I’m amazed how you enjoy helping out people in this thread!!! כל הכבוד לך!!!

+100
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline hvaces42

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@hvaces42 do you get paid for being notified by this thread?? I’m amazed how you enjoy helping out people in this thread!!! כל הכבוד לך!!!
I enjoy the challenge. Why not help if you can. And I learn when I am slammed for not thinking of the cheapest option.  ;D
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Offline srap

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@hvaces42 do you get paid for being notified by this thread?? I’m amazed how you enjoy helping out people in this thread!!! כל הכבוד לך!!!
Maybe he is becoming the new @TimT for finding award tickets!

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First of all the flight youre looking at is an Open Skies 757 flight. Shame to waste any points on this dated Business product.

Second, transfers from SPG to JAL can take forever with no guarantee that availability will be there when your points arrive.

Third, are you tied to EWR and/or ORY?

Fourth you may get hit with fuel surcharges by JAL on this route.

Fifth, do you have access to any other currencies?

ETA: Fuel Surcharges are almost $1000. Just doesnt pay to do this IMHO.


Wow, thanks for the exhaustive answer!
To respond to your points:

First, the important part is Paris in business, the exact product is not the sticking point (though lie-flat is preferred)

Second, got it, most important part and will probably not proceed.

Third, no, tied to NYC and Paris and that is the best I found.

Fourth, afaik JAL does not charge fuel surcharges

Fifth, Also have MR and UR, roughly the same amounts (160k each)

Thanks for the incredible detail in your answer.

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One way/Round-trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non stop
From: WAW
To: BUD
Departure dates: April 18 (morning flights)
Class:Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any

have MR, SPG, DL, AA

I've found LO on UA for 8K + $17 for ea.

TIA

Offline hvaces42

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One way/Round-trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non stop
From: WAW
To: BUD
Departure dates: April 18 (morning flights)
Class:Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any

have MR, SPG, DL, AA

I've found LO on UA for 8K + $17 for ea.

TIA
Revenue may be cheaper
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Revenue may be cheaper
I'll check it out.
And for award tickets is UA the best option?

Offline hvaces42

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I'll check it out.
And for award tickets is UA the best option?
Probably

Check RT revenue as well because OW may be more than RT. Even if you throw away return. If its more than $140 stick with UA option.
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