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 1838580 times)

Offline chinagel

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How many CX miles would it be to fly RJ TLV-YUL?

Offline justmeha

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One way
Non-stop
From:paris
To:vce
Departure dates: july 19 2019
return airport: nyc
return dates: july 21
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any
i have chase ur
« Last Edit: June 24, 2019, 02:48:31 PM by justmeha »

Offline happyfeet180

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Hi, I'm running out of time.
I have plenty of AA miles, but can't figure out/find any flights.

One way
Non-stop/or up to 2 stops
From: TLV
To:JFK
Departure dates:7/18/2019 or anything after that within the next week.

Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Anything that will take my AA miles
Time is flying and I need to too!  Thanks

Offline happyfeet180

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Help, I can't find anything!!!  I would really like to fly Business,
but will take anything at this point.

Round-trip:
Up to two stops
From: JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: 10/06/2019
Return airports:JFK
Return dates: 10/24/2019 or closest date after that
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I Need to use my AA miles!!!

Offline Dawie

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Help, I can't find anything!!!  I would really like to fly Business,
but will take anything at this point.

Round-trip:
Up to two stops
From: JFK
To: TLV
Departure dates: 10/06/2019
Return airports:JFK
Return dates: 10/24/2019 or closest date after that
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I Need to use my AA miles!!!

JFK- BCN 30k in coach AA66 10/6 510pm
BCN- AMM- TLV in Business 435pm 42.5k Saver
 Two one ways


Offline Dawie

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JFK- BCN 30k in coach AA66 10/6 510pm
BCN- AMM- TLV in Business 435pm 42.5k Saver
 Two one ways



For the return there is a Business far available 10/24 TLV AMM LHR 1230am then there are plenty of flights available from london both in coach and Business
There is a Direct flight to PHL in business (proabably high YQ)
AA has lower YQ than BA from LHR

AY 1980 in business 105am TLV- HEL then HEL-LHR -JFK in coach

If you are adventurous you can fly IB3317 Friday Morning to Madrid and AA95 MAd- JFK arrives friday afternoon 135pm
Sunset 603pm
« Last Edit: June 27, 2019, 10:23:33 AM by Dawie »

Offline chaim0m

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  • Location: Jerusalem
OW
TLV-JFK (don't care how)
10.23 or 24.2019
J
I could not find availability, seems like almost every other day in the month is available, am I missing something? Is there a chance that something free up?
travelcm

Offline ah41187

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Looking for 5 round trip tickets from lax to tlv on 1/14/20-1/26/20 using united points in economy. Prefer to stop in either SFO or EWR.

Offline Arcturusdrive

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  • Location: RTP, NC
Round-trip:
1 stop
From: RDU
To: SJD
Departure dates: 12/8/19
Return: 12/15/19
Open to 1-day swing for departure and return
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any
Miles: MR, Avios, Delta

Thanks!!

Offline mers1

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One-Way
From: NYC
To: SFO or OAK
Dates: 7/8 or 7/9
Economy
Seats: 5
167k chase points

Offline Dovy365

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Round-trip/Non-stop
From: BRU
To: NCE
Departure dates: 08/25/19
Return: 08/28/19
Class: Economy
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any
Miles: Any

Thanks!

Offline Aps

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If i'm looking for tickets from NYC to florida, where are the best options to search for points tickets. I know AA flights through BA is the best.
Any other good options?
Thnx!

Offline joe

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One way/Round trip:Multi
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:0/1
From: NYC
To:MAD
Departure dates: 07/11/19
TO: TLV
Departure dates: 07/14/19 or 07/15/19
Return airports:NYCs
Return dates: 07/22
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any

I have Chase UR, Amex and AAdvantage

Offline nsastamps

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  • Location: ny
Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Round-trip:
Any:
From: All nyc airports
To: YVR
Departure dates: 08/18/19
Return airports:YVR
Return dates: 08/28/19
Class: Any
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: Any, I have amex, aa, and chase UR

THANKS!

Offline mikeshava

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I have a Delta flight from JFK-TLV in September in Economy. Can I buy a global upgrade certificate to move up to comfort or even business? If yes what would it cost?  (from a person, not from Delta)

Offline yehudak

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  • Location: New York
Round-trip:
Up to 1 stop
From: JFK/EWR
To: PTY
Departure dates: 08/25/2019 (morning)
Return airports:JFK/EWR
Return dates: 8/29/2019 (evening)
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I have Chase points so flexible

Offline dealben

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  • Location: Monsey, NY
One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Non-stop
From: NYC. Preferably EWR
To: SAN
Departure dates: Aug 12 '19. Preferably afternoon
Return dates: Aug 15. Preferably night, even overnight
Class: Coach/Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: UA, AA, AS, DL etc.
I have UA miles, DL miles, AA miles, Chase UR, Marriott points
Have a united explorer card, AA advantage, and Delta gold.
My main question is if there's a strong possibility that United saver award space will still open up for these dates? I don't want to spend 32.5k miles on these flights...

Offline justmeha

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One way:
Non-stop:
From: any airport in europe
To:nyc
Departure dates: july 22
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: bookable on united
basically any and all SAVER award flights from europe on that day

Offline Savingsbeast

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Round-trip

From: NYC
To: BNA
Departure date: 07/17/19 (flexible -1 day)
Return airports: NYC
Return dates: 07/19/19
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any, I have Amex, AA, and JetBlue

Thanks, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Offline springles

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One way/Round trip: OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:  1
From: NYC (prefer JFK or LGA over EWR)
To: CUN
Departure Date: 7/28 morning                 
Class: coach
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I have United, BA, and Chase points