By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated
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Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) is one of the busiest airports in the Middle East, served by dozens of airlines from North America, Europe, Asia and beyond. Fares vary enormously depending on when you book, what time of year you travel and which routing you choose. Here is how to find the best price.
October is the lowest-demand month for flights to Israel. The Jewish high-holiday season — Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot — typically falls in September and runs into early October, after which leisure travel drops sharply and airlines discount to fill seats. November and early December are similarly quiet and often well priced.
When to avoid: Flights surge significantly around:
These dates shift each year on the Hebrew calendar — use the fare tools below to look at actual prices across the month, not just rule-of-thumb guidance.
| Route | Carriers |
|---|---|
| New York JFK | El Al, Delta, American |
| New York EWR | United |
| Los Angeles LAX | El Al |
| Chicago ORD | United |
| Miami MIA | American, El Al |
El Al (Israel’s national carrier) offers the most nonstop frequencies from North America and tends to be price-competitive on the direct market. El Al’s Lite fare is often the entry price on the route — check what it includes before booking, as checked bags may be an add-on.
One-stop connections via Europe — particularly London Heathrow, Paris CDG, Amsterdam AMS, Rome Fiumicino or Vienna VIE — can be significantly cheaper than a nonstop, especially when booked well in advance. Running both searches side by side is worth the effort.
| Carrier | Main bases | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| El Al | London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Frankfurt, Zurich, Budapest | Daily or near-daily from major hubs |
| Wizz Air | London Luton, Budapest, Vienna, Bucharest and others | Ultra-low base fares; luggage add-ons |
| Ryanair | Manchester, Dublin, Athens, Milan BGY, Lisbon and others | Seasonal frequency; strict carry-on rules |
| easyJet | London Gatwick, Paris CDG, Geneva | Checked bag included on some fares |
| Aegean | Athens and Greek islands | Good option for combining with a Greece trip |
Budget carrier base fares can be very low — especially in autumn and spring — but checked luggage and seat selection add up fast. A €30 base fare can become €90–120 with one hold bag and a seat assignment. Check the total-basket price before comparing to legacy carriers that include luggage.
No direct flights exist from Australia or most of Asia. Common one-stop routings include:
As a general pattern (check current prices — every route differs):
Setting a price alert for your route (see tools below) removes the guesswork — you get notified when fares dip rather than having to check manually.
Skyscanner — the most useful starting point for Tel Aviv. The “whole month” view shows every day of a calendar month colour-coded by price; useful for finding the cheapest 3–4 day window within your available dates. Price alerts notify you when fares change on your saved route.
Google Flights — the price graph (bottom of the results page) shows fare history across a 6-month calendar, useful for identifying the cheapest weeks at a glance. The “nearby airports” option is relevant for Europe where a different departure airport may save significantly.
ITA Matrix (matrix.itasoftware.com) — a powerful fare lookup for complex routings, open-jaw itineraries (fly into TLV, fly out of Eilat’s Ramon Airport or vice versa), and multi-city combinations. Results are for research only — you book elsewhere.
If your trip covers more than one city, an open-jaw can save money and eliminate backtracking. Common examples:
Search these as separate one-way tickets (often on different carriers) or via ITA Matrix, which supports open-jaw searches natively.
Israel requires an ETA-IL (electronic travel authorisation) for visa-exempt nationalities, applied for before boarding. It costs a small fee and is typically approved within minutes, but apply at least 72 hours before departure to be safe. Full details are in the visa information guide.
Most nationalities flying into Israel will not have an Israeli passport stamp — Ben Gurion uses a paper entry slip instead, which removes restrictions for onward travel to certain neighbouring countries. See visa information for details.
Once you land, the Ben Gurion Airport guide covers terminal layout, the security interview process, passport control flow and the 2026 lounge situation. The airport transfers guide compares the train, private transfer, taxi and sherut options to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with current prices and Shabbat notes.
Sort your Israel eSIM before departure so you have data on arrival without roaming charges. Budget planning for the full trip? The Israel cost and budget guide covers accommodation, food, transport and tours across all price tiers.
October is typically the cheapest month to fly to Israel — demand drops sharply after the Jewish high-holiday season (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot) ends in late September. November and early December are also competitively priced. Avoid Passover (March–April), the Jewish High Holidays (September–October), and the weeks around Christmas and New Year, when fares typically surge significantly.
Booking roughly 20–26 weeks (5–6 months) ahead generally produces the best fares from North America and Australia. For European routes, 8–16 weeks ahead is usually optimal. Booking less than six weeks out tends to be the most expensive window. Set a Skyscanner or Google Flights price alert for your route and travel month so you can act when fares dip.
El Al, United, Delta and American Airlines all operate nonstop flights between Israel and major US airports including JFK, EWR, MIA, ORD and LAX. El Al tends to offer the most frequencies and is often price-competitive on the nonstop market. Connecting via London (Heathrow), Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS), Rome (FCO) or Vienna (VIE) on European carriers sometimes produces a lower total fare — check both options.
Yes. Wizz Air, Ryanair and easyJet all serve Ben Gurion Airport from multiple European cities. Aegean flies from Athens and several Greek islands. Fares on these carriers can be substantially below legacy-airline pricing, though base fares exclude hold luggage and seat selection — factor those in when comparing.
Virtually all international flights arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport (IATA: TLV), located roughly 15 km southeast of Tel Aviv and 50 km northwest of Jerusalem. Ramon Airport near Eilat handles some seasonal charter and low-cost services to Red Sea resort destinations, but for most visitors from North America, Europe, or Australia, TLV is the entry point.
By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated