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 1839329 times)

Offline EJB

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Sep 2012
  • Posts: 5409
  • Total likes: 254
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 15
    • View Profile
Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5720 on: October 19, 2014, 08:47:55 AM »
I've read several of Dan's postings, plus lots of other stuff on DDF, but I still have questions related to Israel award travel.


For example, can someone please advise:

How is it possible to fly BOS-TLV on Aer Lingus?  I see BOS-DUB and BOS-SNN, but not DUB-TLV or SNN-TLV.
--Does one need to connect somewhere in continental Europe (e.g., DUB-LHR-TLV or DUB-CDG-TLV)?
--And if so, how to search it? (I tried searching on BA, but all that shows up is BA and Iberia).

Thanks very much.

Not sure what you're asking. Depends if the airline you're redeeming w allows stopovers.

Offline kangarruu

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 880
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5721 on: October 19, 2014, 08:56:41 AM »
One way
Any number of stops
From: NYC airports
To: SYD
Departure dates: 10/20, 10/21, 10/22
Class: Business or First, F preferable
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

My brother-in-law needs to be in SYD before Shabbos. He's fairly flexible on the points currency to be used, but I'm having trouble finding routes that are a normal amount of time flying and that get there before shabbos.

Thanks!

Offline kangarruu

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 880
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5722 on: October 19, 2014, 01:26:43 PM »
One way
Any number of stops
From: NYC airports
To: SYD
Departure dates: 10/20, 10/21, 10/22
Class: Business or First, F preferable
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any

My brother-in-law needs to be in SYD before Shabbos. He's fairly flexible on the points currency to be used, but I'm having trouble finding routes that are a normal amount of time flying and that get there before shabbos.

Thanks!

I got him JFK-LAX-HNL-BNE-SYD/SYD-HKG-NYC for 152.5k AA roundtrip (minus the 10% AA credit card rebate). Any way to improve the outgoing legs? He'll be CX F on the way home, but I only managed to find HA business on the main overwater routes on the way there. Suggestions?

Offline Centro

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 2935
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 33
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5723 on: October 19, 2014, 02:24:04 PM »
Trying to book a trip for someone, need to get from BUF to YUL, seems like there's straight flights, am I right?
If so, what do ppl usually do in this scenario?
TIA

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8935
  • Total likes: 227
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5724 on: October 19, 2014, 02:35:19 PM »
I got him JFK-LAX-HNL-BNE-SYD/SYD-HKG-NYC for 152.5k AA roundtrip (minus the 10% AA credit card rebate). Any way to improve the outgoing legs? He'll be CX F on the way home, but I only managed to find HA business on the main overwater routes on the way there. Suggestions?
How did you book CX for the way home?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline kangarruu

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 880
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5725 on: October 19, 2014, 02:41:31 PM »
How did you book CX for the way home?

It's actually CX J (I didn't realize that CX only has business on SYD-HKG-NYC). The flight is on hold with AA, and the phone rep priced it at 90k for the oneway.

Apologies for the edits. I'm slowly losing my head from jumping between tasks.

Offline lubaby

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 5335
  • Total likes: 736
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 12
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5726 on: October 19, 2014, 02:59:36 PM »
Apologies for the edits. I'm slowly losing my head from jumping between tasks.
You gotta practice more, this guy (relative of yours?) seems to have it under control.


Offline kangarruu

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 880
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5727 on: October 19, 2014, 03:11:09 PM »
You gotta practice more, this guy (relative of yours?) seems to have it under control.



:)

He settled on a US award through HKG roundtrip on CX. I think I'm more excited about it than he is.

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8935
  • Total likes: 227
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5728 on: October 19, 2014, 03:12:33 PM »
It's actually CX J (I didn't realize that CX only has business on SYD-HKG-NYC). The flight is on hold with AA, and the phone rep priced it at 90k for the oneway.

Apologies for the edits. I'm slowly losing my head from jumping between tasks.
Now that makes sense.. Its 2 awards.

You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline kangarruu

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 880
  • Total likes: 6
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5729 on: October 19, 2014, 03:32:20 PM »
Now that makes sense.. Its 2 awards.

Right. It was going to be 62.5k for the outbound and 90k for the return. The annoying part was that the outgoing was on HA and the business class didn't look at all appealing. US is going to be cheaper and with better planes, so everything is better.

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8935
  • Total likes: 227
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5730 on: October 19, 2014, 03:33:10 PM »
Right. It was going to be 62.5k for the outbound and 90k for the return. The annoying part was that the outgoing was on HA and the business class didn't look at all appealing. US is going to be cheaper and with better planes, so everything is better.
You can check SQ via SIN....
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Joe4007

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 4077
  • Total likes: 154
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 11
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5731 on: October 19, 2014, 05:40:39 PM »
Trying to book a trip for someone, need to get from BUF to YUL, seems like there's straight flights, am I right?
If so, what do ppl usually do in this scenario?
TIA
Where do you see direct flights?

Offline Centro

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 2935
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 33
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5732 on: October 19, 2014, 06:52:55 PM »
Where do you see direct flights?
Typo, meant to say there's No direct flights..

Offline Steven

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 628
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5733 on: October 19, 2014, 07:28:51 PM »
Round trip: NYC-TLV
Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC (all airports)
To: TLV
Departure dates: 1/5 (1/6 ok)
Return dates: 1/15 (1/14 ok)
Class: Business (or higher  :))
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: preferably using AA

Offline Steven

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 628
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5734 on: October 19, 2014, 07:35:53 PM »
Round trip: NYC-TLV
Maximum stops: 1
From: NYC (all airports)
To: TLV
Departure dates: 1/5 (1/6 ok)
Return dates: 1/15 (1/14 ok)
Class: Business (or higher  :))
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: preferably using AA
I found TLV-VIE-JFK on united (flying austrian) but the TLV-VIE is on A380. Bus class seats are nothing according to seatguru. Is there any way getting around paying bus class on that leg of the trip? Its only a 4 hr flight but still..

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8935
  • Total likes: 227
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5735 on: October 19, 2014, 07:52:58 PM »
VIE-TLV is on A380?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Steven

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2011
  • Posts: 628
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5736 on: October 19, 2014, 08:00:04 PM »
VIE-TLV is on A380?
My bad! A320 (yes big difference..)

Offline Centro

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 2935
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 33
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5737 on: October 19, 2014, 08:58:01 PM »
EWR > BUF
YYZ > YUL
YUL > EWR
On United for 35k plus $85.30
Is this considered cheap or I should be able to do better?

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8935
  • Total likes: 227
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5738 on: October 19, 2014, 09:07:32 PM »
EWR > BUF
YYZ > YUL
YUL > EWR
On United for 35k plus $85.30
Is this considered cheap or I should be able to do better?
how much is a cash ticket?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Centro

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2012
  • Posts: 2935
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 33
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5739 on: October 19, 2014, 09:11:01 PM »
how much is a cash ticket?
Didn't get a chance to check, I'll be on my computer later.