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 1839012 times)

Offline Dawie

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7620 on: September 07, 2016, 02:11:42 PM »
It's painful to recommend transferring UR to AF, but that's probably your best bet.
Revenue non stop is $870 why would you use points

Offline David Smith

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7621 on: September 07, 2016, 02:13:43 PM »
Revenue non stop is $870 why would you use points
+1
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
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Offline bk73

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7622 on: September 07, 2016, 03:36:50 PM »
One way/Round trip:round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:one
From:ORD
To:  tlv
Departure dates: November 2nd or 3d
Return airports: ord
Return dates: November 15th or 16th
Class: Business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Star alliance I have a lot of ur points or I also  have spg so anything that   transfers. (I will not stop in Ist) Im willing to pay if someone helps me and I book the flight  I don't know what is a fair price

Offline philbenjoe

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7623 on: September 08, 2016, 02:23:30 PM »
What is the best point options TLV-SYD/MEL? And routing? Thanks
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Offline mmr305

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7624 on: September 08, 2016, 02:44:44 PM »
I will pay someone $50 to help me book a flight to Israel, email me mmr305@gmail.com

Offline Zevi16

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7625 on: September 11, 2016, 06:28:38 AM »
One way
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure date: 10/20/2016
Class: business
Seats: 2+infant
I have 100k MR, 70k chase
Thanks
I also have a bunch of Vx miles. If it's worth it going via London, I would so I can see some family on the way.
Cheapest I found was via France (with a change of airport) for 62.5k each.
I also found on klm for the same price,  but unsure if they have a good business class.

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7626 on: September 11, 2016, 12:36:36 PM »

Round trip:
Non-stop: Preferred
From: NYC- LGA, JFK, EWR
To: HNL
Departure dates:sun Jan 22, 2017
Return dates: thurs Jan 26, 2017
Class: First/Business
Seats:  2
Alliance/Airline: any
I have UR, MR. and various airline miles.
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Offline joesol

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7627 on: September 12, 2016, 09:54:47 AM »
Round Trip
Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 10/18 late night or 10/19
Return dates: 10/30
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any.

Offline mosteinberg

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7628 on: September 12, 2016, 02:58:56 PM »
Forum is not what it used to be....people are posting inquires and asking for help but it's a waste of time.... :( :( :(

Online mochjas

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7629 on: September 12, 2016, 03:26:29 PM »
Forum is not what it used to be....people are posting inquires and asking for help but it's a waste of time.... :( :( :(
most people are asking for NYC to Tlv or vice versa which is a route that has very bad availability.

And most ask for specific days. If you want to use points you need to be flexible.

Also no one is gonna spoon feed someone else for free so if you want an answer offer something as Dan says on the Main site.

Finally something I've been wanting to say for a long time. They should rename this thread: Noobs trying to get to israel for free!
« Last Edit: September 12, 2016, 03:40:15 PM by mochjas »

Offline stv17

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7630 on: September 12, 2016, 07:14:31 PM »

Also no one is gonna spoon feed someone else for free so if you want an answer offer something as Dan says on the Main site.

Finally something I've been wanting to say for a long time. They should rename this thread: Noobs trying to get to israel for free!

Why do you think people want flights for free? these people have points and want to get the max possible for it.
Most ppl that are familiar with using the system don't need the forum with their flights, the ones that do need it are beginners/amatuers who are asking for help.

Online mochjas

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7631 on: September 12, 2016, 07:28:16 PM »
Why do you think people want flights for free? these people have points and want to get the max possible for it.
Most ppl that are familiar with using the system don't need the forum with their flights, the ones that do need it are beginners/amatuers who are asking for help.
i was an amateur myself. I learned things by reading through the threads and asking specific questions not by trying to be a free loader and have someone do my work for me. If you want to maximize your points do your research don't expect to get spoonfed an entire itinerary.

Offline high end hobo

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7632 on: September 12, 2016, 09:32:41 PM »
most people are asking for NYC to Tlv or vice versa which is a route that has very bad availability.

And most ask for specific days. If you want to use points you need to be flexible.

Also no one is gonna spoon feed someone else for free so if you want an answer offer something as Dan says on the Main site.

Finally something I've been wanting to say for a long time. They should rename this thread: Noobs trying to get to israel for free!
Forum is not what it used to be....people are posting inquires and asking for help but it's a waste of time.... :( :( :(
+100

a year ago I was a noob. Dan wrote very good articles how to find award space to Israel, you need to do your own homework, no one will do your homework for free.

Offline bendor

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7633 on: September 13, 2016, 09:40:50 AM »
Does anyone know if Turkish Airlines open up award availability (in any class) near departure date?
I'm looking to fly TLV-IST-MLE motzei shvii pesach, but on United it doesn't show any availability on Turkish and is trying to route me through all sorts of other places and only then to IST.

TIA

Offline Zevi16

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7634 on: September 13, 2016, 05:33:43 PM »
most people are asking for NYC to Tlv or vice versa which is a route that has very bad availability.

And most ask for specific days. If you want to use points you need to be flexible.

Also no one is gonna spoon feed someone else for free so if you want an answer offer something as Dan says on the Main site.

Finally something I've been wanting to say for a long time. They should rename this thread: Noobs trying to get to israel for free!
What's the name of this thread?
Why are you even clicking on it? To show that you know how?
If you do btw, can you find me a ticket...

Offline esass

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7635 on: September 14, 2016, 08:59:16 PM »
Have 56,000 Avios. Looking for 3 one-way tickets DTW-MIA/FLL on Dec 25. Don't see availability on ba.com for AA. Any chance it will open up? Any other options? Thanks

Offline shulem92

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7636 on: September 14, 2016, 09:02:34 PM »
Have 56,000 Avios. Looking for 3 one-way tickets DTW-MIA/FLL on Dec 25. Don't see availability on ba.com for AA. Any chance it will open up? Any other options? Thanks
Check on aa's site

Offline esass

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7637 on: September 14, 2016, 09:12:37 PM »
AA.com only has AAnytime, which I can't use on Avios, right?

Offline shulem92

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7638 on: September 14, 2016, 09:15:09 PM »
AA.com only has AAnytime, which I can't use on Avios, right?
If they have saver available on aa then it can be booked on avios as well. Sometimes may require a phone call, as not all availability is shown on ba

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #7639 on: September 14, 2016, 10:09:10 PM »
Over all,  BA availablity has been extremely bad for a while.
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