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 1839753 times)

Offline Centurion

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1220 on: October 12, 2012, 01:13:28 AM »
Round trip
Preferably no stops.  Max one short stop
From: JFK or EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: nov 4th returning nov 12th
Return airports:JFK or EWR
Class: Coach/bizz to TLV Bizz on return
Seats: One
Airline: Any
have gold status + most programs
prefer to use amex points if possible
you can only make a first impression ONCE

Offline mmermss

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1221 on: October 12, 2012, 01:17:52 AM »
have 75k ur points, how many do i need fdor a ticket to IL or how much can i get for em

You can get an economy ticket for 75k standard award and 40k saver award.  Business ticket is 150k standard award and 60k saver award.
It's not about the quantity of your posts.  It's about the quality.

Offline rots5

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1222 on: October 12, 2012, 03:39:49 AM »
You can get an economy ticket for 75k standard award and 40k saver award.  Business ticket is 150k standard award and 60k saver award.

Wow. Thanks. How long does I take for it to gEt transfered.  I know it takes a good couple of days for spg to, does the UR points run the same way?  What's the adtv of a points ticket over a paid ticket - bec it basically costs the same thing - except the paid ticket I'll get points for buying it  in addition I'm promised availability now instead waitin
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline mmermss

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1223 on: October 12, 2012, 04:07:08 AM »
Wow. Thanks. How long does I take for it to gEt transfered.  I know it takes a good couple of days for spg to, does the UR points run the same way?  What's the adtv of a points ticket over a paid ticket - bec it basically costs the same thing - except the paid ticket I'll get points for buying it  in addition I'm promised availability now instead waitin

From UR to united? Instantly
Well sometimes economy may or may not be worth it with points depending on the time of year you fly and how much paid tickets are going for.

I dont think a points business ticket will ever be as much as a paid business ticket...thats where its really worth it.
It's not about the quantity of your posts.  It's about the quality.

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1224 on: October 12, 2012, 08:41:06 AM »
From UR to united? Instantly
Well sometimes economy may or may not be worth it with points depending on the time of year you fly and how much paid tickets are going for.

I dont think a points business ticket will ever be as much as a paid business ticke
t...thats where its really worth it.
Its often more expensive.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline mmermss

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1225 on: October 12, 2012, 08:56:02 AM »
Its often more expensive.

I agree.

Is there ever a time where a paid business will be cheaper than a points? I'm not talking about when there's a glitch.
It's not about the quantity of your posts.  It's about the quality.

Offline rots5

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1226 on: October 12, 2012, 10:16:38 AM »
so mermms and platnimguy, you both are very right, as i exp[lained this all to my mom minutes ago, its always worth it for a biz ticket to use points, but my dad will go coach, and someone offered me the same amount as much as the coach ticket he has reserved with el al (direct) so i think in this case it might be worth it to sell his points and then re buy a new ticket (this way he gets new points as well :-)
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1227 on: October 12, 2012, 11:24:36 AM »
I agree.

Is there ever a time where a paid business will be cheaper than a points? I'm not talking about when there's a glitch.
Yes.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1228 on: October 12, 2012, 12:36:49 PM »
You can get an economy ticket for 75k standard award and 40k saver award.  Business ticket is 150k standard award and 60k saver award.
that's for 1 way
Create professional looking itineraries.
Check out eliteitinerary.com

Offline iphonefan

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1229 on: October 12, 2012, 03:23:22 PM »
Round trip
Non-stop From: JFK
To: LAX
Departure dates:OCT 21
Return OCT 24
Class: Business
Seats:2
Alliance/Airline: WOULD PREFER DELTA BUT AM OPEN TO OTHER AIRLINES.

Offline AJK

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1230 on: October 12, 2012, 03:33:42 PM »
Round trip
Non-stop From: JFK
To: LAX
Departure dates:OCT 21
Return OCT 24
Class: Business
Seats:2
Alliance/Airline: WOULD PREFER DELTA BUT AM OPEN TO OTHER AIRLINES.

It's available on DL, but not at the low redemption amount.

If you can leave the 23rd, you can go for 25k.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline iphonefan

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1231 on: October 12, 2012, 03:38:36 PM »
It's available on DL, but not at the low redemption amount.

If you can leave the 23rd, you can go for 25k.

I can be there the 22nd but no later. What are my other options?

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1232 on: October 12, 2012, 03:41:26 PM »
I can be there the 22nd but no later. What are my other options?

United has avail in economy for 10/21-10/24

Offline iphonefan

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1233 on: October 12, 2012, 03:42:30 PM »
United has avail in economy for 10/21-10/24

How many miles? What are the times?

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1234 on: October 12, 2012, 03:46:29 PM »
How many miles? What are the times?

Avail for 12,500 miles each way, per person. Flight leaves from EWR at 6:59AM.

P.S. Delta has avail in economy for 21,250 miles each way, per person, from JFK. And you will save yourself the $75 fee from united.
« Last Edit: October 12, 2012, 03:51:46 PM by Ya'alili »

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1235 on: October 13, 2012, 10:50:56 PM »
Round trip
From: ORD
To: TLV
Max two short stops, preferably one though
Departure dates: NOV 7
Return: NOV 14 or 15 morning
Class: Business or first
Seats:1
Alliance/Airline:any

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1236 on: October 13, 2012, 11:21:30 PM »
Round trip
From: SFO
To: TLV
Departure: Nov 20
Return: Nov 25
Class: Business or first
Seats:1
Alliance/Airline:any

Thanx

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Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1237 on: October 14, 2012, 06:14:51 PM »
Im looking to travel on December 27 from Los Angeles to New Delhi returning January 15.

Any ideas?

Offline sruly101

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1238 on: October 15, 2012, 04:22:09 AM »
looking to upgrade to business a united flight from TLV to newark NOV, 21
how many points will it be?

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Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1239 on: October 15, 2012, 09:25:59 AM »
Is it dangerous to book a 900k or 1.8 million mile flight on a friends United account (6 people)?