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 1838981 times)

Offline Dr Moose

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6040 on: December 15, 2014, 11:20:01 PM »


How many points can I expect to use from TLV to Newark in coach?
42.5k one way if using united miles
Hey there! I am using DansDeals Forums.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6041 on: December 16, 2014, 09:54:40 AM »
I'm planning to book a United flight to HI using Singapore, what is the process of transfering UR points to Singapore?

Offline yudel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6042 on: December 16, 2014, 02:26:21 PM »
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: prefer just one stop but flexible
From: DFW area
To:  TLV
Departure dates: anytime within a week or so before pesach March 25-April 2
Return dates:anytime a week to two weeks after pesach April 14-23
Class: Business
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline: Anyone where I can use Amex points

Thank you so much to anyone who can point me in the right direction!

Offline fafa123

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6043 on: December 17, 2014, 07:19:00 PM »
One way/Round trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: prefer just none/one stop
From: NYC
To:  WAW
Departure dates: Feb 21, 2015 (after 7:30pm) or Feb 22, 2015 (but must arrive in Warsaw by Feb 23 by 09:15 the latest)
Return dates:N/A
Class: Economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have 100,000 USair points so would like to use that if YQ isn't too high, otherwise have Chase and Amex points

Offline uchiknow

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6044 on: December 17, 2014, 08:26:20 PM »
Hi - What's the best way to fly from the east coast to Hawaii using miles (British Avios, Delta AMEX, US Airways)? I searched the BA website and they keep saying they don't fly there!

Any advice? Thanks!

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6045 on: December 18, 2014, 11:06:45 AM »
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: none
From: Toronto
To:  Montreal
Departure dates: December 30, 2014
Return dates: January 1, 2015
Class: Economy
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline:I have points with united/chase/BA

TIA

Offline benjie1305

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6046 on: December 18, 2014, 11:42:03 AM »
One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: as few as possible
From: Baltimore/JFK/EWR
To: Melbourne
Departure dates: May
Return airports:EWR or JFK > Baltimore
Return dates: May (most likely around a 10-14 day stay)
Class: Coach
Seats:6
Alliance/Airline: Dont matter

The whole point is that I am not sure where to post bc I want to also find out what the cheapest way is of getting those tickets. So I need to know cheapest miles and once I know that (including fuel surcharges) need to go and look for best CCs to get for the flights.

Thanks
Work hard, Play harder!

Offline geshmak1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6047 on: December 18, 2014, 10:27:31 PM »
One way/Round trip:round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:non stop
From: jfk/newark/Philadelphia
To: tlv
Departure dates: late night flight mon - wed starting fromJan 5 until Jan 21
Return dates: staying in Israel for 6 days
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: 57000 spg, 17000 delta , 75000 usair

I work Monday - thursday. Would like to work out tickets to miss only 3 days of work. Ex: leave late Monday night Jan 5 and fly back late Jan 11 so can be back at work Monday morning.
As of now I can possibly do delta (transfer spg) from jfk Jan 21 returning 27th,  will cost approx 75k miles. Should I just go for that or look for something better mileage wise and/or days b/c I'd really prefer to leave on a Monday eve.....
Thank you

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6048 on: December 18, 2014, 10:38:29 PM »
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: none
From: Toronto
To:  Montreal
Departure dates: December 30, 2014
Return dates: January 1, 2015
Class: Economy
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline:I have points with united/chase/BA

TIA

United has availability with Air Canada.

Offline Zoli

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6049 on: December 22, 2014, 09:49:07 AM »
Looking for help with a mileage ticket on from LAX to JFK this coming sunday night or early monday morning. Cheapest I have found is 30k- 50k on AA for Coach which is crazy. Thanks in advance!

One way/Round trip:One Way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:non stop
From: LAX
To: JFK / LGA
Departure dates: Dec 28th, late or Dec 29th, Early
Return dates: N/A
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any - AA / Delta
« Last Edit: December 22, 2014, 10:21:35 AM by Zoli »
-----------
-Zoli

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6050 on: December 23, 2014, 01:28:04 AM »
Looking for help with a mileage ticket on from LAX to JFK this coming sunday night or early monday morning. Cheapest I have found is 30k- 50k on AA for Coach which is crazy. Thanks in advance!

