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 1838836 times)

Offline hvaces42

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 5588
  • Total likes: 1148
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline shimino1

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 2411
  • Total likes: 133
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 10
    • View Profile
  • Location: israel
Looking for help finding 6 good award tix for NYC-TLV in November.
Thanks.

One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: nonstop preferred; 1 if great value
From: NYC or close
To: TLV
Departure dates: November 12, 13, or 14
Return dates: November 25 or 26
Class: Any
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline: Any (have SPG, MR, UR)
Most of the time you won't find enough seats and if flying Y you probably won't save much/any money.

You can do two things:
1. Use the UR or MR through Chase portal or AMEX travel to book tickets at a value of 1.5-1.8 cpp.
2. Sell the points to a broker and buy tickets.

Offline JARAZ

  • DansDeals Copper Elite
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 4
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
WILLING TO PAY!

6 tickets PHX-TLV -  TLV-NYC/ALB
7/23-8/19 (flexible dates)

360,000 AMEX points
100,000 UR
140,000 DELTA

Offline chayie

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 244
  • Total likes: 11
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: Silver Spring, MD
Hi. Would love to know if anyone has any ideas for me.

Looking to fly to E.Y. for Lag Ba'omer.

Two passengers
Round-trip
Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure date: Tuesday, May 1
Return airport: NYC
Return date: Sunday, May 6
Class: Any
Alliance/Airline: any
Points I have: 350K Chase UR (Sapphire Reserve), 170K United (MileagePlus Explorer Cardholder), 32,500 Amex MR

TIA!
« Last Edit: April 16, 2018, 04:25:02 PM by chayie »

Offline helpyouamdme

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 472
  • Total likes: 80
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • contact ‘Kоѕhеr Ski Club’ for the experience of a lifetime!
  • Location: Recalculating signal lost!
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: nonstop
From: NYC
To: LAX
Departure dates: APR 18
Return dates: APR 22
Class: J
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Star

Offline nafnaf12

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 4192
  • Total likes: 251
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 79
    • View Profile
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: preferably non stop can do 1 stop
From: TLV
To: BRU
Departure dates: May 11
Return dates: May 13
Class: Y
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: pref Star

Checked on UA and only found for 25k each way with stops.
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline davidrotts63

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2017
  • Posts: 7218
  • Total likes: 978
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 26
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: Hertz Gold, Hyatt Member, BA Blue, Ebay banned, Amazon Prime
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: preferably non stop can do 1 stop
From: TLV
To: BRU
Departure dates: May 11
Return dates: May 13
Class: Y
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: pref Star

Checked on UA and only found for 25k each way with stops.
did you check SQ?
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline nafnaf12

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 4192
  • Total likes: 251
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 79
    • View Profile
did you check SQ?
no, don't have an account
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline hvaces42

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 5588
  • Total likes: 1148
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
A3 11k OW+YQ
LY Revenue is $333 nonstop RT Amex or Chase portal?
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Online aryeh1

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 4718
  • Total likes: 19
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: DDF
One way up to 1 stop from tlv to nyc May 1st,
Whats usually best miles to use from tlv to nyc 1 way?

Offline hvaces42

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 5588
  • Total likes: 1148
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
One way up to 1 stop from tlv to nyc May 1st,
Whats usually best miles to use from tlv to nyc 1 way?
Check the last few lines of the Wiki. Added info to address your question.
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline Abey

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2017
  • Posts: 1006
  • Total likes: 193
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #8691 on: April 24, 2018, 02:25:33 PM »
I think it would be very useful to add lie flat routes to tlv to wiki,from Nyc. and which ones have a chance of availability.
I’ll start: lx via zrh, ib, air Europa some days (high yq) ba,
Also would be useful to add routes that have tho majority of the way in lie flat.
Ac, tk, rj.
Anything else ?

Offline hvaces42

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 5588
  • Total likes: 1148
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
I think it would be very useful to add lie flat routes to tlv to wiki,from Nyc. and which ones have a chance of availability.
I’ll start: lx via zrh, ib, air Europa some days (high yq) ba,
Also would be useful to add routes that have tho majority of the way in lie flat.
Ac, tk, rj.
Anything else ?
All the way...UA, DL, LY, AA/BA via LHR, LH (When they fly the A350 from MUC), TK when they fly the 77W.
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline Abey

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2017
  • Posts: 1006
  • Total likes: 193
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
All the way...UA, DL, LY, AA/BA via LHR, LH (When they fly the A350 from MUC), TK when they fly the 77W.
lh flies a350 to tlv ??
Well everyone knows the direct routes...but thanks

Offline hvaces42

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 5588
  • Total likes: 1148
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
lh flies a350 to tlv ??
Well everyone knows the direct routes...but thanks
They did last August for a while. I havent seen it since, but have heard reports that it shows up every once in a while.

You would be surprised about the direct routes. Read the wiki and you will understand that direct routes needed to be spelled out very clearly because the same questions came up over and over again.
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline helpyouamdme

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 472
  • Total likes: 80
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • contact ‘Kоѕhеr Ski Club’ for the experience of a lifetime!
  • Location: Recalculating signal lost!
what's the best option using points for NYC-GRU?

Offline davidrotts63

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2017
  • Posts: 7218
  • Total likes: 978
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 26
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: Hertz Gold, Hyatt Member, BA Blue, Ebay banned, Amazon Prime
what's the best option using points for NYC-GRU?
AS?
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline helpyouamdme

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 472
  • Total likes: 80
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • contact ‘Kоѕhеr Ski Club’ for the experience of a lifetime!
  • Location: Recalculating signal lost!
AS?
No stops
first i want to know the cheapest mileage rate then i will choose my dates

Offline helpyouamdme

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 472
  • Total likes: 80
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • contact ‘Kоѕhеr Ski Club’ for the experience of a lifetime!
  • Location: Recalculating signal lost!
what's the best option using points for NYC-GRU?

Offline hvaces42

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 5588
  • Total likes: 1148
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.