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 1839159 times)

Offline thankyoudan

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  • Location: Jerusalem
One way/Round-trip: OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: ORD
To: TLV
Departure dates: AUG 13 but flex all week
Class: business
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: Any
United has LH thats about it that I found 85k +$46. Is it best booked thru United? I would appreciate other suggestions as well . Tia.


Offline MoGro17

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  • Location: Area 51
One way/Round-trip:OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: KRK
To: NYC all
Departure dates: 7/15 (7/16 less ideal but doable)
Class: First/Business (short hop can be econ)
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: any
currencies: United, UR, MR & SPG - have plenty of each

Offline BBPAPA

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  • Location: NEW YORK
One way/Round-trip:RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop maximum
From:JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: 8/26, 8/27
Return dates: From 1/20/19 to mid Feb 2019
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any: coach
Seats: Total number of people traveling:1
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with:Any
Only have 50K MR points
Thanks

Online hvaces42

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One way/Round-trip:RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop maximum
From:JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: 8/26, 8/27
Return dates: From 1/20/19 to mid Feb 2019
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any: coach
Seats: Total number of people traveling:1
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with:Any
Only have 50K MR points
Thanks
Start walking.
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Offline solreis263@gmail.com

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  • Location: 10977
One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: upto one stop
From: All airports from which you can depart - NYC airports - maybe phili
To: Tel Aviv
Departure dates: 9/16/18
Return airports: NYC airports
Return dates: 10/4/18
Class: Coach/Any
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with: Any - we have United miles 88k, Chase Ink and Chase Saphire Miles and SPG. Also are registered for 35% back with AMex with Delta.

Online hvaces42

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One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: upto one stop
From: All airports from which you can depart - NYC airports - maybe phili
To: Tel Aviv
Departure dates: 9/16/18
Return airports: NYC airports
Return dates: 10/4/18
Class: Coach/Any
Seats: 6
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with: Any - we have United miles 88k, Chase Ink and Chase Saphire Miles and SPG. Also are registered for 35% back with AMex with Delta.
Good luck sukkos seats sell out fast you would be lucky to find 2 seats on the same flight.
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Offline ruru1000

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One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop (prefer a few nights layover in a European city)
From: MIA/FLL
To: TLV
Departure dates: 11/25 or 11/26
Return dates: 12/12 or 12/13
Class: Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Have a lot of Chase UR points that I can transfer

Offline Thingywingy

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One way/Round-trip:OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:1 max
From: TLV
To: Prefer YYZ. NYC possibly.
Departure dates: Prefer 8/15. Possibly 8/12-16
Class: Coach
Seats:1 to YYZ. or 2 to NYC.
Alliance/Airline: Points with United, Aeroplan, Singapore, AA, Delta, Alaskan. MR and UR points as well.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline MoGro17

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  • Location: Area 51
One way/Round-trip:OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 stop
From: KRK
To: NYC all
Departure dates: 7/15 (7/16 less ideal but doable)
Class: First/Business (short hop can be econ)
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: any
currencies: United, UR, MR & SPG - have plenty of each
Any last minute openings on various airlines?  Hate to mooch and I sincerely appreciate any help people give me.

Offline jrfigo

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One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Up 1 one stop
From: JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: 7/23 -7/26
Return dates: 8/5 -8/8
Class: Any
Seats: 2

Unfortunately I haven't been in Israel in 30 years, but finally going for my honeymoon. In the past 10 years I have collected 250k Amex points, 115k Chase points and 180k SPG points. I also need to use some of these to book the hotel rooms.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

Online yochai

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  • Location: Jacksonville, FL
Hi, looking for 2 or 3 one way economy tickets from TLV to JAX on 8/12-14. I have 120k Chase points, 70k SPG, 60k avios and 45k flying blue miles.

Online hvaces42

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One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Up 1 one stop
From: JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: 7/23 -7/26
Return dates: 8/5 -8/8
Class: Any
Seats: 2

Unfortunately I haven't been in Israel in 30 years, but finally going for my honeymoon. In the past 10 years I have collected 250k Amex points, 115k Chase points and 180k SPG points. I also need to use some of these to book the hotel rooms.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)
Outbound is available on United for 42.5k each so you could either transfer 85k Chase UR to United direct or transfer 90k SPG to 270k Marriott  and buy a Marriott Travel package which will give you 132k United and a 7 night hotel stay at Marriott Category 1-5.

Return does not have any saver Y availability on United. Only day that has any saver is 8/5 in J on OS (Austrian) with a stop in Vienna. That would be 85k each. So if you transfer your remaining 90k SPG ang get another package you will have 132k plus the remaining 47k United and you have your trip covered. You can sell the 7 night certificates for $275 each (or more) and book an AirBnB or book through Amex Travel portal.

Hope that helped.
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Offline jrfigo

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Outbound is available on United for 42.5k each so you could either transfer 85k Chase UR to United direct or transfer 90k SPG to 270k Marriott  and buy a Marriott Travel package which will give you 132k United and a 7 night hotel stay at Marriott Category 1-5.

Return does not have any saver Y availability on United. Only day that has any saver is 8/5 in J on OS (Austrian) with a stop in Vienna. That would be 85k each. So if you transfer your remaining 90k SPG ang get another package you will have 132k plus the remaining 47k United and you have your trip covered. You can sell the 7 night certificates for $275 each (or more) and book an AirBnB or book through Amex Travel portal.

Hope that helped.

Aren't SPG points better spent let's say at a Sheraton Tel Aviv?

Online hvaces42

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Aren't SPG points better spent let's say at a Sheraton Tel Aviv?
You can buy a revenue ticket by selling your Amex points and use your SPG as you wish
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Offline jrfigo

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You can buy a revenue ticket by selling your Amex points and use your SPG as you wish
]

Are you saying to sell my Amex point for .50 each? That makes absolutely no sense.

Online hvaces42

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]

Are you saying to sell my Amex point for .50 each? That makes absolutely no sense.
Who said .50?
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Offline jrfigo

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Who said .50?
How much can you sell them for?

Offline GAM Z.

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Offline tk985

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One way/Round-trip:OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:1 max
From: nyc
To: cnx
Departure dates: prefer 11/17 late night or 11/18
Class: business or first
Seats:4
Alliance/Airline: MR, UR, SPG

Offline tennis

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  • Location: 5 Towns, NY
One way/Round-trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Maximum 1 stop
From: NYC
To: EZE
Departure dates: 12/23/18 (if not, 12/20 or 12/21) [shabbat observant]
Return dates: 1/03/19 (if not 1/04 or 1/06)
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: This is for an older coupole so anything works as long as the seats are comfortable (they are Delta Diamond if that helps)