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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 1838898 times)

Offline E-MAN

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  • Location: New York
Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Preferably Non stop but max one stop each way
From: NYC
To: HNL
Departure dates: May 26 or June 30
Return dates: June 2 or July 7
Class: Preferably First or Business, but would settle for coach only if direct flight
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I'm looking to transfer MR to Sigapore Airlines and book a flight on United

Offline Dan

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Mesh have you PUTPAC DL yet with those flights?
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 meshugener

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Mesh have you PUTPAC DL yet with those flights?
Yes.
They ask 265.5k
EWR-AMS DL0034 4/15 5:45PM
AMS-BUD KL1977 4/16 2:35PM
WAW-AMS KL1362 4/22 6:05AM
AMS-JFK KL0641 4/22 1:25PM

Half is saver (or whatever they call it) and the other is standard.
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Offline smart brit

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Yes.
They ask 265.5k
EWR-AMS DL0034 4/15 5:45PM
AMS-BUD KL1977 4/16 2:35PM
WAW-AMS KL1362 4/22 6:05AM
AMS-JFK KL0641 4/22 1:25PM

Half is saver (or whatever they call it) and the other is standard.
on fb the flight from ams to bud was the evening flight.
Maybe it will be cheaper on that flight

Offline itsyehuda

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Trying to get to Israel for a family bar mitzvah trip. Would not mind checking out London or Rome on the way.

One way/Round trip: ROUNDTRIP
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: ALL SEGMENTS NON-STOP (WILLING TO STOP IN CERTAIN CITIES AS STOPOVER)
From: NYC
TO: LHR or FCO
To: TLV
Departure dates: 8/11 - 8/12
Return airports: NYC
Return dates: 8/23
Class: First/Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: STAR / MIXED

I HAVE:
200K MR
200K UR
75K UNITED MP
65K STARPOINTS
I'll probably also have 50K AA

I don't need a hotel in Israel but would need hotel in stopover cities. I have to be in Israel by 8/14, because the party is 8/15 in the AM.

What's the best way to approach this?
Is it too early to get saver awards for this?
Everyone else has already booked travel, but I really want to do the business class thing.
I remember when a coke was a nickel, and you could buy VRs in OD.

Offline rg

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hi i have 300.000 MR points
 and 300.000 UR

I bought with my UR 8 tickets from EWR to ZRH on 7/29  @ 30.000 points and $2.50 in taxes
now i am looking for return to ny or ewr on the 14-15-or 18 august
can't find nothing under 50.000 points per person.
am willing to go from GVA or from ZRH.
I can still cancel till tonight the outgoing flights if I can't find return flights.

please help me someone.

Offline msg

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  • Location: lakewood nj
One way/Round trip: ROUNDTRIP
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:  NON-STOP
From: NY Area Airports
TO: MIA or Ft Lauderdale
Departure dates: 5/26
Return airports: NY Area Airports
Return dates: 5/29
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: BA/AA/ United/Chase Points

Thank you!

Offline yosele

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From; NYC
To; LAX
Round Trip Ticket
Date; april, 13 (motzei Shabbos), or april, 14
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: NON STOP
Class; Business
Seats;1
Alliance/airline; 50000+ Chase UR
75000+ MR
150000+ SPG

Offline Mimi K.

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One way/Round trip: ROUNDTRIP
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:  NON-STOP
From: NY Area Airports
TO: MIA or Ft Lauderdale
Departure dates: 4/16 After 4 PM
Return airports: NY Area Airports
Return dates: 4/21 Late Evening
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any. as long as its cheaper than $400 Per Passenger. (ie: 50K AA or UA is too expensive)
I have access to all miles.
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Offline msg

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  • Location: lakewood nj
One way/Round trip: ROUNDTRIP
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:  NON-STOP
From: NY Area Airports
TO: MIA or Ft Lauderdale
Departure dates: 4/16 After 4 PM
Return airports: NY Area Airports
Return dates: 4/21 Late Evening
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any. as long as its cheaper than $400 Per Passenger. (ie: 50K AA or UA is too expensive)
I have access to all miles.

Contact Meir 613

Offline smart brit

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  • Location: New york / London
One way/Round trip: ROUNDTRIP
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any:  NON-STOP
From: NY Area Airports
TO: MIA or Ft Lauderdale
Departure dates: 4/16 After 4 PM
Return airports: NY Area Airports
Return dates: 4/21 Late Evening
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: any. as long as its cheaper than $400 Per Passenger. (ie: 50K AA or UA is too expensive)
I have access to all miles.
You have available with us airways for 381$ with a stop in clt

Online jj1000

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From: Washington DC on 5/21
To: Chiang Mai
RT
Stop in Milan arriving on 5/28
Leave Milan back to DC on 6/4
Preferably first class.
2 passengers
United only.

TIA!


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Offline Dan

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From: Washington DC on 5/21
To: Chiang Mai
RT
Stop in Milan arriving on 5/28
Leave Milan back to DC on 6/4
Preferably first class.
2 passengers
United only.

TIA!



Search for BKK instead.
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Search for BKK instead.
And then buy a local flight?
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airasia.com
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.

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airasia.com
K. Still seems like no first or business class available for those dates. Does it generally open up only a couple weeks before? Is it worth waiting to book? (The next couple weeks have a lot available, but not the dates I posted)
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K. Still seems like no first or business class available for those dates. Does it generally open up only a couple weeks before? Is it worth waiting to book? (The next couple weeks have a lot available, but not the dates I posted)

What's the alternative?

If those are the only dates you can fly, you gotta do what you gotta do, no?

Generally, both LH and CX (and to a lesser extent SQ) are known to open up seats in the days and weeks leading up to departure, but I don't know about OZ, UA or TG, etc.
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

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What's the alternative?

If those are the only dates you can fly, you gotta do what you gotta do, no?

Generally, both LH and CX (and to a lesser extent SQ) are known to open up seats in the days and weeks leading up to departure, but I don't know about OZ, UA or TG, etc.
Alternative is to go coach. It's for a married couple for the record. Where is the best place to ask for trip help for them? Local itineraries etc.
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Alternative is to go coach. It's for a married couple for the record. Where is the best place to ask for trip help for them? Local itineraries etc.

What's more important to them -- flying J/F or flying on those dates?

If the former, just book alternate dates now. If the latter, and they do not HAVE to travel then, then either book in Y or risk waiting with the understanding they may not get anything.

Perhaps the best approach is BOTH are important to them, and they don't mind perhaps spending a bit*, is to book in Y now, and change to J/F if and when it becomes available.

(Do COS "class of service" upgrades cost $ on UA? I know on AA that in practice they do not.)
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

Online jj1000

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What's more important to them -- flying J/F or flying on those dates?

If the former, just book alternate dates now. If the latter, and they do not HAVE to travel then, then either book in Y or risk waiting with the understanding they may not get anything.

Perhaps the best approach is BOTH are important to them, and they don't mind perhaps spending a bit*, is to book in Y now, and change to J/F if and when it becomes available.

(Do COS "class of service" upgrades cost $ on UA? I know on AA that in practice they do not.)
The dates are most important as that is when work will give vacation.

How big a risk is it that those dates will open up in J/F?

Anyone know how much an upgrade is from Y to J/F. Can it be done with miles.

He has the UA club card so the $75 fee isn't an issue.
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