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 1839625 times)

Offline mobobs770

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You can have rt with flying blue for 70k + 320$ taxes and fees
Is that for both tickets or one? What's flying blue?

Offline ilherman

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I'm looking for the cheapest method. I guess 1 or maybe even 2 stopovers would be fine.
60,000 United points + around $150 fees.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline mobobs770

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60,000 United points + around $150 fees.
Do you know what the Amex transfer rate is? Is it 1:1? Is that with stopovers? If so, how many?
And last, is there a way to search reward flights on United without having an account? I'd rather not open one until I'm ready to buy...

Offline ilherman

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Do you know what the Amex transfer rate is? Is it 1:1? Is that with stopovers? If so, how many?
And last, is there a way to search reward flights on United without having an account? I'd rather not open one until I'm ready to buy...
Sorry, Amex does not transfer to United.

Was just telling you the options.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline emak

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And last, is there a way to search reward flights on United without having an account?
Yes. And you can transfer from Chase UR.

Offline mdrills

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I know Dan had a post a while back about flying to israel using starpoints but can i have Chase UR

Offline ilherman

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I know Dan had a post a while back about flying to israel using starpoints but can i have Chase UR
Post the dates you want to fly any will try to help you.

If you're looking to fly economy, you're probably better off just buying a revenue ticket.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline killamatic12

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Post the dates you want to fly any will try to help you.

If you're looking to fly economy, you're probably better off just buying a revenue ticket.
hey i would like to go 4/27 4/28 or 4/29 economy- one way. i only have 25k UR points. whats a revenue ticket. just by with money?

Offline ilherman

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hey i would like to go 4/27 4/28 or 4/29 economy- one way. i only have 25k UR points. whats a revenue ticket. just by with money?
Yes.

If you're looking for a one way, then you may wanna go with points.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline ilherman

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hey i would like to go 4/27 4/28 or 4/29 economy- one way. i only have 25k UR points. whats a revenue ticket. just by with money?
From Hong Kong to Spain?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline smart brit

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Is that for both tickets or one? What's flying blue?
rt=round trip

Offline mdrills

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hey i would like to go 4/27 4/28 or 4/29 economy- one way. i only have 25k UR points. whats a revenue ticket. just by with money?
Im posting for my parents who need to buy a ticket for my brother to go to israel but hes prob not going till succos time. Im trying to figure out approx how many points it will cost them so that they can take the appropriate measures to make sure they have them in time. (also he might want a specific flight with his "chevra" would that be an issue?)
Thank you very much for your help

Offline killamatic12

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From Hong Kong to Spain?
From NYC to Israel. I wanna go to Yeshiva there next zman :D how many points for a one way would you say

Offline ilherman

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Im posting for my parents who need to buy a ticket for my brother to go to israel but hes prob not going till succos time. Im trying to figure out approx how many points it will cost them so that they can take the appropriate measures to make sure they have them in time. (also he might want a specific flight with his "chevra" would that be an issue?)
Thank you very much for your help
Yes. Availability is very limited, especially on direct flights.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline mdrills

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Yes. Availability is very limited, especially on direct flights.
i guess well cross that bridge when we get there. In the mean time ill get the dates. Also is there more availability if they were willing to use points and Cash?

Offline Myccrabbi

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Looking for round trip, non stop, from ewr to fll/mia.
Departing 04-14 morning
Returning 04-23 morning
Class:economy/business saver.
Seats:1
Alliance: any
If u work for a living, why kill urself working?

Offline ilherman

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hey i would like to go 4/27 4/28 or 4/29 economy- one way. i only have 25k UR points. whats a revenue ticket. just by with money?
You have open up more CC  :)
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline killamatic12

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You have open up more CC  :)
im a total noob at this. just opened a saphire preferred. sucks that VR  dont work anymore. but i went to cvs today and they had 1 left. i started reading the cover and it said u have to register online so i thought by the time i do everything i wont be able to do it before the deadline :/

Offline ilherman

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im a total noob at this. just opened a saphire preferred. sucks that VR  dont work anymore. but i went to cvs today and they had 1 left. i started reading the cover and it said u have to register online so i thought by the time i do everything i wont be able to do it before the deadline :/
You don't have to register VR.

For 80,000 United points you can fly NYC-TLV in business class with their star alliance partners - there are some availability's on your dates.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Online ah

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what's the most cost effective way to use miles(any currency) to go from NY-Barcelona i found 20,000 mile tickets (by working the system with AA-extra leg before) and the return leg on BA but the fees are pretty high, clearly this is not the best way, any advice? dates are aug 31st, sept 1st to sept 8 or 9 (slightly flexible) Thanks in advance
anyone? I appreciate any help, thanks!