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 1838715 times)

Offline BCL

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RJ doesn't fly EUR-TLV

I meant, EUR-AMM-TLV. Thanks.


LX, JU, LY, TK, PS, SU, and possibly others have real J ex-TLV on all aircraft that flight that route
But I am trying to use AA miles, so those don't work, right?

Offline hvaces42

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But I am trying to use AA miles, so those don't work, right?
Ypur AA partners are BA, IB, AB and AY. Of those BA for the most part flies wide body  real J. IB has one A319 with "real" J and thats it.
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline BCL

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Ypur AA partners are BA, IB, AB and AY. Of those BA for the most part flies wide body  real J. IB has one A319 with "real" J and thats it.
Thanks

Offline BCL

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Using AA miles for LHR-TLV on BA. Does this have high YQ? or is it just the NYC-LHR on BA?

Offline captivate18

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Want to book Delta award trip for wife and myself. She has enough points in her acct, but I'm 700 pts shy of what I need. Rather not spend a "fortune" for xfer from her to me and/or buying from Delta. Have lots of UR and a CSR. Any ideas?  Also (unrelated): Is there any downside for booking 2 award tix out of the same acct instead of doing each one in its respective acct?  Thx much.

Offline elya

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RJ doesn't fly EUR-TLVIB on some flights only.

LX, JU, LY, TK, PS, SU, and possibly others have real J ex-TLV on all aircraft that flight that route
-1 on LX!
Almost every Sunday is a A321.

And they randomly (usually at least once a week) they switch out the aircraft type last minute.

Offline elya

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Of those BA for the most part flies wide body  real J.
BA has lie flat J on the A321 as well.

Offline Alexsei

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    • Travel & Kivrei Zadikim
  • Location: Truckistan
  • Programs: COVID-23
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1
From: All airports from which you can depart EWR,JFK
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. Aug 8 2017 - Aug 9 2017
Return airports:If different from 'To' line. Delete this line for One way tickets
Return dates: Delete this line for One way tickets Aug 20-21 2017
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any Business/First
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2 2
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with Any have all transferable currencies

TIA
Jews ≠ Zionists
Palestinians ≠ Hamas
Satmar ≠ SatmarHQ

Offline d234

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  • Location: nj
Round trip:
Non-stop or one stop
From:ewr. phl or jfk
To:lhr
Departure dates: june 13th preferrable in the  pm and i need a flight that will arrive before 9 am
Return dates: june 14 after 130 in the afternoon
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline:i have approx 200000 ur points i wanted to use
(please dont ban me as i plan to post this also in the paid section as if i can pay cheaply id prefer to hold onto to my miles)

Offline eli1571

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Round trip:
Non-stop or one stop
From:ewr. phl or jfk
To:lhr
Departure dates: june 13th preferrable in the  pm and i need a flight that will arrive before 9 am
Return dates: june 14 after 130 in the afternoon
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline:i have approx 200000 ur points i wanted to use
(please dont ban me as i plan to post this also in the paid section as if i can pay cheaply id prefer to hold onto to my miles)
FYI, If you want to arrive before 9 am then you need to leave before 9pm the previous night.

Offline d234

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yes thats fine

Offline eli1571

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yes thats fine
Depends if you want to spend more miles or more cash.
I think cheapest with miles is 20k plus about $400 taxes on Virgin,
If those dates are off peak then it'll be 26k on ba, same taxes.
AA should be 60k miles, plus about $180.

Just bear in mind, if you arrive at 9am, and head back at 130, you won't have time to catch your breath if Ur thing to one of the Yiddishe areas.

Offline d234

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thanks...i didnt realize my ur points can transfer to all those airlines...ok i will run a better search now

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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  • Location: New York, NY
One way/Round trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: October 17-19 (as long as arrival not too close to Shabbos)
Class: Business or Coach
Seats: 1
Would like to use Amex MR

Need to bring lots of stuff, so generous baggage allowance is important. I'd do business if the price is right.

Thanks!
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline thaber

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best way to book OW in J TLV_LAX on August 9-10 (I need plenty of shabbos cushion)?
have MR, UR, AA
thanks

Offline seeyon3

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One way/Round trip: ROUND TRIP
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: ANY
From:  NYC AREA
To: TEL AVIV
Departure dates: 6/25-6/29
Return airports:NYC AREA
Return dates: 7/23-7/27
Class: ECONOMY
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: BEST OPTION FOR CHASE POINTS

Offline Epop

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I'm trying to redeem my Chase points for award travel with Korean or Singapore as advised by Dan.

However, every time I check there is no availability. What gives?

It's hardly worth spending days checking the website for award tickets. I'm on the verge of redeeming my Chase reserve points for money rather than travel.

Offline mimb

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I'm trying to redeem my Chase points for award travel with Korean or Singapore as advised by Dan.

However, every time I check there is no availability. What gives?

It's hardly worth spending days checking the website for award tickets. I'm on the verge of redeeming my Chase reserve points for money rather than travel.

You need to first find saver space with Delta to use Korean or United to use Singapore

Offline basketnarb

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One way/Round trip: One Way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Non-Stop
From: BWI
To: NYC
Departure dates: Sunday June 4th - must be a mid afternoon flight
Class: Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have MR (BP) & UR points (CSR)

Offline JL35

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Hi,

can anyone help me with tickets?

Round trip
Non-stop
From: CDG
To: JFK or LGA or EWR
Departure dates: Anytime between Oct 12 and Nov 3. No less than 7-day stay but no more than 10 days.
Return airports: CDG
Return dates: Anytime between Oct 12 and Nov 3. No less than 7-day stay but no more than 10 days.
Class: Business or Economy Plus
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any airline is acceptable
Miles Available: 177,000 AMEX, 163,000 Chase UR, 100,000 AA

Please help!