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 2060695 times)

Offline atwnsw

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A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to buy 2 one-way ticketx from TPA-TLV on United for 75k each in Biz class.  When I did it, I booked on 2 separate dates (Mar 15 and 17) in the event one return date didn't work for us.  This is our first time traveling to Israel.

Travel is very hard on me and minimizing the travel time is the only way I can do this trip.  Also, I need to take the flights near midnight on the return flight from TLV to TPA.

One way:
Maximum stops:1
From: TLV
To: TPA
Departure dates: Mar 24 or Mar 26
Departure Time:  Leaves around 11PM or 1AM (near midnight)
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: United

I have 600k Chase Ultimate Rewards. No status.  I have 200k Amex MR but would prefer not to use them if possible.

If there is another 10 night window, I can cancel the previously purchased one-way tickets from TPA-TLV.  Trying to avoid major holidays.  Travel any day of the week.  I have read the posts below and, candidly, they are over my head.  I am happy to pay somebody $100 or ? if they can help me figure out how to book 150k R/T per person using the flight requirements on United.  (Please note: On the outbound flight, I want to land in Israel in the morning to acclimate as quickly as possible).

The threads below indicate it is possible to book my return flights for 75k but I can't figure it out.

https://www.dansdeals.com/airfare-deals/israel-flights/rare-united-polaris-business-class-saver-award-upgrade-space-nonstop-newark-san-francisco-tel-aviv/

https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/milespoints/united-plan-b-is-pretty-much-the-most-awesome-underutilized-and-underappreciated-thing-ever/

Thanks in advance for your help.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2023, 08:01:54 AM by atwnsw »

Offline Dave321

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There is only one nonstop flight from VCE to EWR and it has no saver business available. If you were looking into flights with a layover, the best option would probably be via CDG with AF (55k + $305- approximately 45k Amex points with the promo).
Thank you.
I already booked one seat on united direct. But I only have MR point left. Trying to avoid spending 3400

Offline YMY

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  • Location: Jerusalem
One way/Round-trip: round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non stop
From: TLV
To: Dubai
Departure dates: aug 6

Return Aug 10
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline I have chase points

Offline arflights

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  • Location: United States
One way/Round-trip: round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non stop
From: TLV
To: Dubai
Departure dates: aug 6

Return Aug 10
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline I have chase points

DXB-TLV is available for 15k AC +$83 CAD
PM me for a good deal on flights

Offline moisheyb

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One way/Round-trip: OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 2 stops
From: MEL/SYD?BNE
To: USA (final destination NYC)
Departure dates: 9/3/23- 9/4/23
Class: First/Business
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline: Any saver award

Offline Le-Oh

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One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops 1
From: NYC
To: DXB
Departure dates: 05/29/23 or 06/05/23
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Emirates
I have Amex and Citi points

Offline atwnsw

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One way:
Maximum stops:1
From: TLV
To: TPA
Departure dates: Mar 24, 25 or 26
Departure Time:  Depart between 11PM-1AM
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: United

I have 1M Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Should I buy the return leg of this flight now for 270k or wait?
(The outbound was booked for 75k a few weeks ago.  Note the long leg was biz while the short leg was coach.
I am fine doing that on the return flight).



Offline arflights

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  • Location: United States
One way:
Maximum stops:1
From: TLV
To: TPA
Departure dates: Mar 24, 25 or 26
Departure Time:  Depart between 11PM-1AM
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: United

I have 1M Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Should I buy the return leg of this flight now for 270k or wait?
(The outbound was booked for 75k a few weeks ago.  Note the long leg was biz while the short leg was coach.
I am fine doing that on the return flight).

Or you can book through chase via Boston with EL Al/B6 for around 200k ($2529 each @ 1.25).
PM me for a good deal on flights

Offline LMB

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Hi,

I'm a newbie to award tickets and would greatly appreciate some help!
I have some citi thank you points which I want to use to book tickets from NY-Denver for beginning of August.
tentative date Aug 2- Aug 9 (I'm flexible)
2 adults, 3 children, 1 infant
I've seen a good deal on Delta, or a higher rate avail thru Virgin Atlantic.
Then I noticed that if I transfer the points to Flying Blue there's a 25% bonus value.
Can I transfer the points to Flying Blue and then use them to book on Delta directly? or through Virgin Atlantic?
How can I know what kind the value it would be with Flying Blue?
Also can anyone open a flying blue account? Or do I need to have own an associated credit card....?
Or are there better ways out there to maximize my points? (I'm open to flying with another airline just want best bang for my buck!)
See below for what I see directly on Delta, just not sure if/how I can book it...

