israeli-flight-finder

What this skill does

# Israeli Flight Finder

Find the cheapest flights from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) by comparing prices across multiple platforms and understanding Israeli airline pricing patterns.

> **TLV carrier status is highly volatile (verified May 2026).** The brief Iran war that began at the end of February 2026 closed Israeli airspace and forced nearly every foreign carrier to suspend TLV service again. Carriers are resuming on a rolling schedule through mid-2026, but dates slip constantly and depend on EASA conflict-zone advisories. Treat every "resumes on date X" claim below as a plan, not a guarantee - always verify the current route and the specific airline's status on its own site before relying on it.

## Comparison Platforms

Use multiple platforms -- each has different strengths. Never rely on a single source.

| Platform | URL | Strengths | Hebrew UI |
|----------|-----|-----------|-----------|
| Google Flights | google.com/travel/flights?gl=IL&hl=he | AI-powered Flight Deals, price tracking, "Explore" map, fare history graphs | Yes |
| Skyscanner | skyscanner.co.il | Broadest coverage (1000+ providers), "Everywhere" search, monthly price calendar | Yes |
| KAYAK | il.kayak.com | Price alerts, fare forecasting, flexible date search | Yes |
| Issta | issta.co.il | Israeli travel agency, package deals (flight+hotel), Hebrew-first UX, physical branches | Yes |
| Lametayel | lametayel.co.il | Israeli comparison engine, aggregates Israeli operators, popular among Hebrew speakers | Yes |

### When to Use Which Platform

- **Cheapest fare overall**: Start with Google Flights (best for direct airline prices), then cross-check on Skyscanner (catches OTA deals Google misses).
- **Flexible destination** ("anywhere cheap"): Skyscanner "Everywhere" search or Google Flights "Explore" map.
- **Package deals (flight+hotel)**: Issta excels at bundled packages that save hundreds of NIS vs booking separately.
- **Hebrew-only users**: Issta and Lametayel have the best Hebrew UX. Google Flights and Skyscanner also have full Hebrew interfaces.
- **Price tracking**: Google Flights and KAYAK both offer email alerts when prices drop on tracked routes.

### Google Flights AI Flight Deals

Google Flights offers an AI-powered "Flight Deals" feature available in Israel in Hebrew. Users can describe what they want in natural language (e.g., "a one-week winter trip to a city with great food, direct flights only") and the tool suggests matching flights. Access it at google.com/travel/flights with locale set to Israel.

## Israeli Airlines

### El Al (LY) -- Flag Carrier

- **Hub**: Ben Gurion (TLV)
- **Network**: As of May 2026, El Al is rebuilding toward roughly 40 international destinations after the February 2026 war disruption, with summer 2026 North American frequencies at an all-time high. It kept flying through the war (and ran rescue flights) while foreign carriers suspended, so it currently has an outsized share of TLV traffic.
- **Website**: elal.com
- **Does not fly Shabbat**: El Al does not operate on Shabbat or Jewish holidays - see the "Shabbat-Aware Scheduling" section below before planning return flights.
- **Frequent flyer**: Matmid, with five tiers (Matmid base, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Top Platinum). Since April 2025, status is earned via a revenue-linked "Diamonds" currency and re-qualified every 12 months; the old soft-landing grace tier was eliminated, so under-qualifying members drop straight to the matching tier.

**Baggage policy:**

| Fare class | Carry-on | Checked bags |
|------------|----------|--------------|
| Economy Lite | 1 x 8 kg (56x45x25 cm) + 1 personal item | None included |
| Economy Classic | 1 x 8 kg + 1 personal item | 1 x 23 kg |
| Economy Flex | 1 x 8 kg + 1 personal item | 1 x 23 kg |
| Premium | 1 x 8 kg + 1 personal item | 2 x 23 kg |
| Business | 1 x 16 kg (56x45x25 cm) + 1 personal item | 2 x 32 kg |

**Economy Lite restriction (Europe/UAE)**: Since May 2025, Lite fare passengers on flights to/from Europe or the UAE must check their carry-on at the gate (free of charge). Only a personal item (max 38x30x18 cm) is allowed in the cabin. This does NOT apply to US routes or Classic/Flex fares. Matmid elite members (Gold+) are exempt.

