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 1839238 times)

Offline margol

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7220 on: January 13, 2016, 07:14:47 PM »
Hi All -

Looking for a one way from Chicago-TLV direct (stopover in US or Canada is OK but not in Europe)

One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Non-stop (stopover in US or Canada is OK but not in Europe)
From: ORD/MDW
To: TLV
Departure dates: May 2-4
Class: Preferably Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: any - I have chase/amex/some united/american

I have found some good flights on United and delta but economy for 85k miles one way  - have also found through american in Business for 67.5k miles (better than 85k!)

Can anybody help me find this flight for less miles?

Thanks in advance!

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7221 on: January 15, 2016, 01:28:46 PM »
I have to fly JFK-LAX this Thursday PM and depart Sunday PM. The lowest award booking I'm finding is 50k on DL. Should I wait for BA availability, or should I just go for it?
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7222 on: January 15, 2016, 01:37:57 PM »
I have to fly JFK-LAX this Thursday PM and depart Sunday PM. The lowest award booking I'm finding is 50k on DL. Should I wait for BA availability, or should I just go for it?
UA has 12.5k from EWR thursday afternoon (both 3pm & 5pm flights) on the way there.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7223 on: January 15, 2016, 01:42:13 PM »
UA has 12.5k from EWR thursday afternoon (both 3pm & 5pm flights) on the way there.

Thanks, but EWR is way too far out my way. I'm in Queens during the day and can't really leave until 5, the earliest.
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7224 on: January 15, 2016, 02:00:49 PM »
Thanks, but EWR is way too far out my way. I'm in Queens during the day and can't really leave until 5, the earliest.
50k is a lot for RT in coach. If you have a business plat registered with Delta you can buy a $610 RT ticket on DL for 61k MR through Amex travel and you'll get 30% of that back. Effectively paying 42,700 MR.

Or even an AA standard award would cost 40k RT. If you have a Citi AA Plat or Barclay Aviator card you'll get 10% of that back; Effectively 36k.

Not the best but better than 50k.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7225 on: January 15, 2016, 02:15:01 PM »
50k is a lot for RT in coach. If you have a business plat registered with Delta you can buy a $610 RT ticket on DL for 61k MR through Amex travel and you'll get 30% of that back. Effectively paying 42,700 MR.

Or even an AA standard award would cost 40k RT. If you have a Citi AA Plat or Barclay Aviator card you'll get 10% of that back; Effectively 36k.

Not the best but better than 50k.

True, but that's only one way. Should I gamble on more space opening up?
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline David Smith

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7226 on: January 15, 2016, 02:17:00 PM »
True, but that's only one way. Should I gamble on more space opening up?
You can buy a delta revenue for $199 back.
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
JTZ

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7227 on: January 15, 2016, 02:31:36 PM »
True, but that's only one way. Should I gamble on more space opening up?
The rates I gave you were round trip in coach. You looking for premium cabin here brotha?

If youre doing AA standard youll get hit with $75 close-in fee which you definitely dont want to pay twice.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7228 on: January 15, 2016, 03:24:53 PM »
The rates I gave you were round trip in coach. You looking for premium cabin here brotha?

If youre doing AA standard youll get hit with $75 close-in fee which you definitely dont want to pay twice.

If there's saver premium cabin, I'd take it, but I'm just looking to go there and back.
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline skinfarrock

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7229 on: January 16, 2016, 08:12:03 PM »
There's a website you pay $25 and they find the best award and or paid flight ideas for you. Does anyone know the name of the website?

Thanks

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7230 on: January 16, 2016, 08:16:26 PM »
There's a website you pay $25 and they find the best award and or paid flight ideas for you. Does anyone know the name of the website?

Thanks

Why not just use DDF? It doesn't cost anything and is far more rewarding.
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline skinfarrock

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7231 on: January 16, 2016, 08:55:52 PM »
Why not just use DDF? It doesn't cost anything and is far more rewarding.

What happens when you have no response and need to fly

Offline bznt

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7232 on: January 16, 2016, 08:56:22 PM »
What happens when you have no response and need to fly

Offline skinfarrock

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7233 on: January 16, 2016, 08:59:04 PM »
Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: nyc, phl
To: tlv
Departure dates: 01/20/2016 after 9pm
Return airports: nyc phl
Return dates: 01/31/2016 must be back in NY by 2pm latest
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any

united/delta silver status and card holder (delta platinum and united club)
I have all miles

thnaks :)

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7234 on: January 16, 2016, 11:09:53 PM »
If there's saver premium cabin, I'd take it, but I'm just looking to go there and back.

Here's what I ended up doing:
Booked JFK-LAX with 25k DL SkyMiles.

Then,
You can buy a delta revenue for $199 back.
Yes, but subsidized with 2 $50 GCs from AFC and paid with PRG, so we arrive at:

25k DL
-1k DL (offset from PRG, Miles on Rev. Ticket)
+10k (Valuing $100 after GC)
= 34K

Better than:
50k is a lot for RT in coach. If you have a business plat registered with Delta you can buy a $610 RT ticket on DL for 61k MR through Amex travel and you'll get 30% of that back. Effectively paying 42,700 MR.

Or even an AA standard award would cost 40k RT. If you have a Citi AA Plat or Barclay Aviator card you'll get 10% of that back; Effectively 36k.

Not the best but better than 50k.

UA has 12.5k from EWR thursday afternoon (both 3pm & 5pm flights) on the way there.

Thanks all anyways for your help. There's no way you could have known about the GC biz, but you all helped out in the end.
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline bznt

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7235 on: January 17, 2016, 02:05:50 PM »
There's a website you pay $25 and they find the best award and or paid flight ideas for you. Does anyone know the name of the website?

Thanks
Have you found the website ? If yes. Please share

Offline skinfarrock

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7236 on: January 18, 2016, 08:44:01 AM »
Have you found the website ? If yes. Please share

i know it exists I've been to it before but I simply cannot remember the name of it!!

Offline the best

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7237 on: January 18, 2016, 06:36:53 PM »
i want to leave February 15 from NYC to Las 2 adults

for the way to las i looking to go from lga or jfk non stop. economy is good .
what is the best award ticket you can find? i will have 2 baggage to check in

i have a lot of ultimate rewards.
united i have 20k my wife 7k
ba 50k
aa over 100k
starwood about 60k on 2 cards
amex about 25k

thanks for your great help.

Offline belzagripas

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7238 on: January 19, 2016, 09:22:34 AM »
Looking for tickets for Peasach, has anyone found any good deals with or without points? if yes, please share them.

I'm looking for the following:
Depart NYC on 4/17 and Return from TLV on 5/1 or 5/2.
2 Adults and 3 Kids.

Thanks for the help.

Offline jds

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7239 on: January 19, 2016, 09:24:30 AM »
Hi, I am looking to get the best value for my points to book the following ticket. Any help appreciated.

One way/Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:
From: JFK, LGA, EWR, HPN
To: MIA, FLL
Departure dates: Sat., Feb. 13, leaving 9:00PM or later
Return dates: Tues., Feb 16, Anytime until 6:00PM, the later the better, but the best value
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline:
I have 170K UR
250K MR
320K AA
85K United
100K BA


Thanks.