Help me get a free ticket from NYC to Israel (I'm a newbie)

[Uri]

I want to go in the last week of October approx.  I rarely travel and have only 1 CC.  I have 34,173 Delta SkyMiles and just over 2,500 Continental miles.

What's the best strategy?  Should I open a new CC or checking account in order to get enough miles?  How many miles do I need?

Please help.

[Uri]

Just to add: I checked on Delta and it costs at least 80,000 miles, so even with my 34,173 miles, I'd still have to pay a good amount of money.

[Yordai Dooma]

I want to go in the last week of October approx.  I rarely travel and have only 1 CC.  I have 34,173 Delta SkyMiles and just over 2,500 Continental miles.

What's the best strategy?  Should I open a new CC or checking account in order to get enough miles?  How many miles do I need?

Please help.

The last week in october...as in 3 weeks from now? Sorry charlie but i think your best strategy is buying a ticket. The miles you have now wont get you anywhere and neither will opening a new cc. Even if you got the 100k AA card, and spent $10,000 next week, you would need the bonus miles to post yesterday and hope for availability.

[Uri]

So I shouldn't even use my Delta miles to pay for part of the fare?

[steve2]

So I shouldn't even use my Delta miles to pay for part of the fare?

 it would depend on how much DLs fare is , how much youd save and of cause if you could purchase a tkt that would cost you less $$ even if you need to make a stop or 2. so go to www.orbitz.com put in your dates and see what the Magic Ball returns to you and then decide what is best to do

[Uri]

OK, the best I can find is $836 on Turkish Airlines with a stop in Istanbul.

Is that a good deal?  Is it a good Airline?

[chuchem]

They are ok. From jfk to ist they use a new 777. Nice plane. Istanbul is also a easy airport to transfer. If thats the cheapest, i dont see anything against it

[Dan]

How long is the layover in IST?

[steve2]

OK, the best I can find is $836 on Turkish Airlines with a stop in Istanbul.

Is that a good deal?  Is it a good Airline?

 if its a good fare depends on what the others are asking, its a decnt Airline but the only decent kosher meal will be out of JFK. IST-TLV & IST-JFK are K rations meaning vacum packed meals that have a life time shelf life

 Then you need to decide if after all the govt of Turkey has done and continues to do and say about Israel if you want to give them any $$$. I could have just flown TK but felt Id rather spend another few hundred dollars and fly on anyone else. Money isnt everything and Im not gonna give my $$ to Turkey while they are attacking Israel , but thats just me

[Uri]

How long is the layover in IST?

2h 45m layover.

JFK to IST is on a Boeing 777 and IST to TLV is on an Airbus A321 (or other itineraries have it as a Boeing 737).

[Uri]

They are ok. From jfk to ist they use a new 777. Nice plane. Istanbul is also a easy airport to transfer. If thats the cheapest, i dont see anything against it

Sounds good.  A friend of mine who's frum took it over Sukkot and he said the service was good, but lots of security delays during the layover because they were on alert for a terrorist attack somewhere in Europe.

[Uri]

if its a good fare depends on what the others are asking, its a decnt Airline but the only decent kosher meal will be out of JFK. IST-TLV & IST-JFK are K rations meaning vacum packed meals that have a life time shelf life

 Then you need to decide if after all the govt of Turkey has done and continues to do and say about Israel if you want to give them any $$$. I could have just flown TK but felt Id rather spend another few hundred dollars and fly on anyone else. Money isnt everything and Im not gonna give my $$ to Turkey while they are attacking Israel , but thats just me

Yeah...I dunno...not sure if I'd boycott the airline for political reasons.\

Any other opinions on this?