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 1839314 times)

Online AJK

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Re: Baltimore - Tel Aviv June 2013
« Reply #1560 on: January 14, 2013, 07:36:57 PM »
Hi Everybody,

I am new at this.  I would like to take my son (2 tickets) to Tel Aviv June 2013 round trip after yeshiva ends for 2 weeks.  Departing: Philly, Newark, Dulles etc. whatever is reasonable from Baltimore, MD.
Looking for best prices, preferably non-stop but 1 stop is ok.  Coach
Points: some United, some Delta, many SW

Help!
Thanks

Your southwest points will not help you.  How many UA and DL points do you have?
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 PraiseCanada

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Flying NY -> MIAMI on Skymiles
« Reply #1561 on: January 14, 2013, 09:25:46 PM »
How many Skymiles do you need to fly from NY -> MIAMI typically?
I'd actually prefer MONTREAL (YUL) -> MIAMI but realistically, the deals are never that good from MONTREAL.

I have 60,000 points and I want to fly down there [and back] around Purim time.

Is it possible? I've never booked on miles. Where do you find the deals?

Offline Side incomer

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Re: Flying NY -> MIAMI on Skymiles
« Reply #1562 on: January 14, 2013, 09:28:00 PM »
Is it possible? I've never booked on miles. Where do you find the deals?

Delta.com is the answer to your question.

Besides, your question belongs here:
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7986.0

Side income is the most solid income... בדוק ומנוסה

Offline sky121

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Re: Re: Flying NY -> MIAMI on Skymiles
« Reply #1563 on: January 14, 2013, 09:28:49 PM »
How many Skymiles do you need to fly from NY -> MIAMI typically?
I'd actually prefer MONTREAL (YUL) -> MIAMI but realistically, the deals are never that good from MONTREAL.

I have 60,000 points and I want to fly down there [and back] around Purim time.

Is it possible? I've never booked on miles. Where do you find the deals?

If it's available at the lowest tier then its 25,000 but with Delta it tends to bethere more.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Menucha

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1564 on: January 15, 2013, 07:15:38 AM »
Please follow the following rules when posting in this thread. Failure to do so may result in you request being ignored or deleted.

FAQs: (if you are looking to purchase a ticket, please post here)

Q: How many miles will my USA-TLV ticket cost?

did not see the answer to the q. Any lonk to a summary of current miles required NY-TLV-NY with different airlines, tax cost and economy vs Business?

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1565 on: January 15, 2013, 10:53:10 PM »
Looking to travel specific itinerary using mileage
One Way
2 stops
JFK - April 8 flight 178 BA
LHR - April 8 flight 10 (with stop in DXB and continue to MEL)
Coach
1 seat

Offline dirah

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1566 on: January 17, 2013, 06:48:07 AM »
Looking at NYC-SYD one way, week of April 14.
Economy.
I don't want to cross the dateline, I see that I can get in at 62,500 using UA miles with SQ or TG.
I want to know if there is a cheaper way, with either UA or AA miles.
Thanks.
BUMP
Can JFK-FRA-SIN-MEL (or JFK-FRA-BKK-MEL) be ticketed with UA for the same amount of miles as JFK-MEL.
Or is this not allowed due to two connection points in two different regions?

Offline Yup

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1567 on: January 17, 2013, 12:22:25 PM »
One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: One stop. Preferbly in US. Will take 1 stop in Europe if needed.
From: All airports from which you can depart CHI
To: All airports which you can arrive at. JNB
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. 3/3 I might entertain 3/4
Return dates: 3/10 I might entertain 3/11
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any Any
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2   2 plus infant
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with ANY I have MR Starpoints and UR

Offline Sammy12345

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1568 on: January 17, 2013, 02:30:59 PM »
NYC-TLV
1 Ticket
Non stop flight only
Leaving Jan 31- Feb 13 or 14
Economy Class
I found 1,022 from United nonstop
Anyone find cheaper?

Offline meshugener

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1569 on: January 17, 2013, 04:22:06 PM »
NYC-TLV
1 Ticket
Non stop flight only
Leaving Jan 31- Feb 13 or 14
Economy Class
I found 1,022 from United nonstop
Anyone find cheaper?
Wrong thread. Go here: http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7985.0
Love me or hate me. I still love you.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1570 on: January 17, 2013, 04:55:57 PM »
good day
looking to go:
nyc tlv
tlv hk
hkg nyc
One stop. max
From: nyc ewr / jfk
Departure dates: jan 23
Return dates: jan 31st +/-
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline:
i have amex aa delta and united
you can only make a first impression ONCE

Offline dirah

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1571 on: January 17, 2013, 07:33:27 PM »
Can JFK-FRA-SIN-MEL (or JFK-FRA-BKK-MEL) be ticketed with UA for the same amount of miles as JFK-MEL.
Or is this not allowed due to two connection points in two different regions?
Really, no one's got an answer to this question?

Offline smurf

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1572 on: January 17, 2013, 07:41:15 PM »
What's the best booking option (Cash or Points) For a one way flight from Kansas to NYC?

