Based at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, El Al Israel Airlines Ltd is the national airline of Israel. El Al flights first took to the skies in September 1948, and since then the airline has grown to become a major international carrier. Cheap flights from El Al now operate on five continents covering a network of nearly fifty destinations worldwide.
El Al flights from the UK depart from either London Heathrow or London Luton Airport, flying to the airline’s main hub in Tel Aviv. Departing from either Terminal One at Heathrow or London Luton Airport, the flight duration from London to Tel Aviv is approximately four hours and fifty minutes. The El Al fleet consists of a range of Boeing aircraft including the 747-400, the 777-200 and several others from the same manufacturer.
Check-In
Express check-in online is open between 24 hours and three hours before departure. Economy passengers are asked to check in three hours before the flight and First Class passengers one and a half hours before take-off.
Baggage
Hold baggage allowance on El Al flights is 40kg in First Class, 30kg in Business Class and 20kg in Economy. All hand luggage must have maximum dimensions of 56 x45 x25cm. Weight limits are 24kg, 20kg and 8kg for First Class, Business and Economy respectively.
Seating
The seat pitch on El Al flights is 32-34 inches in Economy Class, 62 inches in Business Class, and 60-82 inches for First Class depending on the aircraft.
Frequent Flyer Programme
El Al operates a frequent flyer programme called Matmid, in which members can earn points for bonus El Al flights, upgrades and airport lounge privileges.
Additional Information
El Al is widely regarded as the most secure airline in the world, and as such, the check-in procedures for El Al flights are more stringent. With security personnel at airports all over the world conducting extremely thorough checks, El Al information recommends checking in three hours before a flight to account for this.