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 1839264 times)

Offline JACKBLUE

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Offline hvaces42

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Offline zemz2005

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Don't need a 1,000 miles in the account anymore to search. What are you hoping to see that you can't with Aeroplan? If you can find United space, then you might as well book with Aegis for even less miles and no YQ on United.
i saw posts from Dan listing mileage with ANA to TLV for just 30k with stopover in Germany

Offline zemz2005

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FYI this is the message im getting on Aegean

"You do not have enough award miles to proceed with this redemption. Purchase award miles now to book your award ticket."

Offline yelped

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FYI this is the message im getting on Aegean

"You do not have enough award miles to proceed with this redemption. Purchase award miles now to book your award ticket."
Call them to book.
Aegean
Sorry about the typo. :)

Offline zemz2005

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Call them to book.Sorry about the typo. :)
need to call them to search availability too cause it shows flights available but no details. Unless there is a work around
« Last Edit: June 13, 2018, 06:29:09 PM by zemz2005 »

Offline zemz2005

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does it make sense that it is cheaper on AAto book BA to Israel via London than on BA site? Im showing availability on business class with American at 70K and BA is well over 100k

Offline shimino1

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does it make sense that it is cheaper on AAto book BA to Israel via London than on BA site? Im showing availability on business class with American at 70K and BA is well over 100k
Yes it makes sense.
AA charges by region so no matter where in the middle east you leave to no matter what destination in North America it will be the same price.
BA charges based on flight distance so it may cost more. It will also cost more to fly TLV-LAX then TLV-NYC since LAX is further away.
Whether booking with AA or BA be aware that flights flown on BA have very high taxes. Figure about $500-600 per way for taxes in Business class.

Offline zemz2005

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understood. Thanks!!!!!

I found business flight saver on united from EWR to TLV ( 82,550 miles or so ) in mid august but there is a decent stop over should I grab it or wait for something direct... Do things usually open up later?
« Last Edit: June 13, 2018, 07:46:25 PM by zemz2005 »

Offline shimino1

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understood. Thanks!!!!!

I found business flight saver on united from EWR to TLV ( 82,550 miles or so ) in mid august but there is a decent stop over should I grab it or wait for something direct... Do things usually open up later?
Don't expect United direct to open up in August.

Offline binyamingavriel

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Outbound every flight before 1:30pm has at least 6 seats available on AA for 12.5k Return is tougher.
Sorry. I should have clarified that at least some of us have to wait until 5ish to leave. I guess I'll just pay for a could of the flights

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Have 2 Alitalia Business Class RT tickets JFK-TLV 2 hour stop
1-July 16 return Aug 1
2- Aug 7 return Aug 15
Selling for $1500

Offline shimino1

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Have 2 Alitalia Business Class RT tickets JFK-TLV 2 hour stop
1-July 16 return Aug 1
2- Aug 7 return Aug 15
Selling for $1500
Are you able to change names on the ticket?

Offline miles lover

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Whats the best way to book nyc-hkg-tlv-nyc
Or nyc-tlv-hkg-nyc with a stop over ? Anyway to get elal flights on this routing while only paying for round trip ? Thanx

Offline hvaces42

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Whats the best way to book nyc-hkg-tlv-nyc
Or nyc-tlv-hkg-nyc with a stop over ? Anyway to get elal flights on this routing while only paying for round trip ? Thanx
Post here:
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=46609.3510
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Offline hjeko

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Help please :)

One way/Round-trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: GRU, GIG
To: Anywhere in Europe ideally Paris (CDG or ORY)
Departure dates: June 27
Class: Any
Seats: Any
Alliance/Airline: Any

I can't find any good option from Brazil to Europe without paying a fortune ie. 125,000 miles with Air France. Any trick on how to find available awards?

Thanks!

JM

Offline Buruch

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Help please :)

One way/Round-trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: GRU, GIG
To: Anywhere in Europe ideally Paris (CDG or ORY)
Departure dates: June 27
Class: Any
Seats: Any
Alliance/Airline: Any

I can't find any good option from Brazil to Europe without paying a fortune ie. 125,000 miles with Air France. Any trick on how to find available awards?

Thanks!

JM

Lufthansa first class is available that day gig-fra-cdg.
125k united plus 155 in fees.

Offline hjeko

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Lufthansa first class is available that day gig-fra-cdg.
125k united plus 155 in fees.

Good one :) If I could go below 100k would be nice :)

Offline hvaces42

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Lufthansa first class is available that day gig-fra-cdg.
125k united plus 155 in fees.
Criminal that a flight like that is only 125k and Israel is 140k
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Offline hjeko

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Criminal that a flight like that is only 125k and Israel is 140k

True that

Any way to get it for cheaper? What's the best way to accumulate lufthansa miles?