One way/Round trip:One Way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:non stop
From: LAX
To: JFK / LGA
Departure dates: Dec 28th, late or Dec 29th, Early
Return dates: N/A
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any - AA / Delta
I don't know if you have Chase UR or United miles, but there's availibility in United Saver First LAX-CLE-EWR.
Departs at 10pm Dec 28th with a 30 min stop in CLE and onto EWR arriving at 7:30am.

Cost 25k each ticket. At least 2 available.

Being that it's a holiday weekend, I'd jump all over that.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline Zoli

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6051 on: December 23, 2014, 11:20:27 AM »
I don't know if you have Chase UR or United miles, but there's availibility in United Saver First LAX-CLE-EWR.
Departs at 10pm Dec 28th with a 30 min stop in CLE and onto EWR arriving at 7:30am.

Cost 25k each ticket. At least 2 available.

Being that it's a holiday weekend, I'd jump all over that.

THANK YOU!!!!
-----------
-Zoli

Offline bamo

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6052 on: December 23, 2014, 12:17:30 PM »
Round trip
Non-stop
From: PHL/EWR/JFK
To: TLV- Ben Gurion
Departure dates: June 23/24/35 2015
Return airports: Same as outbound
Return dates: June 29/30 2015
Class: Business/Premium economy
Seats:1
Alliance/Airline: I have Chase 150k and Amex MR at about 250K
Thanks for any help

Offline kingsfan33

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6053 on: December 24, 2014, 01:13:52 PM »
Round trip
Non-stop
From: LAX
To: BUF or YYZ
Departure dates: 4/2/2015 red eye preferred
Return airports: LAX
Return dates: 4/12/2015
Class: Economy
Seats:5 + Lap baby
Alliance/Airline: I have plenty of AA, Chase, Starwood

Offline DMYD

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6054 on: December 25, 2014, 11:48:34 AM »
Round trip
Non-stop
From: LAX
To: BUF or YYZ
Departure dates: 4/2/2015 red eye preferred
Return airports: LAX
Return dates: 4/12/2015
Class: Economy
Seats:5 + Lap baby
Alliance/Airline: I have plenty of AA, Chase, Starwood
I found on UA.com you can transfer Chase UR to UA but its from 4/1 return is 4/12 from LAX-YYZ

Offline bamo

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6055 on: December 25, 2014, 01:28:35 PM »
Round trip
Non-stop
From: PHL/EWR/JFK
To: TLV- Ben Gurion
Departure dates: June 23/24/35 2015
Return airports: Same as outbound
Return dates: June 29/30 2015
Class: Business/Premium economy
Seats:1
Alliance/Airline: I have plenty of Chase and Amex MR

Thanks for any help

Offline raccah

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6056 on: December 26, 2014, 12:45:36 AM »
Round trip
From: SFO/OAK/SJC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 1/24/2015 (red eye) or crazy early on 1/25
Return airports: SFO/OAK/SJC
Return dates: 2/5
Class: really prefer biz on way to TLV, back I could care less
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have plenty of AA, Chase, Starwood, MR, UAL

I have a late red eye flight on the books for economy saver on UAL. WOULD REALLY love a saver biz to Israel - any help would be appreciated. Shomer shabbos, so 8PM fight on Luf does not work. TIA

Offline shimino1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6057 on: December 28, 2014, 08:29:15 AM »
Whats the cheapest milege option for Tel aviv-Paris?

Offline shimino1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6058 on: December 28, 2014, 08:32:17 AM »
Round trip
From: SFO/OAK/SJC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 1/24/2015 (red eye) or crazy early on 1/25
Return airports: SFO/OAK/SJC
Return dates: 2/5
Class: really prefer biz on way to TLV, back I could care less
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have plenty of AA, Chase, Starwood, MR, UAL

I have a late red eye flight on the books for economy saver on UAL. WOULD REALLY love a saver biz to Israel - any help would be appreciated. Shomer shabbos, so 8PM fight on Luf does not work. TIA
If you found UA econ availabilty on a flight that works for you, you can do plan B.

Offline Pupashtetl

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #6059 on: December 28, 2014, 04:51:54 PM »
From: TLV
To: NYC
One way
Jan. 13/14
Business Class
2 travelers
any type of points

Thanks in advance!
« Last Edit: December 28, 2014, 04:57:45 PM by Pupashtetl »