Ex-TLV Routes and Flights Discussions

[ludmila]

Hi,

I'm traveling with the family from LAX to TLV next August, and we're trying out some new routes for us. I found a direct LAX-AMS flight on Delta with available business seats (booked with KLM/Flying Blue miles), and we're planning on staying in Amsterdam a few days before continuing on. I'm deciding on the flight from AMS-TLV and would love to hear your advice.

My top 2 options include:
1. Transavia airlines, leaving at 2:20pm and getting into TLV around 8pm. Perfect timing for us, cheapest option.
2. KLM leaving at 9:05pm, arriving TLV in the middle of the night. There are no saver award seats though, so I'd have to pay a high price for one-way tickets, or use 45,000 miles each/135,000 miles total to redeem 3 business class award tickets.

Here's my question: Should I prioritize the schedule and cost and go with Transavia, or prioritize the travel comfort/benefits and burn the miles to fly on KLM? I've never flown Transavia. El Al options are out of my price range.

On the return, I found seats in business on Swiss through Zurich and booked with United/Chase miles.

Thanks

Ill go with Transavia.

[yandmk]

Whats going on with LY to London? it looks like soon they're pulling the 787 from that route and making THREE! daily flights to LTN with a 737.

An insight here?

The change comes at the end of March, the day after El Al is starting 787 service to HKG. So I guess that answers your question.

The LY 787 is doing Newark

And it's still doing the LHR route...

[efflpetzel]

Hi,

I'm traveling with the family from LAX to TLV next August, and we're trying out some new routes for us. I found a direct LAX-AMS flight on Delta with available business seats (booked with KLM/Flying Blue miles), and we're planning on staying in Amsterdam a few days before continuing on. I'm deciding on the flight from AMS-TLV and would love to hear your advice.

My top 2 options include:
1. Transavia airlines, leaving at 2:20pm and getting into TLV around 8pm. Perfect timing for us, cheapest option.
2. KLM leaving at 9:05pm, arriving TLV in the middle of the night. There are no saver award seats though, so I'd have to pay a high price for one-way tickets, or use 45,000 miles each/135,000 miles total to redeem 3 business class award tickets.

Here's my question: Should I prioritize the schedule and cost and go with Transavia, or prioritize the travel comfort/benefits and burn the miles to fly on KLM? I've never flown Transavia. El Al options are out of my price range.

On the return, I found seats in business on Swiss through Zurich and booked with United/Chase miles.

Thanks

Transavia no question.

1) your killing the night + flying with children = no fun
2) klm J is just a blocked middle seat, very hard to justify 45k FB for that.

I just flew transavia & had a very decent flight, it was well worth paying extra for the front row seats

[shampz]

Thanks for the advice, I'm def going to sell the Transavia flight as our best option to the boss. I now see that I can book the KLM flight in E for only 19,333 Chase points, so that is my cheapest option if we end up taking KLM.

The other alternative would be 25k Amex points to book an E seat on El Al at 11:45am, which I wouldn't want to do.

[efflpetzel]

Thanks for the advice, I'm def going to sell the Transavia flight as our best option to the boss. I now see that I can book the KLM flight in E for only 19,333 Chase points, so that is my cheapest option if we end up taking KLM.

The other alternative would be 25k Amex points to book an E seat on El Al at 11:45am, which I wouldn't want to do.

Or book Elal with 20k qantas

[yandmk]

http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-atlasglobal-to-launch-tel-aviv-istanbul-flights-1001210125

[moe8555]

http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-atlasglobal-to-launch-tel-aviv-istanbul-flights-1001210125

Real J, 8 seat cabin. 36" pitch, 20" width.  Also $399 r/t IST-London (business)

[mikebg]

Whats going on with LY to London? it looks like soon they're pulling the 787 from that route and making THREE! daily flights to LTN with a 737.

An insight here?

EL AL summer schedule. Actually 2 flights to LTN and 2 to LHR most days of the week. The Luton flights are 739 and the Heathrow vary between 772 and 744, with a 789 on Friday mornings.

[a mirrer]

LATAM plans to start SCL-GRU-TLV in 2018
https://www.ajot.com/news/latam-plans-to-serve-tel-aviv-in-2018

[Joe4007]

LATAM plans to start SCL-GRU-TLV in 2018
https://www.ajot.com/news/latam-plans-to-serve-tel-aviv-in-2018

About time.

[Denverite]

LATAM plans to start SCL-GRU-TLV in 2018
https://www.ajot.com/news/latam-plans-to-serve-tel-aviv-in-2018

And no fuel fees!

[hide4]

What's the fuel charge on a ba biz flight nyc-tlv using aa 70k ow.

[efflpetzel]

About time.

Any exotic routing to be done

[ExGingi]

http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-british-airways-mulling-flights-to-ovda-1001211232

Besides for what the title says, there are a few more interesting tidbits in this article, such as the history of flights to Israel, and IB switching over to all long-haul configuration on flights to TLV.

[Dan]

IB switching over to all long-haul configuration on flights to TLV.

z0mg, best spin ever!

They currently have a daily morning A330 and an evening A319 from MAD-TLV.
Effective 3/1 they are downgrading to 1x daily A330 in the afternoon.

[ExGingi]

z0mg, best spin ever!

They currently have a daily morning A330 and an evening A319 from MAD-TLV.
Effective 3/1 they are downgrading to 1x daily A330 in the afternoon.

Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't flow IB in ages. Last time I did on an some kind of error fare (IINM it was still in the age of paper tickets - definitely before merging with BA) it was a terrible experience, and people around here know what bad experiences do to my relationships with airlines. 

[aygart]

Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't flow IB in ages. Last time I did on an some kind of error fare (IINM it was still in the age of paper tickets - definitely before merging with BA) it was a terrible experience, and people around here know what bad experiences do to my relationships with airlines. 

There is only one thing an airline can possibly do to make things better-to fly widebody to TLV

[moe8555]

Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't flow IB in ages. Last time I did on an some kind of error fare (IINM it was still in the age of paper tickets - definitely before merging with BA) it was a terrible experience, and people around here know what bad experiences do to my relationships with airlines. 

I flew them last month ORD-MAD-TLV in J on the long leg.  No complaints and definitely a redemption bargain!

[yandmk]

z0mg, best spin ever!

They currently have a daily morning A330 and an evening A319 from MAD-TLV.
Effective 3/1 they are downgrading to 1x daily A330 in the afternoon.

Daily? Um, almost... Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. The other days are 2 a319s

[Dan]

Daily? Um, almost... Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. The other days are 2 a319s

Guess that will teach me from spot checking GF.
Either way, not a route upgrade. Terrible timing for connections from the US.