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1573 on: January 17, 2013, 08:26:37 PM »
Really, no one's got an answer to this question?
Its the same

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1574 on: January 17, 2013, 10:48:26 PM »
Can JFK-FRA-SIN-MEL (or JFK-FRA-BKK-MEL) be ticketed with UA for the same amount of miles as JFK-MEL.
Or is this not allowed due to two connection points in two different regions?
Its the same
I spoke to two agents; they couldn't get the system to price it at 40K, only as 62.5K (similar to two separate segments). They didn’t seem to know how the system works.

One told me that it won’t price out because it is crossing both the Pacific and the Atlantic, even though I tried to explain that is not true, it crosses the Atlantic and the Indian.
The other rep told me straight out she doesn’t get how the system works, but she did try very hard to convince me to cross the Pacific instead of the Atlantic; I guess she is not Chabad :)

Question: Is this a case of HUCA, or am I wasting my time?

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1575 on: January 17, 2013, 11:51:22 PM »
I spoke to two agents; they couldn't get the system to price it at 40K, only as 62.5K (similar to two separate segments). They didn’t seem to know how the system works.

One told me that it won’t price out because it is crossing both the Pacific and the Atlantic, even though I tried to explain that is not true, it crosses the Atlantic and the Indian.
The other rep told me straight out she doesn’t get how the system works, but she did try very hard to convince me to cross the Pacific instead of the Atlantic; I guess she is not Chabad :)

Question: Is this a case of HUCA, or am I wasting my time?
try putting the round trip itinerary (nyc-fra-sin-mel-nyc) on hold for 80k and then calling to cancel the return mel-nyc.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1576 on: January 18, 2013, 12:24:07 AM »
try putting the round trip itinerary (nyc-fra-sin-mel-nyc) on hold for 80k and then calling to cancel the return mel-nyc.
Ok just got off the phone with a third rep, spent two hours on that call.
Initially she said that she would get it priced manually, and she put me on hold while she was in touch with her "support team", it sounded promising and she came back from hold a couple of times saying it could be done, but ultimately she came back saying it couldn't because the routing was invalid.
When I asked her why, she said it was because it was connecting through two regions (Europe and Asia), and this is not allowed. I asked her where this rule comes from because I don't see it online, she says she doesn't know, that is just what the "support team" is telling her.
I tried to add on a MEL-JFK leg with her as suggested, but she said that it was still not pricing out.
Another HUCA? This it too time consuming! :(

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1577 on: January 18, 2013, 12:41:57 AM »
What's the best booking option (Cash or Points) For a one way flight from Kansas to NYC?
So i booked with avios (12K) with stop in ORD, Is this the best option?  I can still cancel the tix

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1578 on: January 18, 2013, 01:04:49 AM »
Ok just got off the phone with a third rep, spent two hours on that call.
Initially she said that she would get it priced manually, and she put me on hold while she was in touch with her "support team", it sounded promising and she came back from hold a couple of times saying it could be done, but ultimately she came back saying it couldn't because the routing was invalid.
When I asked her why, she said it was because it was connecting through two regions (Europe and Asia), and this is not allowed. I asked her where this rule comes from because I don't see it online, she says she doesn't know, that is just what the "support team" is telling her.
I tried to add on a MEL-JFK leg with her as suggested, but she said that it was still not pricing out.
Another HUCA? This it too time consuming! :(
You can book this itinerary online.  Then call up and try to switch the MEL-SIN leg to the SQ flight.  Then call to cancel the return.  Good luck.

Sun., Apr. 14, 2013 | New York, NY (JFK) to Singapore, Singapore (SIN)
Depart:
12:50 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 14, 2013
New York, NY (JFK)
Arrive:
2:20 p.m. +1 Day
Mon., Apr. 15, 2013
Beijing, People's Republic of China (PEK - Capital)
Flight Time:
13 hr 30 mn   
Flight: CA990
Operated by Air China.

Depart:
3:35 p.m.
Mon., Apr. 15, 2013
Beijing, People's Republic of China (PEK - Capital)
Arrive:
9:25 p.m.
Mon., Apr. 15, 2013
Singapore, Singapore (SIN)
Flight Time:
5 hr 50 mn
Flight: CA969
Operated by Air China.

Mon., Apr. 15, 2013 | Singapore, Singapore (SIN) to Melbourne AU (MEL)
Depart:
11:55 p.m.
Mon., Apr. 15, 2013
Singapore, Singapore (SIN)
Arrive:
9:15 a.m. +1 Day
Tue., Apr. 16, 2013
Melbourne AU (MEL)
Travel Time:
7 hr 20 mn   
Flight: SQ237
Operated by Singapore Airlines.

Tue., Apr. 30, 2013 | Melbourne AU (MEL) to New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Depart:
11:20 a.m.
Tue., Apr. 30, 2013
Melbourne AU (MEL)
Arrive:
10:10 a.m.
Tue., Apr. 30, 2013
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Flight Time:
15 hr 50 mn   
Flight: UA840

Depart:
12:13 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 30, 2013
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Arrive:
8:40 p.m.
Tue., Apr. 30, 2013
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Flight Time:
5 hr 27 mn
Travel Time:
23 hr 20 mn   
Flight: UA986

Offline ryg

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1579 on: January 18, 2013, 03:07:08 PM »
Hi,
I need a ticket from PDX to NYC on Motzei Shabbos (1/19/12) returning monday evening (1/21/12)
Any ideas?