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 1839371 times)

Offline ShaindyR

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5800 on: October 26, 2014, 04:50:56 PM »
One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: prefer one stop
From: All airports from which you can depart EWR, JFK ,PHL LGA
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line, MEL
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible. NOV 30 OR DEC 1
Return airports:If different from 'To' line. Delete this line for One way tickets SAME AS ABOVE
Return dates: Delete this line for One way tickets  DEC 8
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any first/ and Business
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2 one seat
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with
I would Love the qantas but i see the availability is extremely hard now , so will be open to any idea Thanks

Offline nobiggy

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5801 on: October 26, 2014, 06:52:34 PM »
one way.
MEL-HKG 4/12/2015 buisness

Offline Esther

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5802 on: October 26, 2014, 09:08:07 PM »
One way/Round trip: Round trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: NYC
To: BCN (or surrounding)
To: NAP
Departure dates: 12/23 - 12/24
Return airports:ZRH
Return dates: 1/4
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Flexible

Between the 2 of us we have about 40K AA, 160K UR (possibly more if I get from a relative), 25K MR, and 20K SPG. I'd like to use SPG for hotels (and possibly convert MR to SPG).

Ideally, we'd like to fly to Barcelona on the 24th, stay for Shabbos, fly to Naples on the 28th, make our way through Italy, spend the next Shabbos in Zurich and fly home on the 4th.

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5803 on: October 27, 2014, 01:18:53 AM »
(and possibly convert MR to SPG).

How will you do that?

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5804 on: October 27, 2014, 01:34:27 AM »
How will you do that?
They're one of MR's transfer partners, but at a horrible ratio.

Offline EandN

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5805 on: October 27, 2014, 01:37:47 AM »
Looking for some help on booking an award flight
Round trip:Tel Aviv-NY-Tel Aviv
Can be with stopover
From: TLV
To: preferred JFK but also EWR
Departure dates: 4/1/15
Return dates: 4/15/15
Class: Coach
Seats:1
Alliance/Airline:
Could  use Lufthansa miles--have 50k for one way that I don't see too many uses for. Any way to avoid the $300 charge?
Have 40k USAir and can move starwood points over. Dan writes that 20k transfers to 37.5k and ticket can be booked with LAN for 70k points. Need help on how to do that. For just 70k points and no surcharges I could deal with getting from PHI to NY.
Would really appreciate some help. Thank you!

Offline yids

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5806 on: October 27, 2014, 05:05:37 AM »

One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: ANY
From: TLV
To: NYC
Departure dates: NOV 2ND
Return dates: NOV 4, NOV 5, OR NOV 6
Class: ANY
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: PREF STAR ALLIANCE, WILL TAKE ANYTHING SUPER CHEAP
AIRLINE CARDS I HAVE: UNITED, BA, MANY OTHER REG. CARDS

NEED TO BE IN NY NOV 2ND FOR WEDDING, BUT I NEED TO BE IN JERUSALEM MOTSEI SHABBOS (NOV 1ST)

THANKS

No dice?
Registered Travel Agent - SK Assist

Offline Drago

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5807 on: October 27, 2014, 05:41:34 AM »
Did you check what Air France has available?

Offline EMCC

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5808 on: October 27, 2014, 06:06:30 AM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: ANY
From: HKG
To: PIT
Departure dates: Jan 7 ~
Return dates: Jan 17 ~
Class: ANY
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I don't care. Prefer free baggage.
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Offline princea143

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5809 on: October 27, 2014, 09:19:22 AM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Any
From: LAX
To: HKG, MFM
Departure dates: 11/17-11/19
Return airports: LAX
Return dates: 11/23 Evening or 11/24 Morning (need to be in LAX morning of the 24th at the latest)
Class: Any cheapest
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: Any
I have a Citi Exec, UMPE, Amex Delta Gold, BA, Amex Plat as far as possible status goes. 
I also have:
105,322 AA
190,657 UR
59,046 UA
141,223 BA
76,548 MR
21,524 SPG
32,141 Delta Miles
 
My wife and I were invited to the Pacquiao fight in Macau on November 22nd, yet I won't know if the free tickets will be for sure until a week or so before the fight.  It's about 80% for sure.  :-\  It may not be a good idea to find tickets now, but if someone could give me a crash course or let me know where and how to look, so I could be ready to pull the trigger when I get the green light, it would be greatly appreciated.  I'm not so savvy yet with the utilization aspect of points/miles. 
Things to keep in mind: With the time difference, we need to be there by the 21st in their time zone, so we could leave at the latest the 19th here in the evening, but we would not mind leaving before, so we could tour HK or Macau and get rid of the jetlag before the fight.  We are willing to go to HKG and take the ferry to Macau if it is not feasible to go directly to Macau.  I'm looking for the cheapest way to get there with points.  Thanks in advance!         

