It is not often that the Award Expert needs award help, but I find myself in a unique position.
I’ll spend Christmas in Germany this year and have a bit of time after for a trip with my family. I asked my wife where she wanted to go and her response was instant: Israel.
But here it is December 14th and we are talking about a trip less than two weeks away. The nature of my other business makes advance planning nearly impossible, but this request is almost as bad as the families who ask me for four tickets (nonstop of course) to Australia in business class at the saver level departing on December 26th and returning on January 2nd…
In all honesty, I may well have to push the trip to spring or next Christmas. But I’d thought I would put it out here for discussion first. The goal is three tickets from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles just after New Years.
I have plenty of miles in all currencies. I do see there is “standard” award space. But I simply cannot bring myself to spend 180K United miles (or ten million Delta miles) on each business class ticket home. The miles are too valuable and I am not generating them fast enough to dump 600K on a trio of tickets and sleep with a clear conscience.
My best hope, it seems to me, is to wait and hope SWISS or Lufthansa award space opens at the last-minute. That’s usually a sure bet, but we are talking absolute peak travel season here. I’m skeptical.
Augustine has grown from a restless one-year-old to an adorable two-year-old who can keep himself occupied with books and toys. I don’t need first class anymore in order for the journey to be comfortable. But while I am sure we could survive economy class, that is not something I want to consider right now. It’s a very long trip from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles so business class is a prerequisite.
Ideal Trips Home
The ideal situation would be three seats in business class on EL-AL’s nonstop flight from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles. I have the AMEX points to transfer to Matmid Club. But that is not happening. Even coach tickets are $2K each.
We are also considering a couple days in Jordan in order to visit Mount Nebo and Petra. I’ve never flown Royal Jordanian longhaul and would happily fly from Amman to any North American gateway. But that space is also long gone and likely never existed in the first place.
One-way tickets are not economical on Delta or United and I also do not want to play the upgrade lottery.
One possibility might be going to Cairo, where I can score a cheap(er) premium ticket home. But I don’t have time…the trip will be rushed enough as is.
So, dear readers, any thoughts? If I do end up going to Israel and Jordan, I will certainly ask you again to help me maximize my time there. It has been nearly a decade since I have vacationed in Israel, though I did have a memorable security experience at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv last year.
> Read More: My Horrific Security Experience at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)
CONCLUSION
The wise move is probably to wait on Israel and better plan it, so that I can secure the flights I want in advance at saver level. I haven’t even thought about hotels yet, though I’d be content in guest houses and don’t mind chancing that. But with a short window of opportunity, I’d sure like to take advantage of trip to Israel after Christmas.
What do you think?
Please note I am not asking you to do any work on my behalf. But I do consider this a fun puzzle and invite you to play along if you are so inclined.
And will you pay for the help the same way your clients pay you? Or is there a sense of entitlement here?
I am not entitled to anything, just asking. Thanks for your helpful comment…
Most people who run a business and need outside help for their business, usually pay or offer a prize , like a bug bounty .
Your offer seems to be zero .
I hope you see that asking for free help for a service you normally charge for is pretty funny.
Consider it a return for the year of great content on this blog, Tripoli. And speaking of Tripoli, would love to visit Libya on this trip too…
Matthew, don’t listen to the naysayers. Can’t believe people are so ungrateful. BTW, Jordan and RJ are amazing.
TLV-AMM-USA-LAX on RJ for 70K AA miles
I do not think you can mix Israel in on an award booking if you had to transit via DOH or AUH with QR or EY from TLV.
This would be absolutely ideal. I wish the space was available. Even if Etihad (AA) or Emirates (AS) opened, I could book a separate ticket from TLV or AMM.
QSuites would be amazing if it opened for you. Not sure if they are flying QSuites to LAX just yet though. The TLV-AMM flight is expensive, even with miles. I haven’t booked it but I researched it before and for a short flight the BA fees were high to book with Avios.
Even then AMM-DOH-LAX; AMM-AUH-LAX should all be 70K miles with AA.
