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 1839149 times)

Offline zevy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #460 on: January 10, 2012, 04:46:10 PM »
Im trying to fly from JFK to Melbourne,Australia.mon feb 20/21 to tues feb 28-to sydney, and coming back to JFK wed feb 29. I have 200,000 AMEX MR points and im trying to transfer to an airline/book a ticket directly thru AMEX. Quantas (92,00) gave me a flight w/ a $650 :o booking/surcharge fee.Air Canada(80,000) gave me a (25 hr flying time,this isnt the 80s...) flight w/ a stopover in beijing and could only get me to sydney-($200 surcharge). British has the same fee as quantas-$650.  Delta would be 120,000 miles,but cant stop in sydney, and $150 surcharge. Cant even transfer to american,so im rlly stuck.
If anyone can help,i wld greatly appreciate. Note: Dan told me that all international airlines have huge fees on award travel,not so w/ the american airlines.

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #461 on: January 10, 2012, 05:07:13 PM »
Dan told me that all international airlines have huge fees on award travel,not so w/ the american airlines.
I refuse to be mekabel such motsi shem ra
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline zevy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #462 on: January 10, 2012, 06:27:47 PM »
I stand corrected,you're right, he said "Most non-US airline programs charge massive fees on award tickets."

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #463 on: January 11, 2012, 01:52:13 AM »
I stand corrected,you're right, he said "Most non-US airline programs charge massive fees on award tickets."
Oh. I totally misunderstood what you wrote. An "international airline" is any airline the flies between 2 countries. I thought you meant all airlines besides AA charge YQ
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline Dan

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #464 on: January 11, 2012, 03:07:06 AM »
Im trying to fly from JFK to Melbourne,Australia.mon feb 20/21 to tues feb 28-to sydney, and coming back to JFK wed feb 29. I have 200,000 AMEX MR points and im trying to transfer to an airline/book a ticket directly thru AMEX. Quantas (92,00) gave me a flight w/ a $650 :o booking/surcharge fee.Air Canada(80,000) gave me a (25 hr flying time,this isnt the 80s...) flight w/ a stopover in beijing and could only get me to sydney-($200 surcharge). British has the same fee as quantas-$650.  Delta would be 120,000 miles,but cant stop in sydney, and $150 surcharge. Cant even transfer to american,so im rlly stuck.
If anyone can help,i wld greatly appreciate. Note: Dan told me that all international airlines have huge fees on award travel,not so w/ the american airlines.
This may help:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/18750
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.

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #465 on: January 11, 2012, 03:44:27 AM »
Im trying to fly from JFK to Melbourne,Australia.mon feb 20/21 to tues feb 28-to sydney, and coming back to JFK wed feb 29. I have 200,000 AMEX MR points and im trying to transfer to an airline/book a ticket directly thru AMEX. Quantas (92,00) gave me a flight w/ a $650 :o booking/surcharge fee.Air Canada(80,000) gave me a (25 hr flying time,this isnt the 80s...) flight w/ a stopover in beijing and could only get me to sydney-($200 surcharge). British has the same fee as quantas-$650.  Delta would be 120,000 miles,but cant stop in sydney, and $150 surcharge. Cant even transfer to american,so im rlly stuck.
If anyone can help,i wld greatly appreciate. Note: Dan told me that all international airlines have huge fees on award travel,not so w/ the american airlines.
With Delta you can add on the domestic segment as well.

Also consider V Australia on the long leg.

Offline ChAiM'l

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #466 on: January 12, 2012, 06:12:06 AM »
Can anyone help with this one? Thanks

Multi city
Non-stop

Segment 1
From: LHR
To: NYC (any)
Date: June 3 2012

Segment 2
From: NYC (any)
To: TLV
Date: June 5 2012

Segment 3
From: TLV
To: London (any)
Date: June 11 2012

Class: Business

Seats: 1

Alliance/Airline: No preference

Offline Chachem Balaileh

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #467 on: January 12, 2012, 09:39:46 AM »
Looking for 6 tickets Tlv for Pesach.
4 over age 12
2 under 12
Dates going: April 2 or 3
Returning: April 16

One way/Round trip:R/T
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: JFK/EWR
To: Tlv
Departure dates:   4/2/12 or 4/3/12
Return airports: JFK/EWR
Return dates:  4/16/12
Class:  Any
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline :Any

I have 100k Spg maybe good for at least 1/2 tickets by transferring
To top off to any airline I also have a few
Ur-AA-Avois-Co-Delta-Hilton points-Marriott Points-
:) Smile & G-d will give u a reason to smile

Offline Wolf

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #468 on: January 12, 2012, 01:58:07 PM »
Need roundtrip ticket to israel with a stop in waw for 1.5 days on way back
One way/Round trip:Roundtrip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:On way home stopover in poland for 1.5 days.
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: JAN 28 2012 Late evening
Return airports: any
Return dates: Jan 30 tlv to waw, Feb 1 2012, from WAW to NYC
Class: Coach
Seats: 8
Alliance/Airline: Skyteam/Star aliance/oneworld

