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 1839396 times)

Offline westalay

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TLV-NYC HELP!
« Reply #9100 on: October 04, 2019, 08:06:04 AM »
I need to find a one way ticket TLV-NYC on 10/9 right after Yom Kippur or 1AM 10/10
All ideas are welcome
Please help!

Offline Azis Papa

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Re: TLV-NYC HELP!
« Reply #9101 on: October 04, 2019, 11:05:44 AM »
I need to find a one way ticket TLV-NYC on 10/9 right after Yom Kippur or 1AM 10/10
All ideas are welcome
Please help!
Possibly...
Tel Aviv (TLV) to Newark (EWR) — Thu, Oct 10  $1882.
Overnight flight
United 10
Dep: 12:25 am
Arr: 5:30 am
12h 5m
Boeing 777

Offline eli1571

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9102 on: October 16, 2019, 04:31:03 PM »

One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 10.23 - 10.25 or 10.27
Return airports: NYC
Class: ANY
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline:  ANY I have miles and points but everything i saw is in range of 180k miles
I have to arrive on the 24th by 1pm

Offline Yoko

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9103 on: October 17, 2019, 10:13:43 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops: 1
From: EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: August 9 2020 - August 23 2020
Return airports: EWR
Class: ANY
Seats: 5
Alliance/Airline: I have plenty of United, Bonvoy, Chase UR & AMEX MR.
I have chase Sapphire

Offline moshe shachter

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9104 on: October 24, 2019, 12:25:51 PM »
Round-trip:
Non-stop
From: EWR, JFK, LGA
To: LAX
Departure dates: 12/18, 12/19
Return airports: EWR, JFK, LGA
Return dates: 12/23, 12/24
Class: Coach
Seats: 2
I have 100k membership rewards

Online whacked1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9105 on: October 29, 2019, 05:29:19 PM »
One way/Round-trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: max 1
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: ARRIVAL DATES - December 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,11.
Return airports: TLV
Return dates: ANY AS LONG AS IN NYC ON ONE OF ABOVE DATES
Class: BUSINESS
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: ANY AS LONG AS BUSINESS

AMEX MR
WILL BE COMPENSATED 

Offline bellis25

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9106 on: October 30, 2019, 04:18:31 PM »
I'm booking a trip to Maldives/Thailand this summer and need to secure flights around Thailand. I'm looking to book two seats on each flight and prefer business class for my July 27th and August 4th flights. Hoping to utilize points (United and Chase) and to keep costs down as much as possible. If anyone is familiar with intra-Thai travel your help would be greatly appreciated.

- July 27: MLE to Bangkok (Thai air or Bangkok Air)

- July 29: Bangkok to Chiang Mai

- August 1: Chiang Mai to Koh Samui

- August 4: Koh Sumai to HKG


Thanks!

Offline shimino1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9107 on: October 31, 2019, 07:47:25 AM »
One way/Round-trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: max 1
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: ARRIVAL DATES - December 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,11.
Return airports: TLV
Return dates: ANY AS LONG AS IN NYC ON ONE OF ABOVE DATES
Class: BUSINESS
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: ANY AS LONG AS BUSINESS

AMEX MR
WILL BE COMPENSATED 
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) have good availability for your dates and you can transfer MR to book.

Offline RebTuvia

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9108 on: November 01, 2019, 01:16:37 PM »
One way
Non-Stop
From:NYC
To:TLV
Departure dates: Nov:3, 4, 5,
Class:Coach
Seats:1
Alliance/Airline:United, Delta, (ELAL) or any other Non-Stop
Thanks in advance, I appreciate it!

