(Full disclosure: Carried over from https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=31028.msg2819078#msg2819078, to get help from a more active thread)
El Al is currently only booking flights through May 5, 2025.
Question: Is there a way to book a NYC-TLV-NYC "student ticket" (i.e for a seminary or yeshiva student with long-dated return ticket in mid-June 2025, with flexible return date) directly with El Al, or do you need to go through a travel agent? (My motivation for direct, is I'd like to use Chase points).
Alternatively, if I book direct with El Al for a return date in May 2025, and subsequently change that to mid-June, what is the change fee?
P.s. It seems the price for one-way tickets is $200+ more for each leg, relative to booking that as part of a round trip.
FYI - The no change fee statement on their website is not terribly clear on this situation. That is at:
https://www.elal.com/eng/useful-info/peace-of-mindI called customer service about the change fee in this context i.e. moving the return ticket (TLV to EWR) from May 5, 2025 to mid-June 2025, which is (1) beyond 12-month from ticketing (purchase, assuming purchased today), and (2) beyond the current "no change fee statement on tickets to the Americas, which specifies only till 5/31/2025").
They confirmed (after I asked they confirm this with a manager) that there would be no change fee.
They highlighted that it would still be subject to a potential additional cost relating to any fare difference.
Hopefully I can rely on that.
