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 1839268 times)

Offline flyingBlue

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9200 on: August 01, 2021, 10:10:27 PM »
Round trip
Non-stop
From: NYC
To: Las Vegas
Departure dates: 8/8  - afternoon
Return date: 8/11 - evening
Class: economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: any

Offline dealover23

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9201 on: August 29, 2021, 09:36:39 AM »
Hi,

I'm sure there is an answer to this question on the forum so sorry in advance, just kinda lost with all the info and if someone knows a quick answer, would be great...

I have BA Points, United points, and Chase points with sapphire card. I need to fly from Montreal to New York. BA doesn't have anything available. Where would you suggest I look next?

Thanks

Offline bznt

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9202 on: September 25, 2021, 10:45:27 PM »
Anybody familiar in booking Latam operated flight with points ?
Which points currency is the best to use ?
They are no longer one world partners. Who are there partners ?
I am looking GRU-JFK in business
Latam 187,800k
Delta 105k
Who else do they partner with ?

Offline dsauch

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9203 on: October 06, 2021, 04:43:34 PM »
Does anyone have any thoughts or insights to share about EWR-ATH direct flight? Looking for business for 8/2022 - the price seems to be consistently the same for the entire time period between now and then. Should I just buy it now? Awards are in "standard" huge mode.

Offline JOJO2020

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9204 on: October 28, 2021, 02:07:19 PM »
One way/Round trip:ONE WAY
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1 STOP
From: BUD
To: NYC/NJ
Departure dates: 11/28/21
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I HAVE UNITED/CHASE/AMEX POINTS
TYIA

Offline Love2travel2

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9205 on: November 01, 2021, 07:18:55 PM »

Newbie here, please excuse any breaches of etiquette. Seeing if there is a trick to getting a good deal on a business class seat using my chase points and/or cash. Thanks!

One way/Round-trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:non-stop preferable
From:Lax or Burbank
To: paris airports
Departure dates:12/2/21 at night or 12/03/21
Return dates: 12/12/21 or 12/13/21
Class: First/Business
Seats: 1 person
Alliance/Airline: I have chase reserve points

Offline Em17

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9206 on: November 09, 2021, 02:14:19 PM »
One way/Round trip: Roundtrip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: None
From: JFK
To: MXP
Departure dates: Last week of December/beginning of January
Return airports: JFK/MIA/MCO
Return dates: Mid January
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Chase Ultimate Rewards/Emirates

Online Mf1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9207 on: November 14, 2021, 10:37:42 PM »
One way/Round trip: Roundtrip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: None
From: SYD
To: NYC
Departure dates: jan 4-10
Return airports: SYD
Return dates:  jan 17-30
Class: economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Chase Ultimate Rewards/Amex points

Offline Moe Pdk

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9208 on: November 17, 2021, 03:50:23 PM »
One way/Round-trip: Roundtrip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non stop
From: All airports from which you can depart, NYC, prefer JFK
To: Anywhere with nice warm weather and kosher food
Departure dates: Dec 15th or Dec 16th
Return airport NYC
Return dates: Dec 20,21,22,23
Class: First/Business/Coach/
Seats:  2
Alliance/Airline: UR points and BA

Offline greatdeals

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9209 on: November 18, 2021, 06:05:44 PM »
if one books a flight using amex mr points what happens if you need to cancel is that possible to get points back or change ticket for a different time?

Offline Joeymc

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9210 on: November 23, 2021, 06:22:42 PM »
One way/Round trip: One way
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: ELP
To: NYC
Departure dates: 12/27/21 +/- 1 day
Class: Economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I Have UA/AA/Chase/Amex points

Looking for cheapest flight, thanks
« Last Edit: November 23, 2021, 07:28:31 PM by Joeymc »
120 characters? Hmm, I wonder what I could write with 64 characters. Boy, it's gonna be hard to use up 15 characters. W-

Offline A.W.Z.B.T.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9211 on: December 01, 2021, 01:00:04 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: non-stop
From: ORD
To: MSP
Departure dates: 12/28/21 evening
Return Dates: 1/2/2022 mid/late morn
Class: Economy
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Amex MR points

Offline ShlomoM

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9212 on: December 13, 2021, 12:16:46 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1
From: YYZ
To: GIG
Departure dates: 02/19/2022 evening
Return Dates: 02/24/2022 mid/late morn
Class: Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Star Alliance/Amex MR points

Offline aryeh1

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9213 on: January 08, 2022, 06:14:30 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1
From: BLR
To: JFK
Bengaluru to Mumbai, Mumbai to NYC, direct.
Return: NY to Bengaluru via Mumbai
Departure dates: 04/7/2022
Return Dates: 05/7/2022
Class: business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Air India
Points: any (chase,  amex, ua , aeroplan etc)
« Last Edit: January 08, 2022, 06:20:48 PM by aryeh1 »

Offline thaber

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9214 on: January 14, 2022, 12:34:52 AM »
I will be smack in the middle of the country next week and would like to go from there to Israel, so I'm very flexible as to departure airport, can be anywhere in the US, my return is to LAX.
what's my best way to search J?

Offline joe1234

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9215 on: January 19, 2022, 11:26:45 AM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: nonstop
From: nyc,nj,phl
To: south florida
Departure dates: 02/17/2022 evening
Return Dates: 02/20/2022 evening or 02/21/2022 morning
Class: any
Seats: 2
Points: chase,  amex

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9216 on: January 23, 2022, 02:25:23 PM »
Any UR or MR transfer partners offer decent premium economy options for TLV-NYC (For direct UA/AA/DL/LY)?

Offline mimb

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9217 on: January 24, 2022, 12:33:40 PM »
Any UR or MR transfer partners offer decent premium economy options for TLV-NYC (For direct UA/AA/DL/LY)?

Maybe Qantas on LY or AA?

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9218 on: January 24, 2022, 05:22:38 PM »
Maybe Qantas on LY or AA?
Know any numbers?

Offline rivkyw

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #9219 on: January 25, 2022, 12:28:50 AM »
Best mileage value options for Business/First from LIH to NYC in March?