Offline Jay the PRESIDENT

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #469 on: January 13, 2012, 02:01:04 PM »
Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:any
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates:Any week in jan-feb
Return dates: (week later) pref sunday-sunday
Class: coach
Seats:2
Alliance/Airline:any

thanx

basically looking for cheapest ticket for a weeks stay anytime in the next month

Offline yeshivaman

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #470 on: January 13, 2012, 02:59:31 PM »
One way/Round trip:Roundtrip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:Any
From: NYC (all airports, including philly)
To: TLV
Departure dates: Feb 11 late (motzei shabbos) or the 12th 2012
Return dates: feb 20-22 whatvers cheapest
Class: Coach/ business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: have 300k aa 70k spg and 210k ba

i wish i knew what i was doing...

Offline lybbtthl

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #471 on: January 13, 2012, 03:32:59 PM »
One way/Round trip: Roundtrip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: LAX
To: MEL
Departure dates: Feb 20
Return dates: Feb 27
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any; Have 100K AMEX (Plat) MR, want cheapest taxes, don't care to use all the points

I tried BA but they want approx $650 taxes (co-pay) that's just too much to pay for a free ticket

Offline mb

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #472 on: January 15, 2012, 09:19:57 PM »
Hey - looking to book the following itinerary.  Any help is appreciated.

8/13/12 - NYC-BCN
8/15/12 - BCN-TLV
8/19/12 - TLV-BCN
8/26/12 - BCN-NYC

I am taking a cruise departing BCN on 8/19 and returning 8/26 and would like to spend Shabbos in Jerusalem.  I am looking to do the above itinerary in business/first and am a party of 2.  I already have Delta and Continental on hold the NYC-BCN roundtrip portion, both were same price, 100g/person.

Would love to do this itinerary all on miles.  I have 500g CO miles, 150g UR and 200g Delta.

Thanks!

Offline joeb1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #473 on: January 15, 2012, 11:21:40 PM »
Hey I need 2 business class award tickets DIRECT from TLV-EWR/JFK round trip and no stopovers pls. i have all the miles from every airline.( delta/continental chase amex, american etc)
Depart Wed March 14  tlv-nyc
Return Wed April  18   nyc-tlv

AM A Drop FLEXIBLE (+/- 2 days)
THANK YOU

Offline APoshiterYid

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #474 on: January 16, 2012, 08:50:46 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: NYC (not EWR)
To: YYC
Departure dates: Between 3/20-3/24
Return dates: 4/20 (Or 4/19, if Shabbos is a concern)
Class: Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

Thanks!
« Last Edit: January 16, 2012, 08:55:01 PM by APoshiterYid »
If you have my email PLEASE don't PM me :)

Offline Jay the PRESIDENT

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #475 on: January 19, 2012, 02:34:09 PM »
Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:any
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 1/23/12
Return dates: 1/31/12
Class: coach
Seats:2
Alliance/Airline:any

+-few days

THANX

Offline droren

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #476 on: January 19, 2012, 03:30:48 PM »

Round trip: (but actually need only one way TLV-BOS)
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:One stop
From: TLV
To: BOS
Departure dates: 5/17/12 (only this day)
Return dates: anytime...
Class: coach
Seats:2 (have miles to buy one way ticket for me, looking for cheapest price for my wife)
Alliance/Airline: Star alliance (LUF or CO)

Thank you!!

Offline dealer

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #477 on: January 19, 2012, 05:49:07 PM »
Round trip: (but actually need only one way TLV-BOS)
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:One stop
From: TLV
To: BOS
Departure dates: 5/17/12 (only this day)
Return dates: anytime...
Class: coach
Seats:2 (have miles to buy one way ticket for me, looking for cheapest price for my wife)
Alliance/Airline: Star alliance (LUF or CO)

Thank you!!

17 May 2012 LX         257     TLV   05:00     ZRH   08:20     333 
17 May 2012  -> LX     52      ZRH   17:40     BOS   20:00     333 

or


17 May 2012 LH         691     TLV   05:00     FRA   08:30     346 
17 May 2012  -> LH     420     FRA   18:15     BOS   20:30     343 











Offline champ1ons26

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #478 on: January 19, 2012, 09:42:51 PM »
One way feb 19 from nyc to fll thanx in advance

Offline droren

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #479 on: January 20, 2012, 03:23:47 PM »
17 May 2012 LX         257     TLV   05:00     ZRH   08:20     333 
17 May 2012  -> LX     52      ZRH   17:40     BOS   20:00     333 

or


17 May 2012 LH         691     TLV   05:00     FRA   08:30     346 
17 May 2012  -> LH     420     FRA   18:15     BOS   20:30     343

What is LX?
Is that only one way? I can't find a way to get this route on kayak.com....

THANK YOU!