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 2060667 times)

Offline yossisch1

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  • Location: b.p.
One way
TLV-NYC
Aug. 13 flexible
Coach
9 seats
We have lots of mile option as we have many UR, AMEX, CITI, Capital one points available

Offline bens

  • DansDeals Copper Elite
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Round-trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: MIA, FLL
To: Rome, Venice, Milan
Departure dates: 4/23, 4/24, 4/25, 4/26, 4/30, 5/10, 5/14, 5/15
Return dates: 7-8 days after departure
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any
Have lots of Chase/Amex points

Offline arflights

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  • Location: United States
Round-trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: MIA, FLL
To: Rome, Venice, Milan
Departure dates: 4/23, 4/24, 4/25, 4/26, 4/30, 5/10, 5/14, 5/15
Return dates: 7-8 days after departure
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any
Have lots of Chase/Amex points

You can book MIA to Milan on apr 25th for 84k Flying Blue +$23 each. I don't see any great options for the return yet.
PM me for a good deal on flights

Offline devorahS

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Round-trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: ewr
To: croatia
Departure dates: 4/4
Return dates: 4/16
Class: Economy
Seats: 17
Alliance/Airline: any
Have lots of Chase/Amex points

Hotel program is Valamar Isabella in porec Island- croatia.
Have no idea how to even get there.  The Program is geared to Israeli and European guests so we need to accommodate ourselves.

Offline Le-Oh

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Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC
To: JNB
Departure dates: May 7 or May 14
Return dates: May 11 or 18 (depending on departure date)
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Would like to do Emirates first class one way (not a must)

Offline Yonazonn

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  • Location: Canada
One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: TLV
To: YUL
Departure dates: 5/11, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any
Have lots of Chase/Amex points

Offline mlardi

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  • Location: USA
One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: TLV
To: YUL
Departure dates: 5/11, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any
Have lots of Chase/Amex points
Air Canada 5/17 2 seat available



Offline menotyou

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  • Location: ny
Round trip
Non-stop
From: lga/jfk
To: Atl
Departure dates: jun 27 12:30-2pm
Return dates:Jun 29. After 3:30pm
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: any can transfer I have chase sapphire (but have many American or United)
I am traveling with a baby so I don’t think I can play any hidden city shtick…

Offline arflights

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  • Location: United States
Round trip
Non-stop
From: lga/jfk
To: Atl
Departure dates: jun 27 12:30-2pm
Return dates:Jun 29. After 3:30pm
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: any can transfer I have chase sapphire (but have many American or United)
I am traveling with a baby so I don’t think I can play any hidden city shtick…

14.8k Jet Blue roundtrip
PM me for a good deal on flights

Offline blanco7258

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  • Location: la
Fewest stops possible
From: LAX
To: AYT
Departure dates: 4/2, 4/3. As long as I get there before Pesach
Return dates: 4/16. Need to be back by 4/17
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: 2. Have 180k Amex points and 180k Chase.

Offline mlardi

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  • Location: USA
Fewest stops possible
From: LAX
To: AYT
Departure dates: 4/2, 4/3. As long as I get there before Pesach
Return dates: 4/16. Need to be back by 4/17
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: 2. Have 180k Amex points and 180k Chase.

4/2



4/16 I think only cash:
Sun, Apr 16 7:00 AM – 4:55 PM Turkish Airlines 19 hr 55 min AYT–LAX (1 stop 4 hr 45 min IST) You arrive back in LAX on Sunday
$776

Offline Le-Oh

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Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC
To: JNB
Departure dates: May 7 or May 14
Return dates: May 11 or 18 (depending on departure date)
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Would like to do Emirates first class one way (not a must)
I have amex points.

Offline arflights

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
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  • Join Date: Nov 2022
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  • Location: United States
Fewest stops possible
From: LAX
To: AYT
Departure dates: 4/2, 4/3. As long as I get there before Pesach
Return dates: 4/16. Need to be back by 4/17
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: 2. Have 180k Amex points and 180k Chase.

For the outbound book separate reservations; LAX-ZRH on the 2nd for 23.5k Avianca and ZRH-AYT on the 3rd for $110.
PM me for a good deal on flights

Offline menotyou

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  • Location: ny
One way
Non-stop
From: ATL
To: lga
Departure date: jun 29 2:30-6pm
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: any  I have chase sapphire UR but prefer AA

Offline arflights

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
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  • Join Date: Nov 2022
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  • Location: United States
One way
Non-stop
From: ATL
To: lga
Departure date: jun 29 2:30-6pm
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: any  I have chase sapphire UR but prefer AA

4:38 pm 8.2k Jetblue.
PM me for a good deal on flights

Offline spectrawide

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  • Location: San Francisco
One Way
Non-stop or 1 Stop
From: CDG or ZRH
To: SFO
Departure dates: July 28, 29 or 30
Class: Business
Seats: 4

Offline The best guy

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  • Location: Lakewood NJ
Round-trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: EWR
To: TLV
Departure date: 4/16
Return date: 4/22 (sat night) 4/23 (sun. Morning)
Class: Economy/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Star Alliance
Have lots of Chase Points

Offline shalumov

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  • Location: NJ
Round-trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure date: 6/18, 6/19, 6/20
Return date: 7/4, 7/5
Class: Business
Seats: 5
Alliance/Airline: Any
Have lots of AMEX and some Chase points

Offline casuistal

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Round-trip
Non-stop
From: NYC
To: ANY
Departure dates: July/August

Class: Any
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline: Any

Sorry for this - total newbie here. I have 106,000 Avios from BA. I want to use them to book a short flight pretty much anywhere for family of 6, just as a random trip for the summer. Ideally returning same day but otherwise a day or two is fine.

I have literally no idea how to do this. I don't care which airline, and don't mind where (prefer it not to be too hot).

If anyone can help me I'd really appreciate it! If someone can just send me a link I can use to see where I could fly to for that number of points that's also good (I understand I might need to supplement a little with cash).

Thank you so so much.

Offline arflights

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  • Join Date: Nov 2022
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  • Location: United States
Round-trip
Non-stop
From: NYC
To: ANY
Departure dates: July/August

Class: Any
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline: Any

Sorry for this - total newbie here. I have 106,000 Avios from BA. I want to use them to book a short flight pretty much anywhere for family of 6, just as a random trip for the summer. Ideally returning same day but otherwise a day or two is fine.

I have literally no idea how to do this. I don't care which airline, and don't mind where (prefer it not to be too hot).

If anyone can help me I'd really appreciate it! If someone can just send me a link I can use to see where I could fly to for that number of points that's also good (I understand I might need to supplement a little with cash).

Thank you so so much.

NYC to Knoxville TN end of July/beginning of August = 15k +$11.20 roundtrip each.
PM me for a good deal on flights