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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 1839025 times)

Offline Galitzyaner

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farvus shluft yeder
Ich hub der zelbe shaileh?
Vus iz geshein do?

Offline Chaikel

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Ain chodosh tachas hashemesh. We can't create availability where there is none. If you followed the instructions in the OP it is safe to assume that you searched BA or Qantas. Not much anything can do for you at this point
Create professional looking itineraries.
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Offline qwerty

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  • Location: jerusalem
From: yul
To: cle
Prefer non-stop, max stops: 1
April -25 or 26
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
I have bA Miles

Offline qwerty

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also if i use american airlines with my ba points how much do the charge per bag?

Offline Chaikel

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also if i use american airlines with my ba points how much do the charge per bag?
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/17034
Create professional looking itineraries.
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Offline Drago

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http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/17034

For some reason, when I'm booking a tik from CLE to NYC on BA, they're giving me this text on the confirmation screen

Checked baggage per passenger
Adults and children: 2 bags at 23kg (51lbs) per bag

•There are restrictions on what you may pack and on the dimensions of your bags.
•You may be charged for extra or overweight bags.

Offline Drago

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I need some help. As I posted here, http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=12530.msg197621#msg197621, I need some way to get from NYC to CLE on Thursday evening, 3/22.

I have miles in basically every program.

I can book using Avios for one-way from Cle to NYC on 3/26 for my return ticket.

Who can I book on for one direction from NYC to Cle on 3/22 in the evening after 8?

Offline TC610

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For some reason, when I'm booking a tik from CLE to NYC on BA, they're giving me this text on the confirmation screen

Checked baggage per passenger
Adults and children: 2 bags at 23kg (51lbs) per bag

•There are restrictions on what you may pack and on the dimensions of your bags.
•You may be charged for extra or overweight bags.


There should have been some more information about other carriers.  My confirmation screen from yesterday showed the following:


Checked baggage per passenger

Adults and children: 2 bags at 23kg (51lbs) per bag

    There are restrictions on what you may pack and on the dimensions of your bags.
    You may be charged for extra or overweight bags.

    British Airways baggage information
    Baggage Charges

Different baggage charges and restrictions may apply on other airlines. Please see the operating airline's website for information.

    American Eagle On Behalf Of American Airlines



Offline yo

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i need first class jfk to lax march 14th leaving around 7am and coming back 9 pm nonstop

Offline yo

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what do we have folks i checked continental and aa anything more

Offline Dan

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  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Wed., Mar. 14, 2012 | New York, NY (JFK) to Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Depart:
6:30 a.m.
Wed., Mar. 14, 2012
New York, NY (JFK)
   
Arrive:
9:55 a.m.
Wed., Mar. 14, 2012
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
   Travel Time:
6 hr 25 mn    
Flight: UA891
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: United Business (I)
Meal: Food for Purchase
No Special Meal Offered.


Wed., Mar. 14, 2012 | Los Angeles, CA (LAX) to New York, NY (JFK)
Depart:
10:44 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 14, 2012
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
   
Arrive:
6:59 a.m. +1 Day
Thu., Mar. 15, 2012
New York, NY (JFK)
   Travel Time:
5 hr 15 mn    
Flight: UA912
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: United First (O)
Meal: Food and Beverages for Purchase
No Special Meal Offered.
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 yo

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its 70k there and 35k back correct is there anyway i can get the way there for less.. more of concen to me is this a good first class i know on aa i can get flatbeds contientals was junk

Offline Dan

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Huh?  It's 25K there in J and 35K back in F. 

F will be lie-flat, J in angled.

There's also an 8:30am in F going there for 35K.

Book the same UA flight with US miles and they only chagre 25K for F each way.
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 ZCN

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I'm looking to use BA miles to go to Hawaii from the West Coast (meaning I need lowest award availability on AA or Alaska ) this August or December. In August, I'm looking to go Aug. 5-9. or 12-16. or 19-23.
 If going in December I want to go Dec. 16-20.
 
I would prefer to end up in LIH but if I need to I will just use CO miles to hop there, so I'm open to landing at any airport in Hawaii. I've looked at both AA and Alaska for those dates but can't find anything. Again, I'm looking for the lowest award on AA or Alaska.

Thanks.

Offline sun365

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  • Location: Florida
One way/Round trip: Round
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any (though the fewer the better)
From: Miami/MIA (but if no choice I can do NYC)
To: BKK
Departure dates: June-25 - July-5
Return airports: Same as outgoing
Return dates: Aug-1 - Aug-7
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have points: BA 112,000; AA 99,000; Continental/United 74,000; Saphire 130,000.

Any help greatly appreciated.
thanks

Offline meshugener

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If the ua site says no more available on the saver award, so I have to book on standard award which is almost double the amount of miles needed, is there a way for a TA or any T site to still be able to grab it?
Love me or hate me. I still love you.

Offline mb

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  • Location: NYC
One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Prefer non-stop, one-step
From: All airports from which you can depart - NYC
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line - BCN or VCE
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible.  BCN - depart 8/2 or 8/5, return 8/12 or 8/13.  VCE - depart 8/2, 8/5 or 8/6, return 8/13 or 8/14.  Both options are for cruises that I am considering where I would need to be on the boat on 8/5 at 4PM in BCN and 4PM in VCE on 8/5.
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 - Business/first only
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2 - 2 people
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with - Have 500,000 united points, 150,000 UR and 200,000 Delta.  Happy to fly on either one.

Thanks for the help!

Offline karen

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roundtrip:

From: PEK
To: CGQ
Prefer non-stop, max stops: 1
August 15
Class: Coach
Seats: 3
Using Delta miles.

Thanks!
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 03:25:24 PM by karen »

Offline ganizzy

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hi, if anyone wants to do something instead of pesach cleaning

looking for 5 seats roundtrip in economy from los angeles to kiev (kbp)
departing april 2 or 3 (or 4 if we get in on thursday)
returning april 15, 16, or 17 (though prefer mon the 16th)
ok with stops

the reason why i am having issues finding this myself is bec i have miles all over the place

i have: 275,000 delta miles (combined b/w me and spouse - 162, 113)
           240, 000 aa miles (200, 40 in each account)

about 90,000 starwood
about 28,000 membership rewards

thank you

Offline Chaikel

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roundtrip:

From: PEK
To: CGQ
Prefer non-stop, max stops: 1
August 15
Class: Coach
Seats: 3
Using Delta miles.

Thanks!

Return date?
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com