Trip to Israel

[SPGCont]

I am thinking about a trip to Israel (either from LA or NY).   

I have lots of Amex rewards points and chase ultimate rewards points.

Where is the best place to transfer points to?

Any way to combine points at chase with points from amex into same airline and get good value?

[PlatinumGuy]

Sell them and buy regular hotel stays.
Only good value is Meridien dead sea /tel aviv / eilat, and those require SPG points. Amex does transfer to SPG, but the ratio isn't so good.

[SPGCont]

Sell them and buy regular hotel stays.
Only good value is Meridien dead sea /tel aviv / eilat, and those require SPG points. Amex does transfer to SPG, but the ratio isn't so good.

I am talking about for the flights

[PlatinumGuy]

Unless you're flying business class selling miles and buying a regular ticket is cheaper.

The only way it is worthwhile is if you can fly with 2 stopovers on Aer Lingus.

[AJK]

Unless you're flying business class selling miles and buying a regular ticket is cheaper.

Inaccurate blanket statement, unfortunately.

There are times when it absolutely makes sense to redeem for Y instead of selling and paying for Y.

@OP, you're going to have to provide some info:

1) Do you want to fly First? Business? Coach?
2) When?
3) Stopovers?

Also, IIRC, the only airline that both UR and MR transfer to is BA, but redeeming for long-haul flight on BA has YQ.

[SPGCont]

Inaccurate blanket statement, unfortunately.

There are times when it absolutely makes sense to redeem for Y instead of selling and paying for Y.

@OP, you're going to have to provide some info:

1) Do you want to fly First? Business? Coach?
2) When?
3) Stopovers?

Also, IIRC, the only airline that both UR and MR transfer to is BA, but redeeming for long-haul flight on BA has YQ.

Flying coach is fine.
Not sure about dates.
Stopovers are ok but direct is better.
Ok. understand cannot use both combined but which airline individually is my best bet for either amex rewards or chase rewards points?

[PlatinumGuy]

Inaccurate blanket statement, unfortunately.

There are times when it absolutely makes sense to redeem for Y instead of selling and paying for Y.

@OP, you're going to have to provide some info:

1) Do you want to fly First? Business? Coach?
2) When?
3) Stopovers?

Also, IIRC, the only airline that both UR and MR transfer to is BA, but redeeming for long-haul flight on BA has YQ.

From NYC to TLV, the lowest it gets is 80k amex/chase which assuming a 1.5 cents per mile value is $1200. You don't earn miles from the flight, so that's $100 lost.
So the only way it is viable is if u can't find a revenue ticket for less than $1300, and that's assiming u can find award availabiliy on UA w/o taxes. If you can't, that's $1400 or so.

I doubt between now & EOS there's a day where u can't get a flight for $1400, but can get an award with less than 2 stopovers.

The exception is if u fly EI NYC-DUB which is only 27k Amex RT (or BOS-DUB for 17k amex). Only there are virtually no flights DUB-TLV, so u need easyjet to BSL or so, which is about $400 RT DUB-BSL-TLV.
27k * 1.5 makes $405 + about $100 BA fees $505 + $400 for easyjet - ~$900 total.

[Devorah]

You can fly on UA or US direct and book tickets via Aeroplan using MR points and via UA using UR points.

[AJK]

From NYC to TLV, the lowest it gets is 80k amex/chase which assuming a 1.5 cents per mile value is $1200. You don't earn miles from the flight, so that's $100 lost.
So the only way it is viable is if u can't find a revenue ticket for less than $1300, and that's assiming u can find award availabiliy on UA w/o taxes. If you can't, that's $1400 or so.

I doubt between now & EOS there's a day where u can't get a flight for $1400, but can get an award with less than 2 stopovers.

#LastMinuteTravel

Also:

-- With a FlyingBlue MR bonus, and redeeming during a FlyingBlue promo period, one can travel US-TLV-US in coach for 20,000 MR (plus $5-600 in YQ) or in business for only 40,000 MR (plus ~$600 in YQ).

[PlatinumGuy]

#LastMinuteTravel

Also:

-- With a FlyingBlue MR bonus, and redeeming during a FlyingBlue promo period, one can travel US-TLV-US in coach for 20,000 MR (plus $5-600 in YQ) or in business for only 40,000 MR (plus ~$600 in YQ).

I don't think there is coach availabiltiy to TLV on fb, but fair enough.

[AJK]

I don't think there is coach availabiltiy to TLV on fb, but fair enough.

Not according to DansDeals

(yes, it shows from YUL and not NYC, but that shouldn't really change much)

[PlatinumGuy]

Not according to DansDeals

(yes, it shows from YUL and not NYC, but that shouldn't really change much)

I would suspect overnight or multiple stopovers, but whatever.

[Drago]

If you're flying from LA, then I think it's still only 80k miles on United (unless s/o corrects me). In that case, its a better value proposition.

And if you're flying around the chagim, then the 80k (if available) becomes worth more b/c flights are often higher priced.

[Dan]

Helped a friend book 80K Y for Sukkos.
Paid tickets were ~$1,800.

[Drago]

Helped a friend book 80K Y for Sukkos.
Paid tickets were ~$1,800.

same here. did it for family from CLV for sukkos (after doing it for pesach also at 80k)
problem is, they have an extra stop over in europe, but they need to leave right after the chag, so they had limited choices

[Dan]

did it for family from CLV for sukkos

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/airportDetails.do;jsessionid=72D99F24E902A847C51E7618C1D426EE.web4:8009?airportCode=CLV

[Drago]

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/airportDetails.do;jsessionid=72D99F24E902A847C51E7618C1D426EE.web4:8009?airportCode=CLV

Thanks for pointing that out. I realized my mistake, and called up United. They helped me change my ticket from Caldas Novas to Cleveland, since that is what I had needed.
They charged me a fee of 173.86 per ticket.

[AsherO]

Thanks for pointing that out. I realized my mistake, and called up United. They helped me change my ticket from Caldas Novas to Cleveland, since that is what I had needed.
They charged me a fee of 173.86 per ticket.

Is he lucky? I wonder what fare class his new tickets are...

[aryeh1]

Helped a friend book 80K Y for Sukkos.
Paid tickets were ~$1,800.

Whats Y ? also what type of mileage?

[AsherO]

Whats Y ? also what type of mileage?

Y = coach/economy, I think they're referring to UA miles. Good luck replicating that though.