El Al did a major overhaul of their Matmid frequent flyer program in September 2023.

And then came October 7th, which among many other things, majorly affected the airline’s operations.

Most other airlines bailed from the Israeli market, while El Al’s planes filled up to capacity at above-average fares, though also with tens of thousands of free flights given to IDF reservists and special rescue flights for civilians.

El Al is also awarding reservists with free bonus Matmid points.

El Al also extended status through May and offered status for prepaying for El Al flight vouchers.

Since October 7th, the frequent flyer program has grown by 20%.

All of this created stress on El Al’s ability to service their elite members. The airline’s flagship King David Lounge filled to capacity, which had the airline taking over the shuttered Dan E lounge for Matmid Gold members. The airline offers the same amenities and mehadrin kosher food and beverages in that lounge as in the King David Lounge.

El Al notes that the King David Lounge will undergo a major renovation in 2025 to provide “an enhanced hospitality experience.” The airline isn’t committing to reopening the showers that closed during COVID, but hey, we can always hope.

Higher elite status qualification requirements:

While North American elite status is based on a calendar year, El Al’s program is based on your activity in the past 12 months. Once you reach a status tier, you’ll have 12 months to renew that status, or you can upgrade your status at any time based on activity in the previous 12 months. Currently, if you don’t maintain that status after 12 months, you are downgraded by 1 tier, which is called a soft landing.

As previously announced, effective April 1st, soft landings are being eliminated. That means a Top Platinum could fall directly to a non-elite member if they don’t requalify for status based on the diamonds earned in the previous 12 months.

Also as previously announced, anyone who has earned Gold, Platinum, or Top Platinum status for the past 10 consecutive years or for any 15 consecutive years will earn lifetime Gold status.

Elite status gives perks like higher point earnings, lounge access, extra carry-on bags, priority check-in and boarding, elite call centers, and EXTRAS benefits for free baggage, upgrades, and more.

Under the current program, you earn 1 diamond per $1 spent (Executive/Fly Card members will receive 1.2 diamonds per $1 spent on flights in Premium and Business).

If you renew or upgrade your status by March 31st, you’ll be subject to the current terms, but if you don’t qualify for a higher level by then, those requirements will be going up effective April 1st.

I suppose that’s no surprise given that many airlines across the globe are hiking their elite status requirements, but it will require a lot more spending on El Al flights to earn status.

The new status thresholds run through December 31, 2025, and changes will be announced at least 3 months in advance. Changes are capped at a 30% increase from the previous program.

• Silver status currently requires earning 3,000 diamonds in 12 consecutive months. That’s equal to spending $3,000 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Silver with 2,000 diamonds and 6 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $2,000 on flights.
  • Effective April 1st, Silver status requires earning 3,500 diamonds in 12 consecutive months, a 16.7% increase. That’s equal to spending $3,500 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Silver with 2,600 diamonds and 7 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $2,600 on flights, a 30% increase in spending, and a 16.7% increase in flight segments.
• Gold status currently requires earning 6,000 diamonds in 12 consecutive months. That’s equal to spending $6,000 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Gold with 3,500 diamonds and 10 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $3,500 on flights.
  • Effective April 1st, Gold status requires earning 7,500 diamonds in 12 consecutive months, a 25% increase. That’s equal to spending $7,500 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Gold with 4,500 diamonds and 13 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $4,500 on flights, a 28.5% increase in spending, and a 30% increase in flight segments.
• Platinum status currently requires earning 12,000 diamonds in 12 consecutive months. That’s equal to spending $12,000 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Platinum with 7,000 diamonds and 20 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $7,000 on flights.
  • Effective April 1st, Platinum status requires earning 15,000 diamonds in 12 consecutive months, a 25% increase. That’s equal to spending $15,000 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Platinum with 9,000 diamonds and 26 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $9,000 on flights, a 28.6% increase in spending, and a 30% increase in flight segments.
• Top Platinum status currently requires earning 28,000 diamonds in 12 consecutive months. That’s equal to spending $28,000 on flights. Alternatively you can earn Top Platinum with 25,000 diamonds and 40 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $25,000 on flights.
  • Effective April 1st, Top Platinum status requires earning 36,000 diamonds in 12 consecutive months. That’s equal to spending $36,000 on flights, a 28.6% increase. Alternatively you can earn Top Platinum with 32,000 diamonds and 52 paid flight segments. That’s equal to spending $32,000 on flights, a 28% increase in spending, and a 30% increase in flight segments.

EL AL FLY+ Benefits Program:

Similar to how airlines like American, Delta, and Air Canada offer elite members choice benefits, El Al will also offer FLY+ choice benefits to members who have Gold or higher status and are Executive members or Fly Card holders.

It’s a nice giveback to passengers, given the higher thresholds needed for status.

To become an Executive member you need to live abroad and earn Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Top Platinum status. Alternatively, members living abroad can earn 2,000 Diamonds within 12 consecutive months or earn 5,000 Matmid points from non-Israeli cards within 12 consecutive months. Israelis qualify by having a Fly Card.

You will be able to make a selection based on the time of your status renewal or upgrade, as long as you completed 4 El Al paid flight segments within the 12 months before your status renewal or upgrade in order to select benefits, the benefits will apply based on the number of diamonds earned in the 12 months before your status renewal or upgrade.

