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 1838769 times)

Offline karen

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Roundtrip:

From: PEK
To: CGQ
Prefer non-stop
August 15-21
Class: Coach
Seats: 3
Using Delta miles.

Thanks!

Offline Am

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Looking for flight from philly to lax June 14 evening returning June 16 evening I have avios miles

Offline shmooz

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RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops:1
From: BWI or WAS
To: ORD
Departure dates:June 21 morning
Return dates: July 18 afternoon
Class: Coach
Seats:  2
Alliance/Airline: Have Avios miles that should be cheapest but dont see availability but maybe am missing something, have other miles eg CO but not sure it makes sense to use 20-25k on this flight.

Offline rcarentals

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return
non stop
eze-jfk 29/03-02/04
jfk-eze 19/04
coach
seats 1
 using avios or more specifically have, MR..
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 07:09:25 PM by rcarentals »
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Offline Galitzyaner

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Can anyone help me find a ticket for Pesach?!

NO BODY seems to have availability to Miami on Erev Pesach!

All I need is a one way TO Miami..

NYC to Miami area =FLL (best option) or MIA or PBI

Departing ON erev Pesach April 06 in the morning, need to get in time for yom tov...

I have over 60k Avios, lots of Amex MRP, 30k chase UR, and lots of United.

I'm willing to go the extra miles for first class if there's better avail. (as a last resort, but would still rather fly first than go with American Eagle!)

Please, ticket prices are crazy!

Offline arid

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aug 19th from nyc to ogg
aug 27 or 28 from hnl to nyc

would like business class on aa. there is milesaver on the way there. ba says they got nothing. i would rather not use united on this trip

thanks in advance

Offline Galitzyaner

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aug 19th from nyc to ogg
aug 27 or 28 from hnl to nyc

would like business class on aa. there is milesaver on the way there. ba says they got nothing. i would rather not use united on this trip

thanks in advance

Ya gotta call up (PUTPAC!), and say you don't find it online, and try to convince them to wave the phone fee..

Offline arid

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Ya gotta call up (PUTPAC!), and say you don't find it online, and try to convince them to wave the phone fee..


I did call them. . They say no ticket exists

Offline Galitzyaner

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I did call them. . They say no ticket exists

hmmm ::)

Offline PlatinumGuy

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hmmm ::)
Hang up and call again, weird though.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline jschping

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Hi,

Can someone help me find a good deal to Israel? Here are the details.

Round trip
Max 1 stop
From: All NYC area airports
To: Ben Gurion
Departure dates: I must arrive June 18th in the morning, or late Jun 17th at night.
Return airports: Back to NYC. Doesn't need to be the same as departing airport.
Return dates: I want to spend two or three weeks there. So July 4th or 5th would be great. But I'm flexible.
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have 90K United points, 130K AA points, 40K Delta. I could get more MR points if needed. I am flexible what airline to use. Whatever is cheapest!


Thanks so much!

Offline Dan

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I did call them. . They say no ticket exists
Book each leg separately from BA.com
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 Thingywingy

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Looking to fly Toronto to Phoenix or bid'myeved Tuscon 4/15 morning returning late 4/18 or very early 4/19. I have both CO & AA miles. The real trouble is 1st leg. Earliest flight is 5:48. I'm searching stopping so far nothing. Any specific cities I should check for stop or stam help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
I found going into Tuscon through Houston & returning through Phoenix but the car rental o/w are crazy unless someone has a deal for one way rentals?
« Last Edit: April 04, 2012, 05:50:04 PM by Thingywingy »
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Netster

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Looking for CO/UA Award tic NYC-TLV - ideally direct

Dates: between  8/13 - 8/16

Thanks

Offline Chaikel

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Looking for CO/UA Award tic NYC-TLV - ideally direct

Dates: between  8/13 - 8/16

Thanks
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Offline Netster

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either class - 2 pass

Offline meshugener

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We're in competition. I keep on looking on that, but saver award is either booked or a 15-25hr stopover.
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Offline shmooz

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Trying to book a ticket using BA miles in bus. AA.com shows availability but BA.com does not and the rep cant find it either. Is that normal?
« Last Edit: April 05, 2012, 04:12:44 PM by shmooz »

Offline Dan

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Trying to book a ticket using BA miles in bus. AA.com shows availability but BA.com does not and the rep cant find it either. Is that normal?
Hard to help when you don't post details.
Route/date?
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 PlatinumGuy

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Looking to fly Toronto to Phoenix or bid'myeved Tuscon 4/15 morning returning late 4/18 or very early 4/19. I have both CO & AA miles. The real trouble is 1st leg. Earliest flight is 5:48. I'm searching stopping so far nothing. Any specific cities I should check for stop or stam help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
I found going into Tuscon through Houston & returning through Phoenix but the car rental o/w are crazy unless someone has a deal for one way rentals?
its UA to IAH? YYZ doesn't open (flightwise) until 6:30 (at least that was the case 3-4 months ago) so the plane just sits at the gate until 6:30. Also security only comes in late so don't go early to the airport

Look at the hertz thread, o/w rental shouldn't be an issue.
Pm w ur email address and ill try to help tomorrow.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים