Never miss a deal: Follow us on the DansDeals App, WhatsApp, X, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, SMS, or our Daily Email Digest.
Links may pay us a commission. We appreciate your support! View our advertiser and editorial disclosure here. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
- Previous posts on award booking rates:
Below you can find comparison charts for travel on El Al to/from all of their North American routes.
Comparison chart for flights between JFK or Newark and Tel Aviv on El Al:
Comparison chart for flights between Boston and Tel Aviv on El Al:
Comparison chart for flights between Fort Lauderdale or Miami and Tel Aviv on El Al:
Comparison chart for flights between Los Angeles and Tel Aviv on El Al:
Here are some more details on those booking options:
Alaska clocks in at just 35K miles in coach, 45K in premium, and 70K in business, each way between Boston, Fort Lauderdale, JFK, Miami, or Newark and Tel Aviv:
You can get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) by spending $3,000 or more in purchases within 90 days of opening the Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card. You can read more here.
Sadly, due to El Al’s new partnership with Delta, the Alaska partnership will end on 7/31, so you’ll want to take advantage of booking awards by that date.
Delta charges a variable rate for travel on El Al. For JFK-Tel Aviv can be whopping 82K-110K Skypesos in coach, 150K-205K in premium, and 320K-405K in business, each way:
However, it’s worth noting that the Delta price drops significantly if you book a round-trip, to as low as 68K in coach or 420K in business round-trip:
Qantas charges 37.8K points in coach, 70.8K in premium, and 90K in business, each way.
However, they block most El Al availability and have much fewer award flight options than any other airline. Some people report success booking those flights by calling Qantas, but many reps will only see the flights shown online.
Etihad can book El Al flights between NYC and Tel Aviv for 67K miles in coach, 74K in premium, or 120K in business, each way.
However, you have to call Etihad to book this at 877-690-0767. Availability should mirror what Alaska and Delta can book.
Virgin Atlantic can book El Al flights between NYC and Tel Aviv for 62K miles in coach, 84K in premium, or 150K in business, each way. Virgin also has excellent month-long calendar nonstop filters that can help you find El Al (and Delta) saver award availability.
Those prices are high, though banks frequently have 30% transfer bonuses to Virgin, which will help lower those rates.
One bargain with Virgin points is booking infant lap child travel. You’ll pay just 1,000 points in coach, 2,000 points in premium, or 5,000 points in business class, each way, for an infant ticket.
If you want to book directly with El Al, the price will vary based on whether you want to fly in the summer or winter season, and based on whether you have status. Discounted rates are available to all FlyCard members in Israel, or Executive members abroad, but it’s a lot more challenging to earn those discounts if you’re not an Israeli. To become an Executive member you need to live abroad and earn Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Top Platinum status. Alternatively, you need to earn 2,000 Diamonds within 12 consecutive months or earn 5,000 Matmid points from non-Israeli cards within 12 consecutive months.
For winter travel as a status member, it would cost 32K points in coach, 66K in premium, or 120K in business, each way. The rates go up from there, as can be seen in the chart above.
In the future, expect to be able to use miles from programs like ANA, Flying Blue, and more to book El Al flights.
Of course, you can always use points from banks like AMEX, Chase, Citi, and Capital One to book paid travel on El Al.
How do you book travel on El Al?
Leave a Reply
52 Comments On "Master List Of The Best Ways To Book El Al Award Flights Between North America And Tel Aviv!"
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
If only Amax included elal in the International airline 35% rebate program!
It is in business class.
Ah good to know, thought it was limited to airline selected for credit.
No need to select for business or first class.
I booked flights with points on Virgin Atlantic but ended up having fuel/booking surcharges for 4x people that totaled like 1,800 am I doing something wrong? It was 156k points for 4x round trip with one way for all being premium and I did get the companion discount on the phone.
They charge fuel surcharges for Virgin flights. This post is about El Al flights.
