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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 1839383 times)

Offline theyankel

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not sure this is the right place but is there a page that discusses all diff mileage programs? who the partners are? i'm wondering which partners i can use to book an emirates flight nyc-dxb
thx

Offline hvaces42

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not sure this is the right place but is there a page that discusses all diff mileage programs? who the partners are? i'm wondering which partners i can use to book an emirates flight nyc-dxb
thx
There is an Emirates Thread
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Offline theyankel

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There is an Emirates Thread
thanks
is there a link?>

Offline hvaces42

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thanks
is there a link?>
Look up to your right and there should be a search box...
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Offline theyankel

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Look up to your right and there should be a search box...
thanks for the help
the link to emirates master thread doesnt say anything about the rewards program
maybe i'm missing something

Offline hvaces42

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thanks for the help
the link to emirates master thread doesnt say anything about the rewards program
maybe i'm missing something

DDMS Search
GIYF
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Offline faigy76

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im looking to book an award flight using Amex Mr points. Flying from nyc- Milan in business class. The dates are August 1-13. Any advice on what would be the best option? I can also pay cash for economy and upgrade with points to business. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Offline bj501

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need one ticket
oct 3 nyc-tlv
oct 8 tlv-mia
would take economy or premium economy or upgrade with whatever is best deal. leads are appreciated.
i do have amex , spg, and aa miles if that helps the find.

Offline davidrotts63

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need one ticket
oct 3 nyc-tlv
oct 8 tlv-mia
would take economy or premium economy or upgrade with whatever is best deal. leads are appreciated.
i do have amex , spg, and aa miles if that helps the find.
Best to use the platform in the Wiki.
(you missed out stops)
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline eymandel

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Hello DDF  #firsttimeposting

One way/Round-trip:  RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 2
From: NCL or EDI
To: YYZ
Departure dates: September 20
Return airports:
Return dates: October 10
Class: coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any - I have Avios, Amex, Aeroplan, AA, Alaska
« Last Edit: July 01, 2018, 01:04:51 PM by eymandel »

Offline davidrotts63

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Hello DDF  #firsttimeposting

One way/Round-trip:  Oneway
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 2
From: NCL or EDI
To: YYZ
Departure dates: September 20
Return airports:
Return dates: October 10
Class: coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any - I have Avios, Amex, Aeroplan, AA, Alaska

Welcome to DDF!
Do you want OW or RT? You right OW, but put a return date.
Have you looked for availability anywhere?
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline eymandel

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Welcome to DDF!
Do you want OW or RT? You right OW, but put a return date.
Have you looked for availability anywhere?

Sorry -= should be RT. I looked at BA and Aeroplan without any success. Looking for a hack e.g. I see that JAL might be an option, but I don't know how to search on JAL. .

Also, is there a way to subscribe for notifications - if someone replies to my post?

Offline hvaces42

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Sorry -= should be RT. I looked at BA and Aeroplan without any success. Looking for a hack e.g. I see that JAL might be an option, but I don't know how to search on JAL. .

Also, is there a way to subscribe for notifications - if someone replies to my post?
There. Is a notify button at the bottom that will send you notification.
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Offline eymandel

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There. Is a notify button at the bottom that will send you notification.

Bottom of where?

Offline GAM Z.

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Offline hvaces42

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Bottom of where?
Open wide...and look at the bottom of the page. There is a notify button on web based browser.
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Offline davidrotts63

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Hello DDF  #firsttimeposting

One way/Round-trip:  RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 2
From: NCL or EDI
To: YYZ
Departure dates: September 20
Return airports:
Return dates: October 10
Class: coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any - I have Avios, Amex, Aeroplan, AA, Alaska

UA has X available for EDI-IAD-YYZ, and there are multiple options for *A return saver availability. Should be available for 55k NH/SQ or 60k AC
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline hvaces42

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UA has X available for EDI-IAD-YYZ, and there are multiple options for *A return saver availability. Should be available for 55k NH/SQ or 60k AC
Could be less on AA 22.5k off peak edi-jfk-yyz
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Offline davidrotts63

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Could be less on AA 22.5k off peak edi-jfk-yyz
Is it not 32.5k off peak?
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Offline hvaces42

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Is it not 32.5k off peak?
My bad. Off peak EDI-JFK would be 22.5k. There are no off peak Europe to Canada. Only sAAver at 32.5k. Still not a bad use of AA if availablr.
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