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 1916859 times)

Offline chucksterace

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One way/Round trip:rt
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:pref non stop
From: All airports from which you can depart: ewr, jfk, phl, lga
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line: tlv
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible. 8/17/14-8/20/14
Return dates: Delete this line for One way tickets:8/24/14-8/28/14
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any: business
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2: 2
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with: AA, UA, LH. I have 100k MR, 100k UR, 45kM&M,220k AA
I would like to be there 7-9 days.
Thanks

If you don't mind paying fuel charges I can get you to TLV via LHR on BA/LY.

As of this posting, you also have 8/20 JFK-WAW-TLV on LOT AIRLINES in Business

Let me know, Thanks
« Last Edit: June 05, 2014, 04:12:38 AM by chucksterace »
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Offline The Guy

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I am loking to fly 8/6 and return on 8/20 (flexable)
from tlv to nyc
2 adults and 1 child under 2

would like to fly in biz
I have plenty MR
I wouldn't mind making a stop as I see there's no option for direct. Any good airline through eur.
If no biz maybe I will go first (but I wouldn't want to burn so much miles on 1 trip)


Offline chucksterace

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I am loking to fly 8/6 and return on 8/20 (flexable)
from tlv to nyc
2 adults and 1 child under 2

would like to fly in biz
I have plenty MR
I wouldn't mind making a stop as I see there's no option for direct. Any good airline through eur.
If no biz maybe I will go first (but I wouldn't want to burn so much miles on 1 trip)

Will search later. Just to know, is a overnight stop acceptable?
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Offline The Guy

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Will search later. Just to know, is a overnight stop acceptable?

Not realy,but if it's a normal contry maybe if there's a good option to use spg to stay in a hotel.
Let me know what options I have that I could try looking by myself.

Offline chucksterace

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I am loking to fly 8/6 and return on 8/20 (flexable)
from tlv to nyc
2 adults and 1 child under 2

would like to fly in biz
I have plenty MR
I wouldn't mind making a stop as I see there's no option for direct. Any good airline through eur.
If no biz maybe I will go first (but I wouldn't want to burn so much miles on 1 trip)

You can fly TLV-LHR (with a stop) on the 6th, then on the 7th you have a 8am flight LHR-EWR.  All flights on *Alliance in business. Best I can find so far.
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You can fly TLV-LHR (with a stop) on the 6th, then on the 7th you have a 8am flight LHR-EWR.  All flights on *Alliance in business. Best I can find so far.

What airline is it? how many miles will it be? fuel?
Is it worth looking into turkish lot....?

Offline chucksterace

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What airline is it? how many miles will it be? fuel?
Is it worth looking into turkish lot....?

From TLV-LHR you can choose out of a few different ones, then LHR-EWR is united. Ie, you can go in the morning and have a day in London or get to london in the evening.

If you want to do r/t on *Alliance, you can transfer to MR > ANA at 1>1 and a r/t is 90k points in business. However ANA charges YQ, but they do not for United, so for this way TLV-NYC you would only get YQ on the flights to LHR.

If you are interested I can look at the way back and see if there is any *Alliance available to make it a r/t
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From TLV-LHR you can choose out of a few different ones, then LHR-EWR is united. Ie, you can go in the morning and have a day in London or get to london in the evening.

If you want to do r/t on *Alliance, you can transfer to MR > ANA at 1>1 and a r/t is 90k points in business. However ANA charges YQ, but they do not for United, so for this way TLV-NYC you would only get YQ on the flights to LHR.

If you are interested I can look at the way back and see if there is any *Alliance available to make it a r/t

I would prefer London,I have where to stay there.
But wouldn't it cost me high fuel ?
« Last Edit: June 05, 2014, 11:28:54 AM by The Guy »

Offline chucksterace

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I would preffer London,I have where to stay there.
But wouldn't it cost me high fuel ?

It would cost you only fuel on the flights to LHR, UA doesn't charge fuel. You can fly TLV-LHR via Vienna on Austrian and the YQ would be $177.
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It would cost you only fuel on the flights to LHR, UA doesn't charge fuel. You can fly TLV-LHR via Vienna on Austrian and the YQ would be $177.

It sounds good,but how long does it take for miles to post from MR to ana ? if it takes a long time these seats maybe gone by then.


Offline chucksterace

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It sounds good,but how long does it take for miles to post from MR to ana ? if it takes a long time these seats maybe gone by then.

It can take about 2-3 days is what it says online. May be quick, I just never did it before.
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It would cost you only fuel on the flights to LHR, UA doesn't charge fuel. You can fly TLV-LHR via Vienna on Austrian and the YQ would be $177.

I would prefer flying direct to LHR, am I asking for too much in Aug?

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I would prefer flying direct to LHR, am I asking for too much in Aug?

Nothing direct to LHR from TLV on *Alliance, only either LY or BA both who have nothing available on those dates.
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Nothing direct to LHR from TLV on *Alliance, only either LY or BA both who have nothing available on those dates.

Why do we have to stick to LHR?
What's with LOT Turkish anything through EUR?

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Why do we have to stick to LHR?
What's with LOT Turkish anything through EUR?

Umm bc I looked at those, the only thing I found so far was LHR, do you think if I found something better I would have posted it? I hate LHR but sometimes you have to do whats available.
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Umm bc I looked at those, the only thing I found so far was LHR, do you think if I found something better I would have posted it? I hate LHR but sometimes you have to do whats available.

If you find a week later it's also fine like on the 10th ,11 ,12,13
and coming back a week later.

Thanks

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 You can possibly PUTPAC FlyingBlue to do TLV-FCO-AMS-JFK in business for around 62,000 miles per person, per way, and around 280 euro for taxes+fuel.
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If you find a week later it's also fine like on the 10th ,11 ,12,13
and coming back a week later.

Thanks

On the 11th you have TLV-WAW-JFK on LOT AIRLINES in BUSINESS. LO152 TLV-WAW, LO006 WAW-JFK
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On the 11th you have TLV-WAW-JFK on LOT AIRLINES in BUSINESS. LO152 TLV-WAW, LO006 WAW-JFK

Is this for 2 people?
Great and what are the fuel charges?
And what about the return on the 24th ,25 ,26 ?

Offline chucksterace

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Is this for 2 people?
Great and what are the fuel charges?
And what about the return on the 24th ,25 ,26 ?

YQ for those flights is around $200 per person.

For the return you have on the 25th JFK-WAW-TLV on LOT AIRLINES in BUSINESS. LO027 JFK-WAW, LO151 WAW-TLV. YQ for the return is also the same around $200 per person
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