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 1839257 times)

Offline gwilnai

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  • Location: near San Francisco, CA
One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Max 2 stops, prefer 1
From: TLV
To: SFO or SJC
Departure dates: Aug 2, 2015 through Aug 6, 2015
Return airports: Same
Return dates: Aug. 23, 2015 through Aug 27, 2015; Aug 30, 2015; Aug 31, 2015
Class: First/Business preferred; Coach OK especially for shorter segments
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: StarAlliance

I have United CC that gives extended seat availability.

I have ~400K Chase UR points and ~40K United points, split between two spouse accounts.  I also have about 100K AA miles, 105K SPG points, also split between two spouse accounts.

Based on United.com availability (or lack thereof into SFO/SJC) for those dates, I was thinking about the following options:

1. R/T Business award ticket on United.com to JFK or IAD or PHL or ...; paid coach from there to SFO/SJC.  Is it possible to combine an award ticket with a final paid segment so the bags will be checked all the way to SFO/SJC from TLV? The travelers don't speak English and are seniors.
2. Wait for R/T Business or Coach award seats to open up closer to the date.  This is risky, because they may not open up.  Again, the travels are seniors and may not do well with last minute travel.

I'm a relative newbie to working with miles.  Anyone have some ideas?

Thank you in advance!
« Last Edit: July 08, 2015, 07:14:12 PM by gwilnai »

Offline raftamaf

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Will pay 20$ to someone who can find the right flight
« Reply #6761 on: July 09, 2015, 08:36:53 AM »
in unrelated accounts I have available 130k UR, 76k UR, 100k United, 30k united, 40k amex.

For 2 people:
ORD-TLV July 23
TLV-ORD- Aug 4

Must be business class
Can fly out or return to boston, toronto, detroit. Generally trying to avoid going through the jfk/iad airport.
Total trip time should be under 20 hours if possible.

It's for a relative, so i think im hitting all the necessities. I may have forgotten something though.

Offline clear thinker

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One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Max 2 stops, prefer 1
From: TLV
To: SFO or SJC
Departure dates: Aug 2, 2015 through Aug 6, 2015
Return airports: Same
Return dates: Aug. 23, 2015 through Aug 27, 2015; Aug 30, 2015; Aug 31, 2015
Class: First/Business preferred; Coach OK especially for shorter segments
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: StarAlliance

I have United CC that gives extended seat availability.

I have ~400K Chase UR points and ~40K United points, split between two spouse accounts.  I also have about 100K AA miles, 105K SPG points, also split between two spouse accounts.

Based on United.com availability (or lack thereof into SFO/SJC) for those dates, I was thinking about the following options:

1. R/T Business award ticket on United.com to JFK or IAD or PHL or ...; paid coach from there to SFO/SJC.  Is it possible to combine an award ticket with a final paid segment so the bags will be checked all the way to SFO/SJC from TLV? The travelers don't speak English and are seniors.
2. Wait for R/T Business or Coach award seats to open up closer to the date.  This is risky, because they may not open up.  Again, the travels are seniors and may not do well with last minute travel.

I'm a relative newbie to working with miles.  Anyone have some ideas?

Thank you in advance!
1) cmmiw in nyc (i don't know about phl, Iad though I assume the same) you'll  always have to pick up your bags even if it's "pieced together".
« Last Edit: July 09, 2015, 10:22:30 AM by clear thinker »

Offline burryhood

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One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:Non-Stop, 1 stop if in business class
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: Sep 23-24 (after yom kipper ends)
Return dates: Oct 6 late evening or oct 7th
Class:: First/Business preferred; Coach OK
Seats: 2 adults, 1 Child
Alliance/Airline: no preference

I have 250k UR points, 50k avios, 70k Amex, 50k united

Thanks in advance

Offline lena

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  • Location: Baltimore
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Non-stop
From: BWI (ideal) or IAD (2nd choice)
To: LAX, BUR
Departure dates:8/19/15 (PM)
Return dates: 8/23/15 (but 2 seats prefer 8/22/15, late PM, if possible)
Class: Any
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline:

I'm brand new to redeeming miles, but I have a lot of points with: Southwest, Lufthansa, United, Starpoints
Some points with: JetBlue, Chase Ultimate Rewards

(Would it be bad to post exactly how many I have? Is that like posting your bank account info?)