We’ll see what opens. The question is whether to fly to Israel without a return ticket!
I’d never leave a ticket to chance, ever, with a wife and toddler. In fact, I wouldn’t do that if I was traveling with someone else at all, unless thats what they wanted to do. That, my friend, is for your own personal travel. To me, thats not ethical and I’d throw that right off the table. Either find something worthwhile, or take the trip later.
In the same vein of hoping for last minute LH and LX availability, what about looking at routes within North America that are less traversed during the holidays. Maybe LH to MEX instead of LAX? Then hop a Volaris flight up to LAX or SAN. Anything in Canada or the US is unlikely to have much availability let alone saver space. Routing via Asia might be an option, too, given the general lack of travel over Christmas in countries where Christianity isn’t predominant.
@Keitherson – you are a jerk; the standard jerk who feels compelled to always post something cynical. F’ing jerk.
TLV-SCL with Latam, then onwards to LAX.
Good thought. No space.
Look for the Iberia MAD-TLV on their A330, I have seen it available in the past and with good value via Avios.
Hah! My better half and I will be there as well! Also trying to find a good option. Even tried Royal Air Maroc from CMN-IAD (though seeing no availability via Etihad Guest).
I had found some cheap business class flights from Sofia, Bulgaria via Vienna, though close to the 1st, they didn’t want to ticket (even via UA). I’d also consider a jump over to Tunis, if you can spare the time.
Qantas only charges 104k with no surcharges for that El Al nonstop flight. Better value on a long haul then the Matmid Club generally. If you are able to find a United flight, it won’t be direct but Singapore only charges 69k and no surcharges either. I’m sure you know all this. If its what you really want to do, I think the waiting game for Lufthansa or Swiss might be the best route.
be a man – TLV-ADD-LFW-LAX – $1000
That’s economy, though.
Matthew – is Award Expert still in business? I’ve filled out the form twoixe and sent follow up emails over the past two weeks and can’t seem to get a response from your team! Great service in the past but this is frustrating. Please reply!
Bill, we are in business. Can you forward the email to me personally?
Thanks Matthew.
Need your email please!
Mine appears in reply field below.
CAI-JED-LAX for $725 on JAN 1
I’ll second the suggestion to try searching for availability to MEX. Easy enough to get home from there. Also, doesn’t LOT usually have decent Saver availability? You’d have to find a way to get to WAW, though.
Whatever you do, DON’T go cheap and try to book a one-way via CAI. As horrible as the connecting experience can be there, imagine how stressful it could be with the wife and kid in tow.
If I went to Cairo, we would stay a couple days. I love it and my wife has never seen the pyramids.
TLV to CAI is an easy and quick trip. From there, business class tickets are around $2000. Otherwise, $3k per person from TLV to LAX on Turkish. If you are willing to fly Norweigen, “business” class is around $1500 through Barcelona. Don’t see any award space anywhere.
Many thanks for checking Ismael!
If you want to fly El Al, why not transfer Citi ThankYou points to Qantas Frequent Flyer for a lower tax and lower mileage redemption than El matmid ? Ben from OMAAT did that a while back
Self Correction :
Transfer either Citi ThankYou points or Capital One Venture Miles to Qantas to book el Al direct to LAX
CAI-YUL $870 business on Jan 1/Jan 2, connect FCO, CDG
Good thought. I just thought about Tunis Air or Air Alergie. That could be something.
How about Turkish Airlines?
There business class tickets are generally cheaper compared to others and they are member of star alliance
Position to AMM, MAD, ZUR, ATH, IST or maybe some other Euro gateway and then find award seats home from there. You can LCC on some odd carrier for cash, like Pegasus or whoever if no awards are available. Beware the shorthaul cash price from TLV-AMM is super high. This also isn’t a good Avios route because of the miles + high surcharges on this route. Also Jordan charges a fairly high fee to enter the country so it’s not a good stop over, go visit Amman for a few hours deal.
Mideast connections are harder as they don’t like Israel and less direct routes.
