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 1839656 times)

Offline ilherman

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AF rep tells me that they can't book because of the war. He told me to call Delta directly and ask the to book with my Flying Blue rewards.
Clueless rep or is this serious? (The 'not being able to book' part.)

FTR, I'm trying to book TLV-NYC halfway through August.
Clueless. See mY PM  ;D
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline DovtheBear

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Clueless. See mY PM  ;D
HUCA?
He actually didn't sound like he was making it up. He put me on hold and went to make sure.
"להסתובב זה לא אומר להיות חופשי"

Offline ilherman

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HUCA?
He actually didn't sound like he was making it up. He put me on hold and went to make sure.
Their call center is terrible.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline nobiggy

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Award Ticket
SYD-MAN
What are my best options taking the following in to account
1. least taxes
2. no stopovers in Arab countries and the like.

Offline smart brit

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Why isn't it showing up on OTA sites?
Most lcc aren't showing up! I don't know why.
But search on Skyscanner etc average price is $250 ow

Offline ilherman

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Most lcc aren't showing up! I don't know why.
But search on Skyscanner etc average price is $250 ow
So on skyscanner it does show up?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Azis Papa

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Can you show a copy of the page. Maybe its pricing one way saver and one way standard since the return is not whole way is not saver.
Yea that may well be the problem.  The thing is when I check one-way NYC-HNL I see saver award EWR-HNL direct for 5/25/15 but when I try to put it together as Multiple destinations it's not there and I end up with a 122.5K tab.

Offline chucksterace

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Yea that may well be the problem.  The thing is when I check one-way NYC-HNL I see saver award EWR-HNL direct for 5/25/15 but when I try to put it together as Multiple destinations it's not there and I end up with a 122.5K tab.

Can you show the flights. If you see saver for both legs separately and not together, put pac and call
You may not hold me responsible for any actions taken that were recommended from my account or username.

Offline Azis Papa

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Can you show the flights. If you see saver for both legs separately and not together, put pac and call
Ya, you're right.  Call is what I should have done. But all of this messing around with flights got me frustrated and anyway the original award dates I wanted went away so I gave up and booked direct on ELAL.  I'll just sell the miles to pay for the ticket (know anywhere to get a good price for miles?  ;)).  Thanks for all your help.  I learned a thing or two & will do better next time.

Offline Dr Moose

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One way/Round trip: OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non-stop
From: nyc or phl
To: ord
Departure dates: august 10
Class: coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: OW

what's going on in Chicago that day? I can't seem to find any available flights from several different cities.
Hey there! I am using DansDeals Forums.

Offline itsyehuda

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What's the best (cheapest) mileage currency to book a Star Alliance saver RT award from TLV - ATH - IST - ATH - TLV?

Business Class
I remember when a coke was a nickel, and you could buy VRs in OD.

Offline smart brit

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So on skyscanner it does show up?
almost always it shows up

Offline MeirS

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One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: LON
To: MEL
Departure dates:. 08/26/14
Return dates: 08/31/14
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any: Coach
Total number of people traveling over the age of 2: 1 seat
Alliance/Airline: OW I have BA miles

Purpose of trip is a wedding on 08/28 so I'll take any option that works for that. Passenger is looking to be away from London for as little as possible.

Offline Champ365

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One Way
Max 1 stop
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: Aug 31
Class: Any
Seats: 1 Adult
Alliance: Any

Prefer something with UR points.

Offline Freddie

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Any creative way to maximize the award values on my September trips?

From: Any US city
To: HKG
Departure dates: 9-2 or 9-3
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

From: HKG
To: MEL
Departure dates: 9-7 or 9-8
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

From: MEL
To: YYZ
Departure dates: 9-16
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

From: YYZ
To: LHR or MAN
Departure dates: 9-18
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

From: LHR or MAN
To: PIT
Departure dates: 9-22
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

Offline Shmuel s

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From:Far East to:USA preferably NYC  between August 21 to August 25 3 seats on any star alliance member in economy . Can def be with stopover.  Thanx for your help guys. I can't find anything on united   Thanx again

Offline Dr Moose

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From:Far East to:USA preferably NYC  between August 21 to August 25 3 seats on any star alliance member in economy . Can def be with stopover.  Thanx for your help guys. I can't find anything on united   Thanx again
Use the template from the wiki, and hopefully somebody (read: chucksterace) will get back to you
Hey there! I am using DansDeals Forums.

Offline Shmuel s

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Srry I'm new I will read wiki now. Any help pls?   

Offline Super Speed

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Srry I'm new I will read wiki now. Any help pls?
Use the format of the wiki so it's easier for the people helping you to know exactly what you want.

Offline mendishke

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Can someone verify if the united trick is not working anymore?
I am trying to change my flight and it is showing up as a $50 charge...