Israel is open to international tourism
Visitors from all around the world can now enter Israel, regardless of their vaccination status. Foreign travelers are not required to quarantine, or present evidence of a negative Covid test result. However, health insurance with coverage for Covid treatment is necessary for the duration of the trip.
Most flights to Isreal have been resumed. Transiting via Israeli airports in order to travel on to other destinations is not currently permitted.
Practical tips
- If you are flying to Israel from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Ben Gurion Airport
TLVin Tel Aviv. It is a relatively small airport that handles 16 million passengers a year (around 20% of London's Heathrow International Airport's travel traffic). Baggage collection and passport control are in Terminal 3 - the main terminal which handles most international flights. The airport train station is located on level S.
TLV in Tel Aviv, Haifa Airport HFA in Haifa, and Ramon Airport ETM in Eilat.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of AirBaltic, Air Europa, Corendon Airlines, easyJet, Norwegian Air, Pegasus Airlines, Smartwings, SunExpress, Wizz Air, Transavia, and Vueling.
Flights to Israel
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Israel. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Israel, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. There are multiple options for direct flights from United States to Israel. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, EL AL Israel Airlines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, and United Airlines offer non-stop flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport from Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington. Prices start at $500 one-way for 11-14 hours long flight.
If you are departing from Canada, Air Canada flies direct to Tel Aviv from Toronto (flight time: 10 hours 30 min). - Israel is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Israel with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Israel from the US and Canada are: Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Air France, British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
40–80% off flights to Israel
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What is the best time to book flights to Israel?
The best time to book flights to Israel is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Israel flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Israel flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in Israel. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Israel less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Israel, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Israel from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Israel — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to Israel are just 2-5 hours long. Most large European hubs have a nonstop connection to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport - including Amsterdam, Athens, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Warsaw, and Zurich. You can fly non-stop from Europe to Israel with popular low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Pegasus Airlines, Ryanair, Smartwings, and Wizz Air.
- Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Israel include Aegean Airlines, Air France, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Cyprus Airways, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Iberia, LOT, Neos Air, SWISS, TAP, Tarom, and Virgin Atlantic.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Israel from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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The cheapest time to fly to Israel
The cheapest time to fly to Israel is during the winter – from November to March (excluding dates around Christmas and New Year). During these cooler months, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem take a break from the massive summer tourist crowds. With fewer tourists, the prices for flights, accommodation, attractions, and food dramatically decrease. If you are looking to save money, this is the best time to fly to Israel.
If you prefer warmer temperatures, the shoulder season is also a period with low tourist traffic, offering the opportunity to find discounted flights. The shoulder season happens twice a year: in the spring – March to May – and again in the fall – September to November.
Tight security checks at Ben Gurion Airport
Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv is considered to be one of the safest airports in the world. It is also infamous amongst travelers for being seriously heavy with security. The internet is full of horror stories of intrusive luggage checks, innocent travelers being detained for hours, and forced to miss flights. However, it is important to understand that Israel has had a lot of issues in the past, and there is a history of tension in the region.
The truth is, with thousands of passengers coming in and out of the country every day, the airport employs a whole range of screening techniques (including an advanced luggage screening machine known as HBS) to make sure that they check everyone without causing delays and too much hassle. In practice for the majority of passengers, the airport security experience will be absolutely not that different from any other airport.
As there’s no way to avoid tight airport security checks, make sure you arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure.
Questioning by Israeli airport security
All arriving passengers are interviewed by security personnel. The questioning is polite and friendly, and the whole process seems like a simple informal chat. Interviewers look for such warning signs as nervousness, lack of a concrete reason for traveling to Israel, and suspicious travel history (some Arabic countries or countries with Muslim majority such as Indonesia and Malaysia). “Risky” passengers may be sent to private rooms for questioning and searches. In rare cases, the officials might ask you to open your email or Facebook for inspection.
Try to have your answers ready for this process. If you have hosts in Israel, make sure you know their names and contact details (they might be called to validate this information). If you will be staying in a hotel, have the reservation details. Tell the truth, stay calm and relaxed – nothing is personal, and you are not a suspect.
On completion of the interview, a sticker with a barcode will be stamped on the back of your passport. It will start with a number from “1” to “6”. Travelers who aren’t considered a threat at all by Israeli security are given numbers from “1” to “4”. Number “5” is for foreign visitors who raise some red flags (they may be questioned again). Number “6” is considered a high-security risk and such travelers would be subjected to further stringent questioning and screening.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, and others.
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: @EL_AL_AIRLINES” if contacting Israeli national carrier EL AL Airlines). The social media team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Avoid currency exchange kiosks at Israeli airports
It is always a good idea to bring some cash with you to Israel. The official currency of Israel is the New Israel Shekel or shekel for short (usually abbreviated “NIS”), subdivided into 100 agorot.
Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Israeli airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.
Plan ahead and bring a significant proportion of your spending money in cash. You may also try to exchange some money for the Israeli shekel at one of the plentiful ATMs located at the airports, and all over the country. Virtually all of them accept foreign Visa and MasterCards.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, and others.
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: @EL_AL_AIRLINES” if contacting Israeli national carrier EL AL Airlines). The social media team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Airlines of Israel
Israel’s national flag carrier is EL AL Israel Airlines operating from its base in Ben Gurion Airport. “El Al” comes from a Hebrew word that means “upwards” or “to the skies”. EL AL offers the largest choice of non-stop and indirect flights to Israel from more than 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. El Al is considered one of the world’s safest airlines – thanks to stringent security procedures, a plainclothed security guard on board every flight, and aircraft equipped with missile defense systems.
The three other Israeli airlines are Arkia, IsrAir, and Ayit Aviation. These smaller carriers are mostly focusing on short-haul routes, offering flights at lower prices in comparison to full-service EL AL. However, because they manage affordable tickets by cutting down on their operation costs, they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight refreshments, meals, or onboard entertainment. In most cases, their tickets are fixed and non-refundable in case of no show-up or cancellation.
Flights to Israel
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, Israel included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Israel. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. However, El Al Israel Airlines plans to launch a direct flight route between Melbourne and Tel Aviv sometime in 2023. - Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to Israel could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.
Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: SydneySYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, DarwinDRW, and in New Zealand: AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, and QueenstownZQN. - If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to Israel with a regional budget airline such as AirBaltic, Air Europa, Corendon Airlines, easyJet, Norwegian Air, Pegasus Airlines, Smartwings, SunExpress, Wizz Air, Transavia, and Vueling.
For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.
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Flights to Israel
from major hubs in Asia
- Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Israel look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Israel will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Israel and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
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Flights to Israel dataset