Good Luck and Godspeed.
From Cairo im sure u can find a pretty cheap fare back to LA,and you can fly air Sinai from tel aviv to Cairo which would make for a pretty cool review as its a flight really operated by Egypt air they just use unmarked planes and call it a different name cuz for political reasons Egypt air can’t fly to tel aviv.
Its also a huge adventure to buy a ticket as u can’t buy online.
How about Austrian? Or Air France? Both fly nonstop from Europe, and if you can get award availability with either that would be great. Also Emirates?
Fly in coach.
The date might not be ideal, but there is space on BA starting in Athens on December 31st. ATH-LHR-ORD-LAX is available for 57.5K AA miles in business. TLV to ATH is a nice, easy, cheap flight you can book separate. You might also consider the LAX-SFO-LAX flight on Dec 30th for 40k per person in economy on United. I know you said you’d prefer business, but if I were given a choice to visit the holy land and fly back in economy, or not to visit at all, I’ll suffer the flight home and enjoy my visit to where Jesus walked :-).
Flying to the US on January 4, you can fly United in business class for 85K miles per person to EWR from TLV. From EWR, you could either book a separate award ticket or fly to LAX with money. The cheapest option with money that I’ve seen in business class via Google Flights is to fly from TLV to LAX via FRA and SEA in business class on Condor but economy class from TLV to FRA on El Al and from SEA to LAX on Alaska for $1,800 per person.
As many short haul hops as possible across every adjacent country from Israel to Dublin followed by an EI flight to the USA.
How about finding one or two biz class seats, buying the other @1.5cpp via chase/Amex, or cash?
Amy award space out of IST or ADD? I generally find Turkish and Ethiopian to have a decent amount of space
For instance there is space from IST-YYZ the entire last week of December.
Not sure if you are looking pre or post new years
Multiple seats ARN-LAX on 1/1, so position to ARN (or elsewhere, such as VIE) 12/31 or earlier, then connect through on the 1st.
Cheap flight one way in economy from TLV to Europe. And from there a direct flight with American Airlines/Britsh/united…
Also if u decide to fly from AMM its possible to driver fron israel to the airport.. it just a few hours drive
Accept reality. This isn’t possible with the parameters you’ve set. And it isn’t going to be fun if you try to connect some insane way on New Years. I do crap like that but when I’m traveling alone. Not with two other people, one of who cries randomly. Plan the trip for when you can give it the time it deserves. Convince your wife that anywhere in Europe might be a better option from Germany. Spain? Greece? Italy? Do Israel when you can plan Petra as a stop and add Cairo. Egypt is always worth a visit. And Egypt Air has stars on the ceiling of the planes. Very 2 year old cool.
What about trying LY’s new 787 J using Qantas points, it’s already flying to JFK, EWR, MIA and LAX.
Could make for an interesting review
Matthew
You know how much I love Israel. You have gotten me tickets many times. I know you hate BA fees, but you once got me tickets with them that required an overnight stay in London, but were Business TLV – LHR and then First Class to DFW. Might be an options.
How about a revenue RTW ticket?
Thinking a little outside the box, Cathay Pacific 2.30pm on Jan 2nd TLV-HKG, 6 hour layover, then HKG-LAX also on CX Jan 3, 12.45pm. I don’t see many others going that way round. Not sure if award space would be available, but at least the flights kinda work and there’s availability on paid fares at least.
U can book cx from tlv to us using Alaska miles.
Lucky said use Qantas points to book EL AL (transferable from thankyou on 1:1 basis) should be an option.
first, thanks in advance for your outstanding blog content!
re: this trip, did you end up going? if so, how did you pull it off?
i’m looking now to book lax-tlv-lax during ~12/20/19-1/5/20. any advice?
Did not go. May go this winter.
Before the interview at Ben Gurion airport, I was a little afraid, but I stated my intent to visit al Aqsa. The interviewer didn’t have any comment, he posed other questions. He even recommended a good restaurant in Jerusalem.