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 1831755 times)

Offline Yitz

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This might be a little early
Round trip
Maximum stops 1
From: TLV
To: JFK or newark
Departure dates: March 10/2013
Return airports: same
Return dates: April 7th or 8th
Class: Business or coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Star Alliance

Offline smart brit

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need emergency a ticket flying one way from vienna to london tomorrow apr 19 after 5pm if there is anyone that can help me i would very much appreciate it thanks

Offline PlatinumGuy

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need emergency a ticket flying one way from vienna to london tomorrow apr 19 after 5pm if there is anyone that can help me i would very much appreciate it thanks
150 euro easy jet 12:4o LGW
4500 + $60 or 7500 + $20 BA at 13:30 to LHR
12,500 UA 18:30 via FRA or 17:05 via MUC. Both arrive 22:00

״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline newtothegame

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Hey was hoping someone could help.

Round Trip
Any
JFK or EWR
TLV
Departure dates : anytime in August
Return dates: 9/9-9/13
Business or First
2 adults and 1 infant
star alliance- I have continental points and transferable chase points

This is my first time booking an award travel, and I would really appreciate any help!

Offline Dovy

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I need help with tickets EWR/JFK/PHL -TLV for Succos.
Leave right after Yom Kippur, Return right after Yom Tov
2 Adults
+3 Children under 12
Any ideas?

Offline PlatinumGuy

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I need help with tickets EWR/JFK/PHL -TLV for Succos.
Leave right after Yom Kippur, Return right after Yom Tov
2 Adults
+3 Children under 12
Any ideas?
With stopovers can be arranged, might be a good idea to hire someone.
Direct is UA Standard 150,000 per person in economy or 300,000 in business. Either way it's cheaper to buy an new ticket.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Drago

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With stopovers can be arranged, might be a good idea to hire someone.
Direct is UA Standard 150,000 per person in economy or 300,000 in business. Either way it's cheaper to buy an new ticket.

Keep on checking though for the Saver availability. In December, s/t suddenly opened for this past Pesach after n/t showing for a while.

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Keep on checking though for the Saver availability. In December, s/t suddenly opened for this past Pesach after n/t showing for a while.
I got saver 2 days before pesach on UA direct, flight opened 3 days before pesach
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Yitz

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Can someone help me with this.

This might be a little early
Round trip
Maximum stops 1
From: TLV
To: JFK or newark
Departure dates: March 10/2013
Return airports: same
Return dates: April 7th or 8th
Class: Business or coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Star Alliance

Offline Yeki89

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I need two tickets ewr - tlv. I found nice ones:

depart
Aug/15 UA award economy saver 10:50 PM flt
return
Aug 26 UA award Business saver 11:20 PM Flt

The problem is I booked from my account.
And wen i logged into my wifes account the 2nd set of seats were gone!
What are my choices?

Offline Netster

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Within 24 hours you can still cancel yours.

Offline Saver2000

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Within 24 hours you can still cancel yours.

+1
And then do a 2bm.

When you booked the first seat, it showed that there was a 2nd seat available?

Offline Chaikel

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+1
And then do a 2bm.

When you booked the first seat, it showed that there was a 2nd seat available?
IME 2BM doesn't work for UA award
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline Fan of Dan

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one way-stopovers fine
NYC(PHL) to MAO  Brazil
Dept:July 30

MAO to GIG
Dept: August 5 late or August 6 early

any alliance but have more star alliance points
best if can be made into 1 ticket with stopover in MAO

Offline Dan

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one way-stopovers fine
NYC(PHL) to MAO  Brazil
Dept:July 30

MAO to GIG
Dept: August 5 late or August 6 early

any alliance but have more star alliance points
best if can be made into 1 ticket with stopover in MAO
Cool, what are you going to do in MAO?

That's going to be a very hard route unless you're willing to connect down in EZE/GIG/GRU/SCL or are very flexible with dates.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2012, 03:35:20 PM by Dan »
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 Fan of Dan

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Cool, what are you going to do in MAO?

That's going to be a very hard route unless you're willing to connect down in EZE/GIG/GRU/SCL or are very flexible with dates.
Yes I can be flexible with the dates. I also plan on Machu Picchu in Peru and maybe even if I can strech it make it Lake Titicaca which I can reach from either Machu Picchu or La Paz Bolivia. I can do it in any order and I have almost 3 weeks, July 30 to August 17.

I am just trying to figure out one step at a time. I plan on doing Shabbos in  both BA and Rio with Iguaccu in between them and Manuas on way down to Rio. I want to see the Amazon out of MAO. I want to contact the Rabbi you wrote about in the South American thread from Manuas.

Offline Dan

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I want to contact the Rabbi you wrote about in the South American thread from Manuas.
Send him my best.  I'm sure he'll help you out, he's a class act.
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 Dan

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Assuming you want coach:
UA.com shows EWR-SJO-PTY-MAO on 08/05.  You can also fly the week before and stopover for shabbos in SJO or PTY.
AA.com shows LGA-CLT-MIA-MAO on 08/07
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 Fan of Dan

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Assuming you want coach:
UA.com shows EWR-SJO-PTY-MAO on 08/05.  You can also fly the week before and stopover for shabbos in SJO or PTY.
AA.com shows LGA-CLT-MIA-MAO on 08/07
Thank you for looking! Yes will send regards to the Rabbi of course!
Yes coach is fine. What is the date for shabbos in Panama?

Also I would maybe go to Lima first and do Machu Picchu if there is availability on or around July 30 from NYC-LIM and LIM -CUZ then fly back from GIG to MAO August 12 and then MAO - NYC August 16 which United shows available. I do not care about the order but would prefer to leave earlier so I can get in more.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2012, 06:10:40 PM by Fan of Dan »

Offline Fan of Dan

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forgot to mention that I just got back from Costa Rica before Pesach which is why Panama would be more exciting.