I rarely get the opportunity to write about one of my favorite places on earth — Israel. Flights are usually $1200+ from New York City and even more from the West Coast. Visiting the country can be intimidating due to the high travel cost and unsettled political situation. Travelers that overcome those obstacles, will open their eyes to a deeply proud, vibrant and complex land, rich in history.
Cheap Flights to Israel
As I mentioned, Israel fares almost never dip under $1000 from the States, but when they do it’s usually on one or two routes from the East Coast. What makes this unadvertised sale so special is that it covers 13 major gateways in the United States, including West Coast departures.
The fares offer a savings of $500-$900 when compared with summer flights. Yes, summer is peak season to visit Israel, but this provides a frame of reference. Expect regular fall prices to be $400-$500 higher than the prices we found below. Bottom line: It’s not cheap any time of year.
The below list contains the best fares we were able to find for travel September-December. Generally the cheapest fares are available in October-November, including over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Note: The pricing in the calendars does tend to vary, but I checked each route individually to find the exact price. Even if the calendar does not have the lowest price on the dates you want to travel, conduct a search anyway, as I have found the prices below to be more available than it seems on the calendar.
Flights to Tel Aviv (R/T incl. Tax) from: |
# of Stops | Best Summer Fare | Savings |
$705 — New York City | 1 | $1,222 | $517 |
$731 — Boston | 1 | $1,599 | $868 |
$741 — Washington, D.C. | 1 | $1,333 | $592 |
$743 — Philadelphia | 2 | $1,474 | $731 |
$766 — Chicago | 1 | $1,420 | $654 |
$781 — Miami | 2 | $1,518 | $737 |
$839 — Dallas | 1 | $1,630 | $791 |
$895 — Los Angeles | 1 | $1,407 | $512 |
$910 — Houston | 2 | $1,690 | $780 |
$926 — Seattle | 2 | $1,869 | $943 |
$927 — San Francisco |
1 | $1,795 | $868 |
$975 — Denver | 2 | $1,873 | $898 |
$975 — Phoenix | 2 | $1,876 | $901 |
If you do not see your city above, don’t hesitate to search as a great deal might be available. Your best bet is to use a user-generated, custom Low Fare Calendar at the very bottom of that page.
Things to Do in Israel
I could go on and on about where to go and what to see in Israel. From my experiences, the best way to soak up the culture and history is to spend time outdoors. Walk the winding, narrow streets and markets in the Old City of Jerusalem and the bustling city streets of Tel Aviv. Hike up to Masada and Ein Gedi. Take an ATV or jeep tour in the lush Hula Valley.
Israel is only about the size of New Jersey, but there are several very different regions from forests to beaches to deserts to mountains. Seeing it all could take months, but you can definitely see a lot in 10-14 days if you plan out your itinerary in advance or grab a tour guide. (All guides in Israel are specially trained and licensed by the government, so they are all extremely knowledgeable.)
If you book a trip, you won’t be disappointed — especially after saving so much on the flight. Post questions or comments if you need further information or recommendations. Happy Travels!
Fly.com Team 12:24 PM on May 16th, 2012 |
It appears as though most of these fares are gone. Hopefully those interested in them were able to book before the prices went up this morning.