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 1839369 times)

Offline Azis Papa

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7040 on: October 16, 2015, 01:43:03 PM »
Hi,  I am Looking for a flight r/t to TLV from JFK.  So far the best deal I have found is Flying Blue.  50K FB pts & 122 Euros.  That's with stops in Rome going and Paris on the return.  Can anyone suggest a better deal?

R/T
Non-stop (preferred) or 1-stop
JFK to TLV
Can fly 11/30 12/1 or 12/2 - need to be in Israel by Shabbos 12/5
Return flight 12/13 - 12/17
Coach class
1 person

Have UR and MR.  TIA

Offline Einstein

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7041 on: October 16, 2015, 02:48:34 PM »
Thanks.   I saw that flight going in and out but glad to see it's back.  Going to wait on a later flight ... hopefully something opens up.
Why dont you book it and then if something else opens u can cancel this one? otherwise your risking not getting the ticket
If you think nobody cares about you... just forget to pay your credit card bill

Offline MosheD

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7042 on: October 16, 2015, 03:57:04 PM »
I know its a tough flight to find but need NYC-CLE for thanksgiving day and returning that sunday 11/26-11/29 (3 tickets)

not finding anything good. cheapest i found was 45k aa per ticket or 72k BA avios...both would not be at all worth it (akron is fine too)
UA? Hertz?

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7043 on: October 20, 2015, 12:17:53 PM »
LAX-NYC
One way
Business class
Nov.15 (Red eye)
Looking for lie-flat and i see nothing less than 45k.

Offline izmoman

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7044 on: October 21, 2015, 11:44:33 AM »
One way/Round trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: any
From: MAD
To:TLV
Departure dates: 12/28
Class: coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any (have MR,UR, SPG.....)

Offline yochiek93

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7045 on: October 21, 2015, 11:56:54 AM »
One way/Round trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: any
From: MAD
To:TLV
Departure dates: 12/28
Class: coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any (have MR,UR, SPG.....)
Check Iberia airlines

Offline blue eyes

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7046 on: October 21, 2015, 12:07:18 PM »
One way/Round trip:Roudn Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Non - 1 Stop
From: FCO
To: TLV
Departure dates: 4/21/2015
Return Dates: 5/1/2015
Class: coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any (have MR,UR, SPG AA UA)

Offline flyingBlue

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7047 on: October 22, 2015, 11:03:13 PM »
I need 2 business class tickets from NYC to TLV, direct flights only, NOV 24 or 23 to DEC 7 or 8,
I have MR, and Starpoints.

Offline bj501

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7048 on: October 23, 2015, 07:20:02 AM »

Would so appreciate some help with this

r/t mia or fll to tlv
2/21 - 3/1 ( am flexible a day or so on each side)
need two seats
would take economy or premium economy preferable but price sensitive

thanks all

Offline mancunian

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7049 on: October 23, 2015, 12:23:28 PM »
LAX NYC Round trip
11/5 - 11/10
Business
Two passengers

Offline chaim613

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7050 on: October 24, 2015, 11:08:59 PM »
trying to get to Israel for my mother's first yartzeit. I have alot of avios but not having luck finding anything decent.
if anyone can help, I would be willing to pay something if i use the itinerary...

Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: willing to make a stop
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: nov 18 or 19 (but 19 is a thurs. )

Return dates: 25,26, 28(motzai shabbos), 29 (latest to be back by sun afternoon0
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I have alot of avios

thanks for any help!

Offline thaber

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7051 on: October 26, 2015, 02:29:38 AM »
LAX-NYC
One way
Business class
Nov.15 (Red eye)
Looking for lie-flat and i see nothing less than 45k.
You'll probably have to wait till within a day or two to find anything at all,  but keep an eye on AA first,  for 32.5. 

Offline stv17

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7052 on: October 26, 2015, 07:57:25 PM »
Hi

i'd appreciate if anyone can help me

One way/Round trip: One Way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: any
From: nyc area
To: tlv
Departure dates:  Nov 29 (give or take 1-2 days)
Class: Business/First
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have 72K American Airlines miles, 230K Chase UR Points, 50K BA Avios.

Offline jameswacht

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7053 on: October 28, 2015, 04:38:08 PM »
I need a ticket week of December 31 from Sydney Australia  to NYC. Cheapest on aa is 120k! Buying with cash is over 1k! Any way to get a ticket for a decent price?

Offline scr

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7054 on: October 29, 2015, 07:08:53 PM »
One way
Non-stop
From: GRU
To: NYC (preferably EWR)
Departure dates: 12/27, slight possibly of 12/28
First/Business
Seats: 1
160K Chase UR, 80K Starwood, 160K AAdvantage, lots of AMEX - I found AAnytime  for 150K, but I'd like a better deal.  Thanks!

Offline exasahi

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7055 on: October 30, 2015, 11:38:08 AM »
One way/Round trip:  Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: PHX or AZA
To: NRT, HND, GMP, ICN
Departure dates: March 7-20
Return airports: PHX or AZA
Return dates: April 7-20
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Anything that I can transfer AMEX or CHASE points

Offline ganizzy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7056 on: November 01, 2015, 08:55:13 PM »
round trip
LAX - CPH
Dec 23 - jan 3 (a day before or after on either end is fine)
2 people
business is preferred but can be economy if necessary
have a few 100k on amex
about 100k on starwood
and about 60k with chase

so far, all im seeing is with united 70k for the way there with lufthansa (business saver)

looking for a friend. if this is very complicated, he may be willing to pay someone to figure it out for him (my knowledge is pretty basic)
thanks

Offline Azis Papa

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7057 on: November 03, 2015, 10:14:15 AM »
One way/Round trip:  One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: TLV
To: MIA, FLL, PBI
Departure dates:December 13 - 17
Class: Economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any.  Have UR, MR, M&M (limited). Looking for best deal.  TIA

Offline 138138

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7058 on: November 03, 2015, 10:16:35 PM »
Round trip
UP to 1 Stop
From NY
TO: LHR

11/04/2015-11/09/2015
Economy
2 Seats

Anybody?

Have UR, MR, SPG, United

TIA

Offline Dawie

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7059 on: November 04, 2015, 01:41:29 PM »
Round trip
UP to 1 Stop
From NY
TO: LHR

11/04/2015-11/09/2015
Economy
2 Seats

Anybody?

Have UR, MR, SPG, United

TIA

There are UA saver awards available but your going to pay a bit because it's last minute
there's a nonstop from newark and the rest are stopovers
would cost 120k miles and $395