International Award Tickets Virgin SFO to TLV in J/Biz
Aug 2, 2022, 2:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 446
International Award Tickets Virgin SFO to TLV in J/Biz
Recently, I thought that Skymiles had some good award redemption in J/Business Class for SFO to TLV on Virgin - I think around 80k.
I had hoped to take my mother post covid to that part of the world and now don't see anything at all reasonable.
Was there some trick I am missing or have those gone away.
I had hoped to take my mother post covid to that part of the world and now don't see anything at all reasonable.
Was there some trick I am missing or have those gone away.
Aug 2, 2022, 2:55 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,062
Partner business awards on US - TLV (AF/VS/KL) are showing as 130K each way (CSMH1300 awards with 60 day advance purchase requirement). Seeing some limited AF availability out of SFO, and VS out of JFK (both the same award level). There are some 168K roundtrip D1 awards on BOS-TLV (although carrier surcharges can be pretty steep when partner metal is involved on EU-TLV segment which looks to be most of the cases where they are available).
Last edited by xliioper; Aug 2, 2022 at 5:15 pm
Aug 13, 2022, 9:38 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 446
Here is the article I was referencing...
https://thriftytraveler.com/news/poi...usiness-class/
It was thrifty traveler. Delta indeed gutted all of these awards. Very sad.
Are there any sweet spots left at all?
These same, higher award rates apply whether you're going to Israel, Dubai, and even some nearby spots like Cairo (CAI). But the Tel Aviv route stings the most, as you could previously fly the excellent new Virgin Atlantic business class and hit their swanky Clubhouse lounge during your layover in London-Heathrow (LHR) for 85,000 SkyMiles. It was fairly easy to book, even – we alerted Thrifty Traveler Premium members of wide-open award space to Israel several times over the years.
https://thriftytraveler.com/news/poi...usiness-class/
It was thrifty traveler. Delta indeed gutted all of these awards. Very sad.
Are there any sweet spots left at all?
These same, higher award rates apply whether you're going to Israel, Dubai, and even some nearby spots like Cairo (CAI). But the Tel Aviv route stings the most, as you could previously fly the excellent new Virgin Atlantic business class and hit their swanky Clubhouse lounge during your layover in London-Heathrow (LHR) for 85,000 SkyMiles. It was fairly easy to book, even – we alerted Thrifty Traveler Premium members of wide-open award space to Israel several times over the years.
Aug 14, 2022, 12:01 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,062
The BOS-TLV 168K roundtrip D1 awards look to be gone now. Don't see anything less than 260K RT to TLV unless you fly AM out of Mexico (95K each-way/190K RT). There are BOS-LHR roundtrip D1 awards available for 160K. Roundtrip booking w/ 90-day advance purchase, Sun-Wed outbound, Tue-Fri returns required. Used delta.com award search with "Price Calendar" view selected which allows one to view a month at a time (instead of default "Flexible Dates" view which only shows availability for a limited set of dates).
Aug 15, 2022, 5:39 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, DL MM
Posts: 4,246
Availability has become terrible. One option you can try is AIR EUROPA...Won't show up on Delta.com, but if you find availability on Expertflyer, you can try to give them a call.
They don't seem to always match and sometimes agents don't know how to book them, but it is a hidden option. No clue what they will charge nowadays
You should be able to find seats on Delta.com for 130K each way. I was able to find a seat from MIA to TLV (although in fairness, it was for Jan 2023)
They don't seem to always match and sometimes agents don't know how to book them, but it is a hidden option. No clue what they will charge nowadays
You should be able to find seats on Delta.com for 130K each way. I was able to find a seat from MIA to TLV (although in fairness, it was for Jan 2023)