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 1839942 times)

Offline MosheD

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Round trip:
Any Stops (a full day stop in London would be great)
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: 8/2-9
Return dates: 9/20-28
Class: Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have BA avois i.m looking to use but i'm having trouble finding availability

Offline MosheD

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Round trip:
Any Stops (a full day stop in London would be great)
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: 8/2-9
Return dates: 9/20-28
Class: Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have BA avois i.m looking to use but i'm having trouble finding availability

also have Star alliance miles (united) but can't search ANA... but i'd take a flight I can pay with united miles

Offline aryeh1

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What miles are best option to use for domestic ( nyc to fll) , AA, BA, SW or Spirit?

Offline PlatinumGuy

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What miles are best option to use for domestic ( nyc to fll) , AA, BA, SW or Spirit?
Assuming availability is equal, for coach, generally BA
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline aryeh1

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Assuming availability is equal, for coach, generally BA
Couldnt find BA from June 28 to July 3rd, NYC to FLL or MIA or PBI. Am I doing something wrong?

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Couldnt find BA from June 28 to July 3rd, NYC to FLL or MIA or PBI. Am I doing something wrong?
Perhaps, use appropriate threads where info is listed about that question.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Dan

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Couldnt find BA from June 28 to July 3rd, NYC to FLL or MIA or PBI. Am I doing something wrong?
Search on AA.com for sAAver seats.
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 Yitz

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also have Star alliance miles (united) but can't search ANA... but i'd take a flight I can pay with united miles
You can search on united. Click the radio for Awards and you will see a list of airlines and how many awards you need

Offline aryeh1

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Search on AA.com for sAAver seats.
I only found sAAver for coming back and economy anytime ,going.

Offline Dan

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BA will only book sAAVer.
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 aryeh1

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BA will only book sAAVer.
Thanks.Do sAAvers ever open up? Whats my other option SW, Spirit or US.

Offline Fan of Dan

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Thanks.Do sAAvers ever open up? Whats my other option SW, Spirit or US.
yes they do open up, sometimes right before. If you can may be worth your while to check out of PHL sometimes they have better availability to Miami.

Offline Yitz

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One way/Round trip:
Non-stop or Maximum stops 1 stop ok
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: June 20 or 21
Return airports: same
Return dates:  July 1 or can leave earlier if deal is better
Class: Coach
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline:

Offline sb5917

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  • Location: brooklyn
Round trip:
Maximum 1 stop
From: nyc
To: tlv
Departure dates: 8/1/12
Return airports: tlv
Return dates: 8/15/12
Class: First/Business/
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: star aliens

Offline Ergel

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Round trip:
Maximum 1 stop
From: nyc
To: tlv
Departure dates: 8/1/12
Return airports: tlv
Return dates: 8/15/12
Class: First/Business/
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: star aliens
Sounds cool
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline sam28

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hi can anyone help me out i am looking to fly nyc to lax june 16 till july 3 lax to nyc 3 seats cant find anyting on ba -aai have allot of ba points what can i do ?

Offline Cashman

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Need help with a specific flight. Zrh-tlv flight may 19 #lx254. Can you let me know if you see any reward availability.

Offline devoramendy

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  • Location: Cincinnati
Multi-City
From: CVG
To: LAX
Then to: YUL
And back to: CVG
Departure dates: First leg- Week of June 24; second leg - week of July 15; third leg - August 22 or 23
Class: Coach
Seats: 5
Alliance/Airline: Delta

Can anyone help? Thanks!

Offline mguy

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AA.com is showing ZERO coach sAAver availability for NYC-MIA for almost two months - from Jun 24 to Aug 17. That seems weird - there is plenty of availability before and after those dates. Does AA block out the summer? I wouldn't expect that since I don't think summer is peak season.

Offline Dan

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Too many Jews with Avios :D
Suck it up and fly on a connecting flight or fly PHL-MIA.
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.