**Matmid members**: Gold, Platinum, and Top Platinum get enhanced carry-on privileges.

### Israir (6H)

- **Hub**: Ben Gurion (TLV), Ramon Airport (Eilat)
- **Network**: ~49 international destinations (Europe, New York, India, Central Asia) + domestic (Eilat, Haifa)
- **Website**: israir.co.il
- **Fleet**: Transitioning to all-Airbus (A320/A330); A330s for long-haul (New York, Asia)

**Baggage policy (updated March 2026):**

| Item | Weight | Cost (advance) | Cost (airport) |
|------|--------|----------------|----------------|
| Personal item | Small bag (under seat) | Free | Free |
| Carry-on | 10 kg | $30 per direction | $40 |
| 1st checked bag | 23 kg | $60 per direction | $100 |
| Overweight (24-32 kg) | -- | +$20 per direction | +$70 |

Standard fares do not include checked baggage. Some vacation packages may bundle bags.

### Arkia (IZ)

- **Hub**: Ben Gurion (TLV), Ramon Airport (Eilat)
- **Network**: ~40 international destinations including New York, Bangkok, European cities, Greek islands
- **Website**: arkia.co.il
- **New for 2026**: Business class on select European routes (Paris first), plus Phuket, Malaga, Ibiza, Vilnius, Hanoi

**Baggage policy (international flights, verify on arkia.co.il):**

| Item | Weight | Cost (advance) | Cost (airport) |
|------|--------|----------------|----------------|
| Carry-on | 7 kg | Free | Free |
| Trolley bag | 8 kg | $20 | $25 / EUR 25 |
| Checked bag | 20 kg | $45 | $90 / EUR 85 |
| Excess per kg | -- | -- | $10 / EUR 10 |

### Low-Cost Carriers

**Wizz Air (W6)**: Hungarian low-cost carrier. Wizz had been expanding aggressively at TLV, but the February 2026 war forced it to suspend all Israel operations along with everyone else, and its earlier hub-base plans were frozen. Wizz has confirmed it resumes full TLV operations on **May 28, 2026**, reconnecting Tel Aviv with hubs such as London, Budapest, Rome, and Bucharest, with frequencies ramping up over the following months. Until routes are actually flying again, treat Wizz TLV availability as in flux. Only a small personal item (40x30x20 cm) is free on base fares; cabin bags and checked bags are paid add-ons. Check wizzair.com for current route status and baggage add-on pricing.

**Ryanair**: Has officially removed Tel Aviv from its route map. Cancelled 22 planned routes and roughly 1 million seats for the 2025-2026 season due to disputes with Ben Gurion Airport over slot allocation and Terminal 1 availability. As of May 2026, Ryanair still has no confirmed TLV return; any resumption is conditional on the airport resolving the slot and Terminal 1 dispute.

### Foreign Carriers

The February 2026 war reset this landscape. Most foreign carriers suspended TLV again and are resuming on a rolling schedule through mid-2026; the dates below are the latest plans as of May 2026 and slip frequently.

- **flydubai**: Before the war it ran one of the densest TLV schedules (about 10 daily Dubai–Tel Aviv flights). It suspended during the war and is among the carriers resuming service; verify the current Dubai–TLV frequency on flydubai.com. Still a strong option for connections to the Gulf, Asia, and East Africa via Dubai once flying.
- **Emirates**: Had fully withdrawn from Tel Aviv even before the 2026 war and has no confirmed return as of May 2026.
- **Turkish Airlines**: Off the TLV schedule since the late-2023 suspension. As of May 2026 it is tentatively planned to resume Tel Aviv from **July 1, 2026** (alongside other regional restarts), but this is dependent on EASA advisories and has slipped before. Verify on turkishairlines.com.
- **Lufthansa Group** (Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels, ITA): Suspended during the war; resuming TLV through mid-2026 in parallel with Wizz Air. Verify per route.
- **Other Europe