Offline zandray35

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5810 on: October 27, 2014, 12:20:59 PM »
One way/Round trip: round trip
Maximum stops: 2
From: ord
To: tlv
To: vce
To:waw
To: ord
Departure dates: 11/23- late night or 11/24
Return airports: vce
Return dates: 11/29- late night
Return airports: waw
Return dates: 12/2
Return airport: ord
Return dates: 12/2
Class: Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I have aa points, mr points, ba point and ur points

I'd like to go from Chicago to Israel and I'd like to stop in Venice for 2 or 3 days and to stop in Poland for 8 hours. If its cheaper, I can make these stops 1 in each direction to Israel. If it doesn't make a difference, I'd like to make them them both on the way home.
Please advise what are my best routing options.

Offline Tzadik Nistar

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5811 on: October 27, 2014, 02:36:02 PM »
One way/Round trip: OW
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: NON
From: NYC
To: BRU
Departure dates: Nov 3
Class: Business
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I don't care.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5812 on: October 27, 2014, 02:48:41 PM »
Based on forum info a business class award flight NYC to Hawaii booked through Singapore Airlines on United would be 60K miles. When searching for availability on United does it need to be saver award availability?

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5813 on: October 27, 2014, 03:04:49 PM »
Based on forum info a business class award flight NYC to Hawaii booked through Singapore Airlines on United would be 60K miles. When searching for availability on United does it need to be saver award availability?

Yes.

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5814 on: October 27, 2014, 03:05:19 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: ANY
From: HKG
To: PIT
Departure dates: Jan 7 ~
Return dates: Jan 17 ~
Class: ANY
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: I don't care. Prefer free baggage.

Which miles do you have to work with?

Offline voby27

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5815 on: October 27, 2014, 04:42:50 PM »
One way/Round trip: RT
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: 1
From: JFK, EWR
To: TLV
Departure dates: 11/1/14 - 11/2/14
Return airports: JFK, EWR
Return dates: 11/6/14 - 11/7/14
Class: Any
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Any
 I also have:
Chase/UR: 260,000
Starwood: 88,000
Amex/MR: 85,000
BA: 15,000

Thanks in advance for any help

Offline EMCC

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5816 on: October 27, 2014, 09:43:48 PM »
Which miles do you have to work with?
Nothing. I have lots of Hyatt points though. Maybe I will trade them for citi points which can transfer to Sq or CX
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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5817 on: October 27, 2014, 09:53:18 PM »
I signed up my rents a few months ago for the Citi AA cards (100 and 60, so now we have 110 and 85 between them (and I can transfer my own to get mom to 100)), and I want to get them on an award ticket to see my brother in LHR on MLK jr. Weekend.
They'd like to depart on the 14th, return the 19th.
They're willing to change planes once, but more than that would probably be too much for mom.
Problem is, BA is what's showing on the AA search, and the fuel surcharges are immense.
Any ideas on how to get them there cheaper?  We also have about 150k amex points and a good deal of UR points.
Preference to AA though.
Thanks!
Preferred cabin business

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5818 on: October 27, 2014, 11:55:57 PM »
I would like to fly from London to either Amsterdam or Paris. I have lots of Avios and there seems to be plenty of flight availability. Dan has mentioned that flying out of London on BA gets hit with a huge airport departure fee/tax (like $200 per person or more), and that seems to be the case when I try to book with Avios on BA.  Is there any workaround? Thanks.

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5819 on: October 28, 2014, 12:13:15 AM »
ne way/Round trip:
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: max 1
From: All airports from which you can depart Philadelphia  or NY Airports
To: All airports which you can arrive at. For multiple destinations, just keep adding this line  Tel Aviv
Departure dates: All possible dates that you can depart on. Please be as specific as possible.  10/8 or 10/9(earlier in the day would be best)
Return airports: If different from 'To' line. Delete this line for One way tickets any of the above airports if cant fnd both ways would take one way
Return dates: Delete this line for One way tickets 10/15 or 10/16
Class: First/Business/Coach/Any Business or Coach
Seats: Total number of people traveling over the age of 2  just myself
Alliance/Airline: What airline or alliance are you looking to fly with  Amex MR, UA, UR, SPG, BA, AA