This program goes into effect on April 1st, and for the first year it will apply even if your status falls by a level, though after that, it will only apply if you renew or upgrade your status tier.

Benefits must be chosen and redeemed within 12 months of qualifying for them, so waiting to choose a benefit won’t extend the benefit expiration.

The FLY+ program is in addition to the EXTRAS benefits currently given to elite status members.

If you have earned 12K diamonds in the 12 months before qualifying, you will get to select 2 benefits from this list:

• 2 guest passes to the King David Lounge (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 1 EXTRAS benefit preferred seat (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 1 EXTRAS benefit baggage (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 3 WiFi Business packages (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 15K Matmid points (This selection requires 2 benefits)

If you have earned 15K diamonds (or 9K diamonds+26 flight segments) in the 12 months before qualifying, you will get to select 2 benefits from this list:

• 2 guest passes to the King David Lounge (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit preferred seat (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit baggage (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 4 WiFi Business packages (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 1 El Al Protect (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 20K Matmid points (This selection requires 2 benefits)

If you have earned 26K diamonds in the 12 months before qualifying, you will get to select 4 benefits from this list:

• 3 guest passes to the King David Lounge (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit preferred seat (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 3 EXTRAS benefit baggage (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 4 WiFi Business packages (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 1 El Al Protect (You can select this up to 3 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit upgrade (This selection requires 3 benefits)
• 35% discount on 1 award ticket in economy for all destinations (This selection requires 3 benefits)
• 50% discount on 2 tickets in 1 paid economy booking to Europe (This selection requires 3 benefits)
• 35K Matmid points (This selection requires 4 benefits)

If you have earned 36K diamonds (or 32K diamonds+52 flight segments) in the 12 months before qualifying, you will get to select 5 benefits from this list:

• 3 guest passes to the King David Lounge (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 3 EXTRAS benefit preferred seat (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 3 EXTRAS benefit baggage (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 4 WiFi Business packages (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 1 El Al Protect (You can select this up to 3 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit upgrade (This selection requires 2 benefits, you can select this up to 2 times)
• 35% discount on 1 award ticket in economy for all destinations (This selection requires 3 benefits, you can select this 1 time)
• 50% discount on 2 tickets in 1 paid economy booking to Europe (This selection requires 3 benefits, you can select this 1 time)
• 45K Matmid points (This selection requires 5 benefits)

If you have earned 50K diamonds in the 12 months before qualifying, you will get to select 6 benefits from this list:

• 3 guest passes to the King David Lounge (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit preferred seat (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 3 EXTRAS benefit baggage (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 4 WiFi Business packages (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 2 El Al Protect (You can select this up to 2 times)
• 2 EXTRAS benefit upgrade (This selection requires 2 benefits, you can select this up to 2 times)
• 50% discount on 1 award ticket in economy for all destinations (This selection requires 2 benefits, you can select this up to 2 times)
• 50% discount on 2 tickets in 1 paid economy booking to Europe (This selection requires 3 benefits, you can select this 1 time)
• 50% discount on 2 tickets in 1 paid premium economy booking to Europe (This selection requires 6 benefits)
• 50% discount on 2 tickets in 1 paid long-haul economy (This selection requires 6 benefits)
• 60K Matmid points (This selection requires 6 benefits)

In other words, if you meet the above conditions for FLY+ and you:

• Get to 7,500 diamonds in the past 12 months on April 1, 2025, you’ll earn Gold status, your renewal date is now April 1, 2026.
• Get to 15,000 diamonds in the past 12 months on June 1, 2025, you’ll earn Platinum status and can select from the 15K 2 benefits package. Your renewal date is now June 1, 2026.
• Get to 36,000 diamonds in the past 12 months on December 1, 2025, you’ll earn Top Platinum status and can select from the 5 benefits package. Your renewal date is now December 1, 2026
• Get to 50,000 diamonds in the past 12 months on December 1, 2026, you will renew your Top Platinum status and can select from the 6 benefits package. Your renewal date is now December 1, 2027.

Other examples:

• If you are currently a Top Platinum and renew Top Platinum on July 1, 2025 with 36K diamonds in the past 12 months, you will be able to select from the 5 benefits package.
• If you are currently a Top Platinum and fall to Platinum on July 1, 2025 with 15K diamonds in the past 12 months, you will be able to select from the 2 benefits package.
• If you are currently a Top Platinum and fall to Gold on July 1, 2025, you won’t receive a benefits package.
• If you are currently a Platinum and renew Platinum on July 1, 2025 with 26K diamonds in the past 12 months, you will be able to select from the 4 benefits package.
• If you are currently a Platinum and renew Platinum on July 1, 2025 with 15K diamonds in the past 12 months, you will be able to select from the 15K 2 benefits package.
• If you are currently a Platinum and fall to Gold on July 1, 2025 with 12K diamonds in the past 12 months, you will be able to select from the 12K 2 benefits package.
• If you are currently a Gold and renew Gold on July 1, 2025 with 12K diamonds in the past 12 months, you will be able to select from the 12K 2 benefits package.

What do you think of these changes?