Looking for a cheap one-way TLV-SFO ticket

[SuperFlyer]

I would still shoot them into FB anyday.

[Dan]

dan do you call it that b/c they fly bad aircraft or theyre a bad company. basically should i bank miles with them, or delta or another one?

Bad company, impossible website, expensive fuel surcharges.  Only redeeming factor are the promo awards which can be a PITA to book.
Don't bank with them, Delta, or any other airline of the pathetic Skyteam alliance IMHO.

[moish]

ok but say i need to fly with skyteam for whatever reason, youre not suggesting i forgo my miles now, are you?

[Dan]

ok but say i need to fly with skyteam for whatever reason, youre not suggesting i forgo my miles now, are you?

Of course not. But that's a tough call to decide where to put those miles.

[Gandalf]

Phew - I spent an hour on the phone with an AA reservation rep. Tried to book the 40K miles ticket first (20K Israel->Europe, 20K Europe->US) and told him to find "any flight in April or May that might work". Unfortunately they only have 2-stop trips, and even that didn't work smoothly - the rep tried connecting me through MAD with IB and LHR with BA but couldn't build an itinerary without an overnight stay.

Eventually I settled for 45K AA miles for TLV-LAX-SFO (first leg with El-Al). Apparently they don't charge fuel surcharge on this flight, which is very nice.

I initiated a 50K AA point transfer from my SPG account. The rep told me it takes up to 14 days to complete the transfer. My AA reservation is on hold for only 5 days.

Does anybody know if I can extend a reservation past those 5 days when a partner airline is involved?

Thanks,
Meir

[Dan]

Does anybody know if I can extend a reservation past those 5 days when a partner airline is involved?

You'd probably have been better off trading your SPG for someone here to book your AA ticket with their AA miles.
I doubt they'll extend past 5 days, you'll just have to rehold if its still available.

Also AA never charges fuel surcharges.

[moish]

it usually doesnt take 14 days to complete, just hope it takes less than five (sometimes it does)

[md]

my transfers from spg to aa always take longer than 5 days.

[ChaimB]

"Europe 1/2/3 - Chicago (and v.v.), 12,500 miles each way."
It's 20K from TLV to Europe and 20K from Europe to US off-peak.  You can probably accomplish this on one ticket.

During peak times its better to do 45K for TLV-US.

 Id say Anytime its better to do 45k then 2 @ 20k.

 Unless the person will be flying with only 1 checked bag that doesnt weigh more then 32 lbs. since most likely @ TLV they will charge for more then 1 bag and also if that 1 bag is over 32 lbs.

 TLV-Europe each person is allowed only 1 bag, and 2 bags to the States. So being overweight or flying with a 2nd bag can be very costly and worth the extra 5k in my opinion

 There is a chance that a person can get both Itins on the same record but its  gamble and costly if you cant/ Then even with both on the same Itin I know people who were dinged at TLV and told since its really 2 different tkts they must pay up

[Dan]

With AA's one-way awards each segment is priced separately.  I doubt it will be too hard to get a single ticket to price out at 40K and it shouldn't be too hard to show the agent that Europe is just a connection.
YMMV.

[ChaimB]

With AA's one-way awards each segment is priced separately.  I doubt it will be too hard to get a single ticket to price out at 40K and it shouldn't be too hard to show the agent that Europe is just a connection.
YMMV.

 have you ever flown to/from TLV using this 40k method? and did you have either more then 1 bag or only 1 that weighed more then 32 lbs and they didnt hassle you or make you pay more?

 1- the agents couldnt care less if Europe is only a connection, what they do care and look at is if its a single tkt so will AA tkt it as 1 itin, TLV-Europe-US or brake it up. If AA will brake it up and its offically 2 tkts , then it will really have to be a persons Lucky day not to get hit with any bagggage fees. Yes I know numerous people who have purchased tkts as 2 tkts even on the same res and were told pay up or leave the bag or take out 20 lbs of weight

 all I was saying is I dont think its wise to play this game just to save 5-10k miles (depending on a 1way or roundtriptkt). Also if a rt then youd have to hope that for the US-TLV part they also check it in all the way

this is just 1 time Id rather pay up the additional miles and not worry what will be at checkin or if the bag is lost

 also if at TLV they dont tag it all the way thru then hopefully the person has a lot of time on their layover since they will have to go thru Passport control and get their bag/s and then recheck them in

 Just too many "ifs" and I dont like the odds

[Dan]

have you ever flown to/from TLV using this 40k method? and did you have either more then 1 bag or only 1 that weighed more then 32 lbs and they didnt hassle you or make you pay more?

 1- the agents couldnt care less if Europe is only a connection, what they do care and look at is if its a single tkt so will AA tkt it as 1 itin, TLV-Europe-US or brake it up. If AA will brake it up and its offically 2 tkts , then it will really have to be a persons Lucky day not to get hit with any bagggage fees. Yes I know numerous people who have purchased tkts as 2 tkts even on the same res and were told pay up or leave the bag or take out 20 lbs of weight

 all I was saying is I dont think its wise to play this game just to save 5-10k miles (depending on a 1way or roundtriptkt). Also if a rt then youd have to hope that for the US-TLV part they also check it in all the way

this is just 1 time Id rather pay up the additional miles and not worry what will be at checkin or if the bag is lost

 also if at TLV they dont tag it all the way thru then hopefully the person has a lot of time on their layover since they will have to go thru Passport control and get their bag/s and then recheck them in

 Just too many "ifs" and I dont like the odds

You may be right, or not, like I said YMMV.  However I need to reiterate that you do not need 2 tickets.  With AA's award system each leg can be priced separately all on one ticket.

[ChaimB]

You may be right, or not, like I said YMMV.  However I need to reiterate that you do not need 2 tickets.  With AA's award system each leg can be priced separately all on one ticket.

 this isnt a question of whos Right, if anything we both can be Right and Wrong also

 It all depends on how the agent at CheckIn decides to handle it

 My point was simple does a person really think since its a case of YMMV that its worth saving the 5-10k only in the end to either pay up or not fly. I see the extra miles as if I was buying an insurance policy, knowing when checking in I will be able to check at least 2 bags of 50 lbs each

 Im sure there will be those who at 40k will beable to get 2 bags checked in w/o having to pay anything extra, as well as that some might not get away with it and if it was me Id sure as heck not want to be standing at any Airport and being forced to chalk up alot of $$$ when I could have avoided it by simply using a few more miles to prevent such an occurance from happening

Now flying with only carry-on or a small bag weighing up to 35 lbs then 40k itis, just dont know many people flying to/from TLV with only CO or a small bag

[Gandalf]

OK, I finally had my SPG miles transferred to my AA account today. Turns out they transfer the miles every Friday evening from SPG to AA and then they show in your account by Monday.
Of course my initial reservation got canceled, but I was able to rebook. AA charged me 45K miles + $50.90 taxes and fees + $20 reservation fee (the $20 is because I called their reservation center - I haven't figured out how to book an LY flight on AA without doing that...).

I guess I need to replenish my SPG/AA miles now. Does anybody have suggestions? I've never had any Citi or AA credit cards...

Thanks
Meir