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 2120415 times)

Offline killamatic12

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EXCURSIONIST PERK on United: I am trying to book flight to Israel from US on United, with an outbound stop in Europe (e.g. Paris). I am trying to get an Excursionist Perk on United for the Europe to TLV leg of the trip, but nothing comes up on United's website when I use the MultiCity search. Does United still offer this perk? Any suggestions as to what I should do?
was just looking into this.  I think it needs to be a RT ticket and on the way back you can do a stopover in france.

Offline eagertolearn

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9321 on: August 03, 2022, 05:09:28 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Nonstop or One Stop
From: BWI, IAD, DCA, EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: 12/18/22
Return dates: 01/01/23
Class: Any
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline: Any

Offline UKinNYS

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9322 on: August 05, 2022, 10:19:42 AM »
Non-stop only RT
From: LHR - NYC
Departure: Aug 23
Return: Aug 30
Class: Coach
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline: Any
Amex Platinum 500k pts

Offline Hlnsa

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9323 on: August 08, 2022, 05:28:21 PM »
really need some help; I want to book EWR to HBA; HBA to SYD; AKL to EWR;
I HAVE miles,UNITED, KOREAN, AA, CHASE, AMEX;   thank you

Offline rufieg3

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9324 on: August 09, 2022, 09:38:50 PM »
From: NYC
To: TLV
One way
September 5
Any number of stops
1 ticket
Any class
Have MR and UR

Offline can

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9325 on: August 16, 2022, 03:38:12 PM »
One way/Round-trip: OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: NS
From:YUL
To: LGA
Departure dates: AUGUST 21 afternoon
Class:Any
Seats:2
Alliance/Airline: Any prefer AC
Polestar 2 for $240/month

Offline Mailman

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9326 on: August 19, 2022, 05:46:22 AM »
I'm looking for a award flight from BUD to TLV on august 25 or early 26. Any airline is fine

Offline US

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9327 on: August 24, 2022, 02:50:45 PM »
Hi,

Can anyone help here? TIA

One way/Round-trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: BUD
To: NYC
Departure dates: Aug 28
Class: J
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any

Offline my08701

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9328 on: August 27, 2022, 11:12:50 PM »
Round-trip:
Non-stop (preferable)
From: preferably EWR, if a big difference, JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: summer 2023. Tisha BiAv is July 27th. I think with camps it works out better to fly Aug 1 (for those that want to make the first half of camp)
Return airports: preferably EWR, if a big difference, JFK
Return dates: flexible between Aug 17-22
Class:Coach should work unless some great deal..
Seats: 13
Alliance/Airline: between my wife and I, we have over a million AMEX, and $850k Chase Ultimate Rewards, 300,000 Capital one & 300,000 Citi

Offline Pettitte4620

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9329 on: September 07, 2022, 11:08:29 AM »
Hello All,

I would truly appreciate any help or advice the community can provide.

Looking to leave from Miami (Or NYC if its much cheaper) to Tel Aviv.

Preferred Dates October 26th to November 1 or 2nd.

No preference on carriers, just a lie-flat seat.

Thank you!

Offline Jg2241

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9330 on: September 29, 2022, 02:34:26 PM »
Maximum stops: 1
CLE-> GRU (roundtrip)
Departure dates: January 8-12
Return dates: January 22-26
Should stay approx 14 days give or take 1 or 2
Class: Coach (not basic economy)
Any number of people traveling over the age of 2: 2 adults, 4 children ages 3-11
Alliance/Airline: Any airline
What Price did you find so far: $1229

Please add any other information you feel might be useful
 Willing to pay for ticket or use miles. We have 340,000 chase points and willing to convert to airlines for one ways or tickets

THANK YOU!

Offline Essen est zich

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9331 on: October 20, 2022, 04:41:34 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Nonstop or One Stop
From: LGA, JFK, EWR
To: MCO, MIA, FLL
Departure dates: 12/22/22
Return dates: 01/26/23
Class: Any
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline: Any

I have a lot of capital one points and amex points. If anyone can help me, i would appreciate it.
Shloffen Shloft Zich

Offline GAM Z.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9332 on: October 20, 2022, 05:50:01 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Nonstop or One Stop
From: LGA, JFK, EWR
To: MCO, MIA, FLL
Departure dates: 12/22/22
Return dates: 01/26/23
Class: Any
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline: Any

I have a lot of capital one points and amex points. If anyone can help me, i would appreciate it.
BA has availability on the return flight from MIA-JFK/LGA.

Offline Essen est zich

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9333 on: October 20, 2022, 08:31:22 PM »
BA has availability on the return flight from MIA-JFK/LGA.

I just realized I put the wrong return date. I meant return on 12/26/22
Shloffen Shloft Zich

Offline YOSSI170

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9334 on: October 20, 2022, 09:09:18 PM »
I just realized I put the wrong return date. I meant return on 12/26/22

Yeah, Christmas weekend, good luck, if you find let me know, also meed

Offline boro boy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9335 on: October 24, 2022, 12:52:09 AM »
Round-trip
Maximum stops 1
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: May 7
Return dates: May 14
Business
Seats: 1
I have lots of chase and united points

Offline yaakovely

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9336 on: October 25, 2022, 12:45:34 AM »
Round-trip:
Non-stop
From: EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: Nov 19th (M"S)
Return dates: Nov 24th (evening preferred)
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: United
Lots of UR & Cap1. 177k United points & $1,040 Travel Certificate

Offline shmooz

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9337 on: October 25, 2022, 06:13:55 AM »
Round-trip:
Non-stop
From: EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: Nov 19th (M"S)
Return dates: Nov 24th (evening preferred)
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: United
Lots of UR & Cap1. 177k United points & $1,040 Travel Certificate

This route has become near impossible to find saver business. You can research Dan's plan b but that's not easy either
If you'll take a stopover you'll have more options. But the seat from Europe to tlv will likely be an economy seat with the middle blocked

Offline Aamm5845

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9338 on: October 25, 2022, 06:02:55 PM »
I have 350k Amex, wondering if I can get something, no experience 

Round-trip:
Non-stop
From: EWR /JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: Dec 12th
Return dates: Dec 19th
Class: Business/Premium
Seats: 2

Thanks

Offline ChaiShai

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9339 on: October 26, 2022, 05:31:35 PM »
One way:
Any:
From: NY,NJ
To: TLV
Departure dates: April 18 thru 20. 2023
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: United, UR, Delta, Marriot.