Offline Issac Karahod

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9109 on: November 04, 2019, 06:18:58 AM »
Round-trip:
Non-stop or 1 stop
From: JFK, LGA (EWR if necessary).
To: TLV
Departure dates: 6/21, 22, 23, 24
Return dates: very flexible. Would like to stay for 3-4 weeks.
Class: Coach (unless business is some insane value somehow)
Seats: 8  :D
Alliance/Airline: I have 600,000 Delta SkyMiles and about 450,000 MR. (both of these numbers will grow over the next few months)
Also have Amex Biz Plat that gets back 35% on Delta. (Could change in January)
DW has CSR and about 275,000 UR.
I’d like to use up the Delta miles if I can get decent value.
Thanks all for any help, tips and/or advice.

Offline dantorah

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9110 on: November 05, 2019, 02:18:26 PM »
One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 4/5/20-4/19/20
Class: Any
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: Have Chase Ultimate reward (Reserve)

Offline dantorah

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9111 on: November 05, 2019, 02:20:00 PM »
One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 9/28/20-10/12/20
Class: Any
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: Have Chase Ultimate reward (Reserve)
Modify message

Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9112 on: November 05, 2019, 05:51:03 PM »
One way/Round-trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: NYC
To: TLV
Departure dates: 4/5/20-4/19/20
Class: Any
Seats: 4
Alliance/Airline: Have Chase Ultimate reward (Reserve)
Aeroflot, Ukrainian and Royal Jordanian have great prices for your dates.
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline dantorah

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9113 on: November 05, 2019, 06:01:58 PM »
Anything aside from those and Turkish?

Offline yman

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9114 on: November 06, 2019, 01:29:41 PM »
One way/Round-trip: round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:any, prferably non stop
From: TLV
To:Brusells/Belgium
Departure dates: November 19 or 20
Return airports: TLV
Return dates: November 20 red eye or early Thurs Nov 21
Class: any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any. Have mileage with United, Chase, and Marriott.

Offline Etanchum

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9115 on: November 10, 2019, 08:00:52 PM »
Round-trip:
Non-stop or 1 stop
From: JFK, LGA (EWR if necessary).
To: TLV
Departure dates: 8/19
Return dates: very flexible. Would like to stay for  ~10days
Class: Coach (unless business is some insane value somehow)
Seats: 8 
Thanks!! Any help appreciated..not miles :(

Offline mlight

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9116 on: November 11, 2019, 06:30:21 PM »
Roundtrip.
Non-stop
From: NYC, PHL
To: MEX
Departure date: 1/16/2020
Return dates: 1=20/2020
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any

Online Mf1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9117 on: November 13, 2019, 02:44:07 PM »
One way/Round-trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: max 1
From: nyc
To: montreal
Departure dates: november 18
Return airports: montreal
Return dates: november 18 late night or november 19
Class: economu
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: ANY

Chase UR

Thank u so much

i dont really need an exact option, even just a tip on which airline is best to get reward point ticket on for a flight in the near future.

Offline simplicity

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9118 on: November 17, 2019, 02:14:42 PM »
Roundtrip.
Non-stop
From: ewr/phl
To: ytz/yyz
Departure date: 11/28/19
Return dates: 11/29/19
Class: Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any
ps i have ur, amex, delta

Offline Mo2

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9119 on: November 19, 2019, 12:39:58 PM »
One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops 1 preferably none.
From: YYZ
To: MCO
Departure dates: Fri Apr 17 (before Shabbos) or Sunday Apr 19
Class: Any - Cheapest
Seats: 6 or 7
Alliance/Airline: ANY (United seems to be only real option)
No united status

I have enough Chase (no premium cards) and Amex points (Amex biz plat).
Is it better to transfer and book via Chase-United or Amex-Aeroplan?
(I also have AA, BA & Delta points but it seems like I can't use for this.)

I already looked up United for Sunday Apr 19 and cheapest is 8:55 pm ac flight for 12.5k + $47.95.
Is this the best I can get?

Also open to fly from BUF but couldn't find a better/cheaper option to make it worth the hassle.

TIA
Common sense is not a gift, it is a punishment.
Because you have to deal with everyone who doesn't have it.