@Yehuda's Israel/Eurotrip Honeymoon

[@Yehuda]

I think you are allowed an open jaw on explorer award. Maybe you can use BA to get to a different city and continue from there.

I'm searching on the whole OW route map and nothing is showing up connecting these random cities, which leads me to believe BA doesn't fly those routes either.

[Marco Polo]

I'm searching on the whole OW route map and nothing is showing up connecting these random cities, which leads me to believe BA doesn't fly those routes either.

Where you looking to go after Venice?

[@Yehuda]

Where you looking to go after Venice?

That was just an example, but let's say Rome, Zurich or Amsterdam.

[Drago]

First off, you can fly direct to VIE on Niki, and a few cities in Germany w/ AB, along with MAD (maybe BCN as well) and LON.
And don't use the OW tool. Just check each segment you want on BAs website.

Kapeesh?

[SamKey]

I'm searching on the whole OW route map and nothing is showing up connecting these random cities, which leads me to believe BA doesn't fly those routes either.

IINM you have to search through IB

[@Yehuda]

First off, you can fly direct to VIE on Niki, and a few cities in Germany w/ AB, along with MAD (maybe BCN as well) and LON.
And don't use the OW tool. Just check each segment you want on BAs website.

Kapeesh?

No I do not Kapeesh. VIE and Germany on not on our itinerary. I used BA.com as well, same results.

[@Yehuda]

IINM you have to search through IB

There we go! There are flights from BAR to other destinations besides MAD. Gonna use ITA to see everywhere IB goes direct from BAR. Perhaps they also have routes originating in other cities besides MAD and BAR.

[@Yehuda]

There we go! There are flights from BAR to other destinations besides MAD. Gonna use ITA to see everywhere IB goes direct from BAR. Perhaps they also have routes originating in other cities besides MAD and BAR.

According to ITA, OW flies direct between TLV and BAR (not just MAD as OW map suggests and by BAR I, of course, have been meaning BCN, hehe). BCN flies to ZRH, BRU, MXP, NCE, FCO, AMS, CDG, ORY, and the list goes on. I haven't even checked where MAD goes. So, you guys are correct that OW is not the place to search for routes. I should have known that. I guess next step is to decide which of these routes to start with and that will be based on what the most logical next stop would be:
TLV-LHR
TLV-MAD
TLV-BCN

[Ergel]

According to ITA, OW flies direct between TLV and BAR (not just MAD as OW map suggests and by BAR I, of course, have been meaning BCN, hehe). BCN flies to ZRH, BRU, MXP, NCE, FCO, AMS, CDG, ORY, and the list goes on. I haven't even checked where MAD goes. So, you guys are correct that OW is not the place to search for routes. I should have known that. I guess next step is to decide which of these routes to start with and that will be based on what the most logical next stop would be:
TLV-LHR
TLV-MAD
TLV-BCN

I think it makes sense tlv-bcn-mad-cdg. Train to Amsterdam then to lhr. Fly lhr-fco. Drive through Italy. End up in Venice and fly home

[@Yehuda]

I think it makes sense tlv-bcn-mad-cdg. Train to Amsterdam then to lhr. Fly lhr-fco. Drive through Italy. End up in Venice and fly home

Thanks that makes a lot of sense. I want to maximize the the Explorer award once I'm going for it. Do you think I can "pause" it at CDG and then continue it at LHR? Is that what an open jaw means?

This is what I came up with TLV-MAD-BCN(that order doesn't matter)-CDG-MRS-NCE-DUS(connection)-AMS then train/bus to BRU-LHR-DUB-LHR(connection)-VCE then train VCE-FLR-PSA-FCO then fly FCO-NYC. FCO has directs to NY, VCE doesn't. I just realized I left ZRH out of that equation, so I still want to play with it more, but I think this hits up more cities and gets more out of the Explorer award.

[Marco Polo]

Thanks that makes a lot of sense. I want to maximize the the Explorer award once I'm going for it. Do you think I can "pause" it at CDG and then continue it at LHR? Is that what an open jaw means?

This is what I came up with TLV-MAD-BCN(that order doesn't matter)-CDG-MRS-NCE-DUS(connection)-AMS then train/bus to BRU-LHR-DUB-LHR(connection)-VCE then train VCE-FLR-PSA-FCO then fly FCO-NYC. FCO has directs to NY, VCE doesn't. I just realized I left ZRH out of that equation, so I still want to play with it more, but I think this hits up more cities and gets more out of the Explorer award.

Remember that you probably need accommodations wherever you go. While that can always be booked later on, just might want to keep it in mind while planning.

[Drago]

And you need to ensure that there is award availability on each leg, and the ex-TLV leg may be a bit tough.

[@Yehuda]

Remember that you probably need accommodations wherever you go. While that can always be booked later on, just might want to keep it in mind while planning.

Right. I plan to use the Hyatt, Marriot, IC and SPG points for the nights. So far my calendar has it at appx 24 nights, so that should be doable.

And you need to ensure that there is award availability on each leg, and the ex-TLV leg may be a bit tough.

Yeah, that's definitely the next thing to figure out. I just wanted to come up with potential routes first. ex-TLV is already booked as per earlier in the thread. I assume you mean TLV-ex and yeah you're right, that'll probably be the hardest to confirm. Will start calling AA as I continue planning different route options.

[Ergel]

Lol, ex-TLV means departing TLV

[SamKey]

Btw you may need points in the IB account if you're booking through them and in order to transfer  Avios BA to IB you'll need an open IB account for 3 months so if you don't have one yet open it now

[@Yehuda]

Lol, ex-TLV means departing TLV

Lol whoops.

Btw you may need points in the IB account if you're booking through them and in order to transfer  Avios BA to IB you'll need an open IB account for 3 months so if you don't have one yet open it now

Isn't the whole thing supposed to be booked on AA?

[Drago]

Keep an eye on IHG PointsBreaks to see if that'll help you once the date is closer.
Also, the Club Carlson 1 night free can be very helpful, especially in Europe.

[SamKey]

Isn't the whole thing supposed to be booked on AA?

I don't know routing thought you were going to use Avios as they can be useful in Europe (MAD-BCN-4.5k))

[HP58]

Btw you may need points in the IB account if you're booking through them and in order to transfer  Avios BA to IB you'll need an open IB account for 3 months so if you don't have one yet open it now

You need that the IB account should have miles in it for 3 months before transferring BA?

[MEIR613]

You need that the IB account should have miles in it for 3 months before transferring BA?

Yes