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 1838687 times)

Offline sky121

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Round trip:
Non-stop
From:ny/nj area
To: fll or nearby
Departure dates: feb 7 eve
Return dates:feb 11 morn
Class: Any
Seats:  2

price ive seen is around $250 per ticket.  but i have tons of all types of points - MR, united, starwood, sapphire, BA... am i better off with mileage? if so which one?
tx

Maybe use BA miles.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1641 on: January 25, 2013, 12:32:44 AM »
New York (LGA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - Thu, Feb 7   
   Spirit 171   Dep: 3:30PM   Arr: 6:48PM   3h 18m   Airbus A321    Economy (R)    
 
 
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to New York (LGA) - Mon, Feb 11   
   Spirit 604   Dep: 7:08AM   Arr: 10:00AM   2h 52m   Airbus A320    Economy (T)    
 
Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees)   $227.80   
Total cost for 1 passenger   $227.80   

ETA: On spirit itself its $217.78
« Last Edit: January 25, 2013, 12:36:27 AM by MEIR613 »

Offline sky121

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New York (LGA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - Thu, Feb 7
Spirit 171Dep: 3:30PMArr: 6:48PM3h 18mAirbus A321 Economy (R) 
 
 
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to New York (LGA) - Mon, Feb 11
Spirit 604Dep: 7:08AMArr: 10:00AM2h 52mAirbus A320 Economy (T) 
 
Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees)$227.80
Total cost for 1 passenger$227.80
Not worth It when you add in the fees for carry-ons etc.

And it's Spirit. It would have to be a whole lot cheaper to be worth it at all. If then.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline MEIR613

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Not worth It when you add in the fees for carry-ons etc.

And it's Spirit. It would have to be a whole lot cheaper to be worth it at all. If then.
Agree, but no open direct AA flights those dates.

Offline Centurion

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1644 on: January 25, 2013, 01:23:23 AM »
good day

One Way
Non-stop/one stop
From: HKG
To: NYC/EWR
Departure date: feb 6th
Class: first/ business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have miles with amex, AA, BA, Starwood, delta

you can only make a first impression ONCE

Offline thaber

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1645 on: January 25, 2013, 11:47:38 AM »
good day

One Way
Non-stop/one stop
From: HKG
To: NYC/EWR
Departure date: feb 6th
Class: first/ business
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I have miles with amex, AA, BA, Starwood, delta


So I guess you worked out part 1 http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7986.msg396118#msg396118

Offline businessmachine

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1646 on: January 25, 2013, 02:07:45 PM »

Looking for multi-City trip end of this year. UA shows very little J availability as this will be peak season but if anyone has other ideas, please reply

From: NYC
To: BKK
From: MLE
To:NYC
Departure date: Dec 22-Jan 6
Class: first/ business
Seats: 2

Have UA, Amex, UR,BA. TIA

Offline mango

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1647 on: January 26, 2013, 09:14:57 PM »
Hi,

I am looking for a business/first class ticket to South Africa. Details here:

One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: prefer 0-1 stop, 2 stops if short, not in some 3rd-world country
From: All airports from which you can depart: NYC/BOS
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line: JNB
Departure dates: March 2 (after Shabbos) or March 3
Return dates: March 7
Class: Business/First
Total number of people traveling over the age of 2: 1/2 Seats
Alliance/Airline: Any, have MR and SPG points. Currently getting 2+ cpm on SPG so would prefer not to use it.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Offline est

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1648 on: January 26, 2013, 09:48:06 PM »
Maybe use BA miles.
It would prob be much more cost efficient to use ba points. Can u provide a link to guide me where to look to check availability.

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1649 on: January 26, 2013, 09:54:51 PM »
It would prob be much more cost efficient to use ba points. Can u provide a link to guide me where to look to check availability.
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/spend-avios/public/en_us?source=MNVEXC2_spend_avios&link=main_nav

Offline Centurion

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you can only make a first impression ONCE

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1651 on: January 26, 2013, 11:43:44 PM »
It would prob be much more cost efficient to use ba points. Can u provide a link to guide me where to look to check availability.

Nothing is available with ba for ur dates.

Offline est

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1652 on: January 27, 2013, 12:45:59 AM »
Nothing is available with ba for ur dates.
So what wld b my next best option? Other form of points? Tx

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1653 on: January 27, 2013, 01:04:29 AM »
So what wld b my next best option? Other form of points? Tx
If the price is 250 go with that

Offline Drago

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1654 on: January 27, 2013, 01:48:02 AM »
It seems that US Airway doesn't open up too much Envoy class service (biz level) at the Saver level for TLV - PHL.
Is this your experience as well?
Any advice as to how to snag it? I've heard it's one of the best hard products for a US carrier.

Offline Dan

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1655 on: January 27, 2013, 01:48:54 AM »
Any advice as to how to snag it? I've heard it's one of the best hard products for a US carrier.
Meh, if you're traveling as a couple stick to UA IMHO. Plus UA has plan B.
If you're solo then yes, try for US.
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 Drago

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1656 on: January 27, 2013, 06:16:00 AM »
Meh, if you're traveling as a couple stick to UA IMHO. Plus UA has plan B.
If you're solo then yes, try for US.
As of now, I have the wife and 3 kids (2 seats) flying sep from me.
We're all booked on UA (albeit separate days).

Why is UA better for couples? More openness?

Offline meshugener

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1657 on: January 27, 2013, 09:31:49 AM »
@Drago:
I recently booked for my dad USAir biz using UA miles. (RT PHL-TLV).
Love me or hate me. I still love you.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1658 on: January 27, 2013, 12:03:32 PM »
R/T any amount of stops
From: DFW, DAL
To: TLV
Departure dates: Jun 11th (+/- 3 days)
Return dates: July 23 (+/- 2 days)
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: No preference

Also if you can let me know about the fuel surcharges and fees that the airline would charge I would appreciate. When it comes to miles and airlines I am a complete novice.
learning about churning

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #1659 on: January 27, 2013, 12:07:04 PM »
R/T any amount of stops
From: DFW, DAL
To: TLV
Departure dates: Jun 11th (+/- 3 days)
Return dates: July 23 (+/- 2 days)
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: No preference

Also if you can let me know about the fuel surcharges and fees that the airline would charge I would appreciate. When it comes to miles and airlines I am a complete novice.
Try searching from NYC/PHL/YYZ and then locate the flight from DFW.
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.