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)
« Last Edit: May 29, 2023, 11:13:46 AM by LMB »

Offline ponsey

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  • Location: Flatbush
One way/Round-trip: one way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: TLV
To: MIA or PBI
Departure dates: flexible July 24th-26th
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline Chase points (willing to buy points if needed for a good award flight)
« Last Edit: May 31, 2023, 12:07:31 AM by ponsey »

Offline Le-Oh

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Round-trip
Non-stop
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 11/06/23
Return dates: 11/16/23
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any: Cheapest
Seats: 4
I have Amex points

Offline UKinNYS

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  • Location: New York
One Way
1-2 stops
From: NYC
To: JNB
Departure dates: 07/30 - 08/01/2023
Class: Business (Partial Prem Econ)
Seats: 2
Amex /Citi points

Found AA ex. PHL for 75k + $798 Yq  >:( not pulling up on avios.com (really glitchy :)
Also found ex. DUB and ex. AMS for 55k + $200  :-\ but will then need to find a cheap/ saver from NY

Offline bookworm

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Need help for the following:

Round Trip
Non-stop
From: JFK/EWR
To: PTY
Departure dates: 7/30 OR 7/31
Return airports:JFK/EWR (doesnt need to be same as departure)
Return dates: 8/2 OR 8/3 (3 days total)
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: ANY

Have citi and chase pts

Offline chaim41

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  • Location: IL
NYC-YUL-NYC
8/9-8/10
coach
UR points

Thank you very much!

Offline leauniv

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 I am a novice reaching out for some help. I am trying to help parents with a child  travel internationally for medical therapy . Could anyone guide me to someone who is willing to help see what is available in mileage points or rewards.Thanks.
NYC area to TLV 6/22 DEP
RTN TLV  NYC 7/14
Would even consider using points to Europe and buying the Europe TLV portion with cash if it makes sense
Tizku Lemitzvos.

Offline blanco7258

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Looking for a flight to Bali in July/August.

One way/Round-trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: LAX
To: DPS
Departure dates: 7/23-7/26
Return dates: About a two week trip
Class: Prefer business but whatever I can afford with my points
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I have about 230k Capital One points and 120k Alaska points.

I'm happy to spend a day or so in Singapore/Sydney/wherever if it makes it work.

Thank you!

Offline biscotti

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Looking to book an itinerary leaving TLV sometime the week of 10/8, going to NZ (AKL, probably), then Fiji (NAN), then back to NYC week of 10/29. Pretty flexible on dates, especially at the front end.

One way/Round-trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: TLV
To: AKL -> NAN -> NYC
Departure dates: week of 10/8
Return dates: Week of 10/29
Class: Trying to book the long legs in business/first
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Chase, Amex, Capital One points available

Offline sionsam24

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I'm pricing out flights from EWR to TLV for dates in August as well as October.
from most airlines, I am seeing non-stop prices in the range of $1,600-$1,800.

However, I found on JetBlue that they are offering the same flights for $973!!!!!

Is this real???

Offline shmooz

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I'm pricing out flights from EWR to TLV for dates in August as well as October.
from most airlines, I am seeing non-stop prices in the range of $1,600-$1,800.

However, I found on JetBlue that they are offering the same flights for $973!!!!!

Is this real???

Interesting, it looks like it's elal but there are bugs in trying to book.
There are better threads to ask your question, this one is for awards

Offline db

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  • Location: NJ
hello, looking to book an itinerary
Round-trip:
Non-stop  if possible
all NY airports
vie
july 4
all NY airports
july 5
any class
2 seatsf 2
i have amex platinum preferred airline united
chase points no specific airline

thank you