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 2060055 times)

Offline Dan

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how much per ticket ;)
Whatever people want to offer.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline AJK

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Pretty darn good idea, IMHO.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Drago

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Here's my deal. I currently have on hold the following flight info.

August 7th
 
TLV-HKG-LY75-Departure-10:00pm-Arrival-1:50pm+1day  Business Class
 
HKG-BKK-CX701-Departure-3:50pm-Arrival-5:30pm  Business Class
 
August 14th
 
BKK-HKG-CX708-Departure-9:20am-Arrival-1:15pm Economy Class
 
HKG-TLV-LY76-Departure-4:15pm-Arrival-11:10pm  Business Class
 
$88.30 per person
 
Infant fare:$375

This is costing me 60k AA each adult (2 adults).

The 2 problems are that I just transferred in 20k SPG to top off my account, but I don't know if they'll post b/f the 5 day holding period ends.
Also, I'd like an extra 36-48 hrs in Thailand, either b/f or after.

I checked around 10 different award charts for airlines, and the other good value I found is US Airway for 50/75/100, instead of UA's 75/100/??.

Can anyone help me book s/t else. I'd like a max of 3 legs in each direction, and don't want to pay more than either 50k econ, or 75k biz.
I have miles in each alliance, and have UR and MR that can be moved around.

(I called Delta, and they priced me at 620k for biz, flying from TLV to ATL, to Tokyo, to Bangkok. I politely turned it down.  :))

Offline sruly101

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Here's my deal. I currently have on hold the following flight info.

August 7th
 
TLV-HKG-LY75-Departure-10:00pm-Arrival-1:50pm+1day  Business Class
 
HKG-BKK-CX701-Departure-3:50pm-Arrival-5:30pm  Business Class
 
August 14th
 
BKK-HKG-CX708-Departure-9:20am-Arrival-1:15pm Economy Class
 
HKG-TLV-LY76-Departure-4:15pm-Arrival-11:10pm  Business Class
 
$88.30 per person
 
Infant fare:$375

This is costing me 60k AA each adult (2 adults).

The 2 problems are that I just transferred in 20k SPG to top off my account, but I don't know if they'll post b/f the 5 day holding period ends.
Also, I'd like an extra 36-48 hrs in Thailand, either b/f or after.

I checked around 10 different award charts for airlines, and the other good value I found is US Airway for 50/75/100, instead of UA's 75/100/??.

Can anyone help me book s/t else. I'd like a max of 3 legs in each direction, and don't want to pay more than either 50k econ, or 75k biz.
I have miles in each alliance, and have UR and MR that can be moved around.

(I called Delta, and they priced me at 620k for biz, flying from TLV to ATL, to Tokyo, to Bangkok. I politely turned it down.  :))
man ur on to njoy 8), have fun!!1

Offline Drago

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man ur on to njoy 8), have fun!!1
Thanks! It's my first time doing s/t like this.

Offline Drago

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Also, if I book the tik that s/o recommends, I'll give them a $50 AA gc as a thanks. (As if we didn't all have enough of them sitting around.)

Offline Drago

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Anyone? I have to Monday to book my AA tik, so I'm trying to find s/t b/f then.
I can also leave starting 7/30, the day after tisha ba'av, so I have more flexibility.

Offline Twin

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PLEAS HELP i thought i had a ticket to israel for the zman ends up the travel agent screwed me i need ticket pleas help

leaving from lkwd area(phl,ewr,jfk) Aug.13ish

PLS call me or text me if you could help 732-674-9648

Offline AJK

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PLEAS HELP i thought i had a ticket to israel for the zman ends up the travel agent screwed me i need ticket pleas help

leaving from lkwd area(phl,ewr,jfk) Aug.13ish

PLS call me or text me if you could help 732-674-9648

You posted in the award thread, so I'd imagine you're looking for an award ticket?

If so, you're going to need to provide your mileage balances.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Drago

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UA is telling me that TLV - ADD - DXB - BKK is invalid due to backtracking, and that TLV - ADD - BKK isn't allowed either.
Any ideas why, or workarounds?

Offline Drago

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Any ideas for TLV to AMM on August 5th using miles? BA isn't showing anything on their site. Does that mean calling wont help?

Is there any decent way of going from TLV to AMM? I'd be up for sherut service as well :)
« Last Edit: July 14, 2012, 07:21:50 PM by Reuven »

Offline Chaikel

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Just gonna throw this out there, but folks feel free to offer cash rewards for helping to find an award ticket.

It'll definitely give incentive to some of our creative members to spend more time looking for something that'll work out for you.
Can you put that in the OP
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline mmermss

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Hey..if anyone can help it would be great.

looking for 2  one way direct bus class ticket:
leaving 8/19 or 8/20   
from JFK/EWR to TLV
i have around 140 chase points but never booked an award ticket so not sure what airline i should transfer them to...ive been looking at united.com for some time but nothing available showed up yet.
 if any one knows of any availability with united or other airlines which would be easier to get an award ticket with id appreciate it
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Offline MarkS

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Round trip:
can have a stop:[/b]
From: Dulles, PHL, EWR, BWI
To: TLV
Departure dates: July 22.
Return airports:[/b] same as departing
Return    August 6
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any

Offline M

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I am looking for a 1 way Mileage seat from MILAN to LAX or LAS. Preferably on the 9th. Any help would be great!

I have searched AA and United. Only thing I was able to find is a flight on Wed direct to EWR and then to LAS in Business.

I would prefer in economy.

Thanks



Offline davidzhelfgott

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Round trip:
with stops
From: NYC
To: Venice
To: TLV
Departure dates: September 2 from NYC- September 5th from Italy (can do Rome) and September 9 from TLV
Return airports:preferably direct on the return trip
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any/ have plenty of MR points

Offline yehuda S

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Hi All,

I was hoping for some advice. My parents suddenly decided they want to go to Hawaii (from NY) and asked me to help them get there.

They don't have any miles so I figured the best way would be for each of them to sign up for the United explorer card, SM for the 55k miles and the Hyatt card to get four nights in Kauai.

Before they do that, can you guys comment/advise on wether that is indeed the best way to go (as opposed to the 100k BA or SPG or even Southwest?)

Thanks so much in advance.
Work is what you do between vacations.

Offline Thingywingy

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Looking to fly from either NYC, Toronto, or Detroit on Thursday August 9 to Israel with United miles. Alternatively can fly to Europe using AA points, and continue with United or BA. I need to get there before Shabbos. Thanks!
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Thingywingy

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Also looking for TLV to NYC on August 19 with STar Alliance or OneWorld or other that can use Starwood points.Thanks!
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Mocha

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OneWay
From: HNL
To: NYC
Departure dates: Sep 2 or 3
Arrival needs to be before the work day on Tuesday.
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: UA or AA
Trying to find at the saver level and save myself 20k x 2.