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 1838820 times)

Offline Redbull3

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Maybe if u guys would read what I asked u would understand that I wasn't asking how to book a regular mileage ticket.
I know it may be to much to ask from you but that's ok.......

You didn't give nearly enough information to illicit a real response; read the first post of this thread for the suggested format. Best of luck!  :)

Offline AJK

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Maybe if u guys would read what I asked u would understand that I wasn't asking how to book a regular mileage ticket.
I know it may be to much to ask from you but that's ok.......

An opportunity to ACTUALLY clarify to the people you seek help from what it is your asking... squandered.
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 meshugener

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Maybe if u guys would read what I asked u would understand that I wasn't asking how to book a regular mileage ticket.
I know it may be to much to ask from you but that's ok.......
No PWI allowed here.
Love me or hate me. I still love you.

Offline businessmachine

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lol

Offline mitzeahnow

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Need 2 tickets MIA-PARIS one way  (going to return via london on the 25th )

biz or first

4/17 or 4/18

I have aa spg mr and ur

Thx
p.s.
Could use help the whole way (see below) but figured easier to get help one way
leave mia 4/17or 4/18 Return 4/25 I only need a day (or even a long layover)in london
OR MIA-LONDON-PARIS-MIA
OR MIA-PARIS-LON-MIA

Offline dealvr

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NYC-CDG
April 20th (after shab)
Returning April 24th

Need 2 tickets.

Have Amex Chase and United.

All help appreciated.
Hey there! I am using WhatsApp.

Offline AJK

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NYC-CDG
April 20th (after shab)
Returning April 24th

Need 2 tickets.

Have Amex Chase and United.

All help appreciated.

Willing to stopover? Y/J/F?

Can't expect help if you don't provide all the details.
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 dealvr

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NYC-CDG
April 20th (after shab)
Returning April 24th

Need 2 tickets.

Have Amex Chase and United.

All help appreciated.
Willing to stopover? Y/J/F?

Can't expect help if you don't provide all the details.

Fair enough.

Y or J -  Don't want to spend extra on F.
Willing to stop.
Have FB Gold and AA Gold
Hey there! I am using WhatsApp.

Offline kow613

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Thank you, in advance, for helping.

My wife and I are trying to plan a honeymoon.

We have 61,431 in United Miles. 117,015 UR points. 30,000 Delta (ha). We have a Sapphire Preferred, United Card and  Delta.

We want to leave to Israel the week of April 7th and spend 3 weeks there.

We would then like to spend approximately 10 days in Europe.

We are open to flying roundtrip from Israel to Europe or spending time in Europe on the way back to Israel.

We are also open to spending some money on tickets, but would prefer to keep it under $600.

I know this is a tall order, I've been searching on my own, but if any of you experts could help that would be great. Thanks again.

Offline Fan of Dan

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Thank you, in advance, for helping.

My wife and I are trying to plan a honeymoon.

We have 61,431 in United Miles. 117,015 UR points. 30,000 Delta (ha). We have a Sapphire Preferred, United Card and  Delta.

We want to leave to Israel the week of April 7th and spend 3 weeks there.

We would then like to spend approximately 10 days in Europe.

We are open to flying roundtrip from Israel to Europe or spending time in Europe on the way back to Israel.

We are also open to spending some money on tickets, but would prefer to keep it under $600.

I know this is a tall order, I've been searching on my own, but if any of you experts could help that would be great. Thanks again.
You have enough miles for the tickets. Check UA.com and see what is avail. You should be able to stop in Europe at either end of the ticket, why don't you see what is avail.

Offline mitzeahnow

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sorry to repeat this but any help appreciated.
I have looked aa.com and UA.com

Need 2 tickets MIA-CDG one way 

biz or first

4/17 or 4/18

I have miles with aa/ur/mr/spg

thanks for your help

Offline smurf

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looking for flights from NYC to BUD
Leaving Wed April/10 returning Sun April 14
Any advice is appreciated, TA's feel free to PM the best paid tix you have.
TIA

Offline meshugener

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looking for flights from NYC to BUD
Leaving Wed April/10 returning Sun April 14
Any advice is appreciated, TA's feel free to PM the best paid tix you have.
TIA
What miles do you have? How many pax?
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Offline smurf

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What miles do you have? How many pax?
UR/UA/AMEX/SPG

up to 4 pax

Offline meshugener

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UR/UA/AMEX/SPG

up to 4 pax
What's the problem with this one?
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Offline mordy44

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Need business claa jfk to amsterdam 4/13 at night to 4/17 night or 4/18 morning

I have all types of miles. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Offline smart brit

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Need business claa jfk to amsterdam 4/13 at night to 4/17 night or 4/18 morning

I have all types of miles. Any help is greatly appreciated.
with ua you have outbound in coach and return in business
Both with a stopover.
Return you can have a direct flight with fb in business too

Offline wierdal832

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NYC-valencia spain

leaving      june 27th
returning  aug 1st

1 stopover is fine

1 ticket

i have united,amex,delta,ba,UR and spg
(i can sign up for aa if needed)

Offline Cbs

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NYC-BKK
return BKK-LHR(stop for a few days)-NYC

3/17-18 until 4/10-11 leaving BKK and leaving LHR 4/14-15

2 tix - in business

i have UR, and amex

So far i found jfk-zrh-bkk on united and return is tough but maybe you have a better outbound?

Offline aryeh1

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NYC to BUffalo, NY (BUF)
March 19 to 20th  ( evening/night)

I have AMEX, UR,UA,BA,USAir,AA,SW