What’s the story with booking a lap seat when booking with Qantas?
0 miles, can be done online.
I have used Qantas a few times, pretty good value especially when Amex has bonus transfers rates
Another recommendation is to split the trips if possible between partners and points . E.g AA –> NYC–> CDG and Virgin CDG –>TLV these sorts of combinations can offer some pretty decent redemptions..
Yes, this is just for nonstops.
Alaska does have a cancellation fee of $12.50
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/frequently-asked-questions/faq-redeeming
Right, I included that in the booking fee, which is when it’s due.
I booked with alaska, and they let me cancel for free
Is it possible to add a lap child on Alaska redemption on Elal?
Can I upgrade a ticket that was purchased through a travel agent using chase points?
What airline?
An El Al ticket
Nope
Which is best for searching availability?
Virgin’s price calendar, filtered to nonstop.
What about Tlv-Nyc?
And in general Tlv-Usa?
Same as vice versa.
Is it possible to use any of these other point programs to upgrade already bought elal seats?
And thank you Dan for all your amazing posts!
I moved an equivalent 280,000 miles from Capital 1 to Etihad following Dans Deals advice. I have tried 4 times to book with them but each time I was told that El AL has not released seats to them. Please advise. How can I book El Al through ETIHAD?
If i have to travel to Israel from Miami with my wife and two year old in November bezH what would be my best strategy and is there enough time to capture a signup bonus or two?
I dont see a way to book on alaska. Any insight?
I second that
I want to book a ticket through Qantas. What is the cancelation policy.
See the chart.
Qantas charges 0 miles for lap infant
“Alternatively, you need to earn 2,000 Diamonds within 12 consecutive months or earn 5,000 Matmid points from non-Israeli cards within 12 consecutive months.”
How can I rean 5000 matmid points from American CC?
do i have the option of adding the $29.00 cancel to voucher option when booking El Al tickets thru Chase?
Call and let us know.
Since Oct 7th I haven’t seen much availability on Etihad & when there was, it was way up there over 100,000 for coach. Last year you were able to get multiple flights daily from EWR to TLV..
You have to call Etihad to book El Al.
how long does it take for Alaska to reward me the 70000 miles ? i hit the $3000 spending about 6/5 .
On the statement close date after meeting the spending.
I’ve called Etihad a few times. No luck for the dates I was looking for. Tried Dec, then Jan , Feb. Tried July & Aug..
Search on the Virgin site for direct flights using the month calendar and call when you find availability.
Have a morning flight booked through Alaska, what are the chances to get elal to change it to evening?
Flew the past Sukkot for 70 K each way on business , NYC-PARIS-TLV, great flight.
Not directly related, but any idea when El Al will start their long-awaited direct flights TLV-MEL?
Postponed indefinitely due to 10/7.
Chaval!
Are you able to explain why? Did Oman close their airspace due to the war?
They did.
Curious when you mentioned the fee for a lap child Via Virgin Atlantic.
I thought lap children are free, is that not the case when booking with points?
Also, cross reference to your other post about Alaska credit card, is it to late to open a card today (7/1) and still get point in time to book before ElAl partnership ends (7/31)?
Thank you
just booked tickets for a couple with a lap chind on Elal through Qantas. All they charged for the infant was $9.
It says now that the lap child also gets 1 free suitcase
Any reason to buy by Etihad and not by Qantas other than availability? Qantas seems to be much much cheaper!
Virgin site is a great experience — when it works. You can spend a night getting errors. Their reps are wonderful, but there’s a long call wait.
Why on Qantas for a flight from the US to Israel he takes me to the US site, and for flights from Israel he takes me to the UK site with a booking fee of 57£?
Can I choose seats when I book elal through qantas? I’m curious if it will let me choose exit row or extra legroom in economy. I currently don’t have enough points to move to the next page on the site and I don’t want to transfer more points unless I can be sure that I can do this.