Practical tips
- If you are flying to Tel Aviv from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Ben Gurion Airport
TLVIt is located approximately 20 km (12 miles) southeast of Tel Aviv city center, near the city of Lod.
TLV airport is known for its high security measures and has been recognized as one of the safest airports in the world. Upon arrival, passengers go through passport control and may be asked questions about the purpose of their visit to Israel. Baggage claims and customs are located on the lower level of the airport. Ben Gurion airport has a range of amenities for arriving passengers, including currency exchange offices, ATMs, restaurants, duty-free shops, and a VIP lounge. Various transportation options are available, right outside the arrivals hall, including taxis, buses, trains, and car rentals.
TLV is the main international airport serving Tel Aviv and the rest of Israel. It is located approximately 20 km (12 miles) southeast of Tel Aviv city center, near the city of Lod.
- 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, FlyDubai, Pegasus Airlines, Ryanair, Smartwings, SunExpress, Transavia, Vueling, and Wizz Air.
Flights to Tel Aviv
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Tel Aviv. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Tel Aviv, 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 the United States to Tel Aviv. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, EL AL Israel Airlines, JetBlue, and Lufthansa 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) - Tel Aviv is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv from the US and Canada are: Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Air France, British Airways, KLM, LOT, 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.
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What is the best time to book flights to Tel Aviv?
The best time to book flights to Tel Aviv is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Tel Aviv flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv, 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 Tel Aviv from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Tel Aviv — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv with popular low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Pegasus Airlines, Norwegian Air, Ryanair, Smartwings, and Wizz Air
- Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Tel Aviv include Aegean Airlines, Air Malta, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Cyprus Airways, Georgian Airways, Iberia, KLM, 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 Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv
The cheapest time to fly to Tel Aviv 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 Tel AViv.
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 TLV airport at least three hours before departure.
Questioning by Israeli airport security
All passengers arriving in Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv, make sure you know their names and contact details (they might be called to validate this information). If you are 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 Tel AViv. 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.
Domestic flights from Tel Aviv
Most domestic routes in Israel are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Jerusalem, Haifa, Jaffa, Nazareth, and Petah Tikva from Tel Aviv Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: El Al Israel Airlines, Arkia, Israir, and Ayit Aviation.
This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Israeli destinations.
Flights to Tel Aviv
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand are well-connected with popular Asian destinations, including Tel Aviv. In addition to domestic airlines – Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand – routes from Australasia to Asia are operated by large international carriers such as ANA, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.
Currently, there are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Tel Aviv. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. However, El Al Israel Airlines have plans to launch a direct flight route between Melbourne. - Airfare costs can vary widely depending on the route and the airline’s pricing strategy. To find the cheapest flight to Tel Aviv, compare ticket prices from various international airports in Australia – Sydney
SYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, and in New Zealand – AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, QueenstownZQN, and DunedinDUD. - For optimal savings, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a key Asian hub, then connect to Tel Aviv via a regional low-cost carrier. Among budget airlines that fly to Tel Aviv are AirBaltic, Air Europa, Corendon Airlines, easyJet, FlyDubai, Pegasus Airlines, Ryanair, Smartwings, SunExpress, Transavia, Vueling, and Wizz Air.
For the first leg, use the budget carriers that fly out of Australian airports, leveraging sales and promotions they run frequently: AirAsia (connects with Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), Cebu Pacific (Manila), Jetstar (Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo), Scoot (Singapore), VietJet Air (Ho Chi Minh City), Bamboo Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing), and Batik Air (Jakarta, Singapore).
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Flights to Tel Aviv
from major hubs in Asia
- Tel Aviv is well-connected with large hubs in the Asia Pacific. There are direct flights to Tel Aviv
TLVairport from BangkokBKK, BeijingPEK, DubaiDXB, Hong KongHKG, New DelhiDEL, PhuketHKT, SeoulICN, ShanghaiPVG, TashkentTAS, and TokyoNRT. - 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 Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv 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, and VietJet Air. 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 Tel Aviv dataset
