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 1839581 times)

Offline DMYD

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5880 on: November 03, 2014, 02:29:42 PM »
Hello, first time posting in this thread so please don't kill me if I mess it up.

I need to travel to the west coast (LAX and SFO) for a couple of meetings over the span of a week in a couple weeks from now. Since it won't be too much time working, I would like to take my wife and at least one of our kids along. I don't mind paying for my own ticket since its a business expense but would love to book my wife and kid using miles, if its a good use of the miles, versus say something like going to Europe. Just not sure how to check/book/get the best deal. Looking for NYC->LAX->SFO(or SJC)->NYC. Here are the details:

One way/Round trip: Round Trip/Multi-City
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Prefer non-stop
From: NYC
To: LAX
To: SJC/SFO
Departure dates: 11/16 to LAX, 11/19 to SJC/SFO
Return airports:NYC
Return dates: 11/23
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I'm Oneworld and Star Alliance. I have 120k AA miles and a Citi Executive Card Holder, 55k United Miles and a United MileagePlus Explorer card and about 160k Chase UR points.

Thanks for all your guys help. This really is the best community.
There is availability on United from EWR TO LAX on J AND Y, now from SFO to NYC on the 23rd nothing available on united. 

Offline DMYD

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5881 on: November 03, 2014, 02:34:48 PM »
When should I start looking for award availability to Hawaii if we are traveling at the end of August?
The sooner the better, you have to keep on looking till you find

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5882 on: November 03, 2014, 02:49:10 PM »
Is there a time that award in biz generally open up?
Also, can I book this far in advance?

Offline DMYD

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5883 on: November 03, 2014, 03:42:09 PM »
Is there a time that award in biz generally open up?
Also, can I book this far in advance?
which program do you plan on booking with?

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5884 on: November 03, 2014, 04:31:56 PM »
Will soon have lots of UR points, so I can transfer to  multiple airlines. I would prefer United bc of lie flat seating.

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5885 on: November 03, 2014, 04:49:24 PM »
Will soon have lots of UR points, so I can transfer to  multiple airlines. I would prefer United bc of lie flat seating.

You will want to transfer it to Singapore. Lower prices on United biz from nyc to hawaii.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5886 on: November 03, 2014, 05:10:30 PM »
Thats what I have heard. Im having trouble finding availability.

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5887 on: November 03, 2014, 05:38:37 PM »
Thats what I have heard. Im having trouble finding availability.

Keep on searching on UA, how many seats are you looking to get?

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5888 on: November 03, 2014, 06:23:12 PM »
2 seats

Offline kangarruu

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5889 on: November 03, 2014, 06:40:51 PM »
You will want to transfer it to Singapore. Lower prices on United biz from nyc to hawaii.

On the other hand, he can Plan B with UA and have much better availability for some more points.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5890 on: November 03, 2014, 06:44:15 PM »
If I plan B and then I see biz award availability on Singapore, can I cancel original reservation?

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5891 on: November 03, 2014, 06:46:10 PM »
Just got my answer, seems there is a $200 redeposit fee. Any way around that?

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5892 on: November 03, 2014, 06:46:34 PM »
On the other hand, he can Plan B with UA and have much better availability for some more points.

Good luck getting united biz either way, just checked a whole bunch of random dates for the nonstop, only economy avail no biz.

Offline kangarruu

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5893 on: November 03, 2014, 08:50:49 PM »
Good luck getting united biz either way, just checked a whole bunch of random dates for the nonstop, only economy avail no biz.

I got two seats each way on Plan B. It's a risk, but doable.

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5894 on: November 03, 2014, 09:55:02 PM »
I got two seats each way on Plan B. It's a risk, but doable.
Good to hear, planing on doing that. Did you clear before or did they clear you in the airport?

Offline kangarruu

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5895 on: November 04, 2014, 06:10:56 AM »
Good to hear, planing on doing that. Did you clear before or did they clear you in the airport?

EWR-HNL cleared pretty far in advance, one seat HNL-EWR cleared a couple of weeks in advance, and the remaining seat cleared week of. All automatic, which was nice.

Offline jdross

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5896 on: November 04, 2014, 09:56:16 AM »
One way/Round trip: Round Trip/Multi-City
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Prefer non-stop
From: NYC
To: LAX
To: SJC/SFO
Departure dates: 11/16 to LAX, 11/19 to SJC/SFO
Return airports:NYC
Return dates: 11/23
Class: Any
Seats: 2
Alliance/Airline: I'm Oneworld and Star Alliance. I have 120k AA miles and a Citi Executive Card Holder, 55k United Miles and a United MileagePlus Explorer card and about 160k Chase UR points.

Thanks for all your guys help. This really is the best community.

FYI, I ended up booking on the nyc->lax and sfo->nyc on united 12.5 and 20k points (no saver availability and MUST return that day) and booked the connection from lax->sfo on united using a voucher from a previous flight which made the total 25 bucks.

Any tips on hotels for the hyatt regency century in LA?

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5897 on: November 04, 2014, 10:30:20 AM »
One way/Round trip: Round Trip
Non-stop/Maximum stops/Any: Prefer non-stop
From: London
To: New York
Departure dates: 11/9 evening
Return dates: 11/12
Class: First
Seats: 1
Alliance/Airline: Star Alliance

If you have any  flights please let me know.

Thanks!

Offline rng

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5898 on: November 04, 2014, 11:51:37 AM »
I am looking to book a Client of mine and his partner on a first class or business class round trip ticket (using miles, any currency) going from NYC-HKG dec 6 motzoei shabbos, returning on dec 11th.


Direct flight isnt as important as it is to get in as early as possible on monday morning.


So far all i have been able to do is waitlist client on first class on korean for way there leaving sat night stopover in ICN. just in case cant get first i also booked a bus class, but waitlisted for first class for partner and business.

Any advice as to what airline or how to navigate this?

Thanks in advance

Offline jtboyz

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Re: Need help finding a ticket? Post here! Award ticket edition (Master thread)
« Reply #5899 on: November 04, 2014, 02:21:37 PM »
One way
Max stops: 1
From: YUL (Montreal)
To: ORD or MDW (chicago)
Departure dates: Sunday January 4 2015
Class:Coach/Any
Seats: 2 (and a lap child)
Alliance/Airline: any

Checked BA - no availability
The best i found was United @ 25k  coach pp

Any advice for award travel for that date, i have SPG and UM points i can use to transfer to any airlines.. and have United mileageplus explorer CC (if that can help)

(if you've ur here...thanks for reading this.. all advice is greatly appreciated!)


« Last Edit: November 04, 2014, 02:26:49 PM by jtboyz »