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 1838887 times)

Offline Cashman

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #320 on: September 27, 2011, 12:29:25 PM »
I have 240,000 continental miles. Would like to go to Israel on Dec 4th and Return on Dec. 12th. Leaving from New York. Looking for 2 business class tickets with 1 connection. Please let me know if you can help.

Offline fgood

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #321 on: September 30, 2011, 08:24:58 AM »
Hi,

I am looking for return tix for  DIRECT flights from NYC-TLV-NYC in June 2012 (Flexible dates) for 3 ppl (1 toddler). I've seen posts and charts that i could get CO flights on that route for 80k. However, searching CO.com i find only 120k/175k for direct flights. Is there a chance to find direct flight for 80k in CO at all (i am not an Elite)?

on Delta i could find direct flight for that route at 130k almost any time. I have 160k at Amex and with the 50% ramp up it seems that delta would provide me a better options with 240k than CO with 160k.
I also have 90k at CO, my wife as 80k at CO and another 30k at AMEX. we both have around 20k at Delta.
AA -180k.

would appreciate any thoughts...


Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #322 on: October 05, 2011, 04:00:08 PM »
Need help here pls..(even though whos bored wnuf to look around to help others lol)
but well try anyhow...
RT
TLV-NYC  Any nyc airport is ok
1 person
Non Stop
10/23/24-11/03----- no later than the 24th midnight (25th 12:00am flight)
Coach
Dont like delta that much- but willing to do it for a decent amount of points...

Im willing to pay if you come up with something that i cant find elsewhere!!

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #323 on: October 05, 2011, 05:00:59 PM »
Need help here pls..(even though whos bored wnuf to look around to help others lol)
but well try anyhow...
RT
TLV-NYC  Any nyc airport is ok
1 person
Non Stop
10/23/24-11/03----- no later than the 24th midnight (25th 12:00am flight)
Coach
Dont like delta that much- but willing to do it for a decent amount of points...

Im willing to pay if you come up with something that i cant find elsewhere!!
I'm willing to bet you $1000 that you will not find a direct award flight TLV-NYC 10/23-24
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline fdg9

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Re: try #2
« Reply #324 on: October 05, 2011, 05:03:44 PM »
One way/Round trip: round trip or 2 1-ways
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non-stop
From: JFK or EWR
To: Israel
Departure dates: December 4 late night
Return airports: If different from 'To' line. Delete this line for One way tickets
Return dates: December 10
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any - Note: I have sufficient miles in AA, Delta, Membership Rewards, BA
This is for a yeshiva, so I am looking to use fewest/cheapest miles; comfort is not that important...
Thanks

Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #325 on: October 05, 2011, 05:07:42 PM »
I'm willing to bet you $1000 that you will not find a direct award flight TLV-NYC 10/23-24
FINE- stopover on the way in... nonstop on the way home... better?

Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #326 on: October 05, 2011, 05:08:05 PM »
and btw.. totally taking that bet... down to business here!

Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #327 on: October 06, 2011, 06:18:45 AM »
I'm willing to bet you $1000 that you will not find a direct award flight TLV-NYC 10/23-24
im sendin u an email cus i cant figure out how to post a pic here- but im thinkin im 1000$ richer than yesterday cus i found for 145k points going to nyc from tlv on sunday 12:05 am STRIGHT! :)

Offline Moishebatchy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #328 on: October 06, 2011, 08:14:31 AM »
im sendin u an email cus i cant figure out how to post a pic here- but im thinkin im 1000$ richer than yesterday cus i found for 145k points going to nyc from tlv on sunday 12:05 am STRIGHT! :)

I'm guessing it doesn't count unless it's a low award.

Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #329 on: October 06, 2011, 08:30:05 AM »
I'm guessing it doesn't count unless it's a low award.
lol ya.. that was the non quoted part of the bet.

Offline AsherO

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #330 on: October 06, 2011, 10:11:43 AM »
lol ya.. that was the non quoted part of the bet.

If he didn't say it, it doesn't count.

Let's put together a tribunal of DDF Rabbis to compel/coerce Chaikel to pay up :P
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Offline Chaikel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #331 on: October 06, 2011, 10:19:50 AM »
I would have to start charging for my assistance. I think MnM would rather be mochel
Create professional looking itineraries.
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Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #332 on: October 06, 2011, 11:47:26 AM »
I would have to start charging for my assistance. I think MnM would rather be mochel
so what does this mean... your my official ticket/deals assistant? in that case ill sure be mochel! :)

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #333 on: October 06, 2011, 03:50:07 PM »
so what does this mean... your my official ticket/deals assistant? in that case ill sure be mochel! :)
No, but I charge $500 per post on either of my topics
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline MnM1130

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #334 on: October 06, 2011, 03:54:47 PM »
No, but I charge $500 per post on either of my topics
thats why i have ur email add...

Offline netzih

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #335 on: October 06, 2011, 09:08:18 PM »
It's probably discussed but I couldn't find it but is there any way of avoiding american airlines award charges 75 dollars per passenger?

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #336 on: October 06, 2011, 09:46:08 PM »
It's probably discussed but I couldn't find it but is there any way of avoiding american airlines award charges 75 dollars per passenger?
Yes
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #338 on: October 08, 2011, 05:34:19 PM »
How
book for over 21 days ahead, then change the dates to when you actually want to fly. This works for free on AA
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #339 on: October 09, 2011, 01:01:38 AM »
Can any help with a star alliance award business class ticket from NYC to TLV on Dec 4th with 1 connection?