Another fact is that we will be travelling with a baby. TIA

Offline eljay07

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One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: All airports from which you can depart: JFK, EWR, LGA
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line: ATH
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible. 07/27
Return airports: SAME
Return dates: 08/05 or 08/06
Class: Coach (unless very good deal for Business)
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with any (I have AA, starwood, chase, and can probably use UR as well)

Thanks very much in advance

Offline lena

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  • Location: Baltimore
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Non-stop
From: BWI (ideal) or IAD (2nd choice)
To: LAX, BUR
Departure dates:8/19/15 (PM)
Return dates: 8/23/15 (but 2 seats prefer 8/22/15, late PM, if possible)
Class: Any
Seats: 3
Alliance/Airline:

I'm brand new to redeeming miles, but I have a lot of points with: Southwest, Lufthansa, United, Starpoints
Some points with: JetBlue, Chase Ultimate Rewards

(Would it be bad to post exactly how many I have? Is that like posting your bank account info?)

Another fact is that we will be travelling with a baby. TIA

I've figured out that the best way to fly to LA is on Southwest. Any tips for the way home?
Thanks!

Offline bortunkm

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  • Location: Miami Beach
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: All airports from which you can depart: LAX, BUR
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line: YUL
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible. 07/16
Return airports: SAME
Return dates: 07/19 or 07/20
Class: Economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with: any (I have AA, BA, starwood, chase, and can probably use UR as well)

Thanks very much in advance

Offline DMYD

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  • Location: Brooklyn
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: All airports from which you can depart: LAX, BUR
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line: YUL
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible. 07/16
Return airports: SAME
Return dates: 07/19 or 07/20
Class: Economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with: any (I have AA, BA, starwood, chase, and can probably use UR as well)

Thanks very much in advance
How many of those miles do you have?

Offline bortunkm

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How many of those miles do you have?

enough to book. im looking for the cheapest. ive found 25000 aa but hit with a large fee...

Offline SHMUTZEE

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Can anyone help me?
I am looking for 2 business class tickets from NYC - MEL in Feb 2016. I have approx. 150k AA points; 85k BA points; and 150k Chase points.

Offline DMYD

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Can anyone help me?
I am looking for 2 business class tickets from NYC - MEL in Feb 2016. I have approx. 150k AA points; 85k BA points; and 150k Chase points.
Really like any day in February? Try following the wiki.

Offline mplaisir

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  • Location: miami beach
Please follow the following rules when posting in this thread. Failure to do so may result in you request being ignored or deleted.

FAQs: (if you are looking to purchase a ticket, please post here)

Q: How many miles will my USA-TLV ticket cost?
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

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 (Continental, United, USairways, 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.
Can someone help me find mileage tickets for TLV-Miami April 10-13, 2015 Miami- TLV May 8-11, 2015. for a family of 2 adults, 4 children ages 9,7,3 , 1-1/2 years old. Night flights with short connection times , 2 flights. I have enough miles for either Star Alliance or Sky Miles Awards for economy ticket. I will pay someone to help me. Thank you. M H

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 Continental 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 Continental) they can issue a ticket on a partner (ie AirCanada). Trying to call AirCanada with Continental 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, 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

Please add any other information you feel might be useful

...and remember, please don't PM members, if it's something you can post.

Offline mplaisir

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  • Location: miami beach
One way/Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop maximium
From: TLV
To: MIA or FLL
Departure dates: April10-13, 2015
Return airports:MIA or FLL to TLV
Return dates: May8-11, 2015
Class: Coach
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2 : 5 and one child age 1.5 years
Alliance/Airline: Star alliance or Sky Miles
I have enough miles for all the tickets.Late afternoon or  Night Flights only

Offline SHMUTZEE

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Likely February 8-15.
What is the 'Wiki'?

Offline yochiek93

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What is the 'Wiki'?
on top of the page it says topic wiki hit the + to open it or just go to the first page

Offline Miracle

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  • Location: Israel
TLV to NYC (or to IAD)
July 27 until Aug 6 - roundtrip in coach

I have 45k UR and 78k Amex

Offline DMYD

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  • Location: Brooklyn
Likely February 8-15.
What is the 'Wiki'?
Should look something like this but with your info.
One way/Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop maximium
From: TLV
To: MIA or FLL
Departure dates: April10-13, 2015
Return airports:MIA or FLL to TLV
Return dates: May8-11, 2015
Class: Coach
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2 : 5 and one child age 1.5 years
Alliance/Airline: Star alliance or Sky Miles
I have enough miles for all the tickets.Late afternoon or  Night Flights only

Offline DMYD

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  • Location: Brooklyn
TLV to NYC (or to IAD)
July 27 until Aug 6 - roundtrip in coach

I have 45k UR and 78k Amex
With a stop?

Offline cwerz

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Hi All

One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:  One Stop Max
From: NYC, PHL
To:  TLV
Departure dates: 08/16, 08/17, 08/18
Return airports: SAME
Return dates: 8/24,8/25,8/26
Class: Economy
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline:  (I have Chase UR & AMEX MR)

Thanks very much in advance