Ultimate Guide to Booking El Al Flights to Israel with Partner Airline Miles ✈️

Planning a trip to Israel and want to save big on El Al flights? Using partner airline loyalty programs is a fantastic way to book award flights to Tel Aviv with miles or leverage bank points for maximum value! 🌍 In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through how to use programs like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Etihad Guest, and Delta SkyMiles to score El Al flights. Plus, we’ll highlight transfer bonuses, insider tips, and a few fun emojis to keep things lively! 😎 Let’s dive in!

Why Use Partner Programs for El Al Flights? 🤔

El Al Israel Airlines partners with several loyalty programs, allowing you to redeem miles for flights from U.S. cities like New York (JFK), Newark, Boston, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Los Angeles to Tel Aviv. By using partner programs, you can take advantage of lower mileage rates, transfer bonuses, and flexible booking options. Some programs even let you use bank points (like Chase or AMEX) to book paid tickets at a discount. Here’s how to make it happen! 🚀

1. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 🌟

Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club offers some of the best mileage rates for El Al flights, making it a top choice for savvy travelers! 😄

• Miles Needed: ~22,500 miles one-way in economy 🪑, ~37,500 in premium economy, or ~67,500 in business class 🛏️ from JFK to Tel Aviv.
• Transfer Bonus 🎉: Until June 15, 2025, Chase Ultimate Rewards offers a 30% bonus on transfers to Virgin Atlantic. For example:
  • Economy: Transfer ~17,308 Chase points to get 22,500 Virgin miles.
  • Business Class: Transfer ~51,923 points for 67,500 miles. 💰
• How to Book: Check El Al award availability on Virgin Atlantic’s website (user-friendly and straightforward). If seats don’t appear, call their U.S. support at 800-365-9500 📞. Availability is decent but can be limited, so book early!
• Earning Miles: Transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Capital One. You can also earn miles with Virgin Atlantic’s co-branded credit card 💳.
• Pro Tip 🔑: Virgin’s low rates combined with the Chase 30% bonus make this a stellar option. Book before June 15, 2025, to maximize savings! 😍

2. Air France-KLM Flying Blue 🥐✈️

Flying Blue is another excellent program, especially for its monthly Promo Awards that can slash mileage costs! 🍀

• Miles Needed: ~25,000 miles one-way in economy, ~45,000 in premium economy, or ~75,000 in business class from NYC to Tel Aviv. Promo Awards can drop economy flights to as low as 20,000 miles one-way! 🎉
• Transfer Bonus 🎁: Until June 30, 2025, transfers from American Express, Chase, Citi, or Capital One to Flying Blue earn a 20% bonus. For example:
  • Economy: Transfer ~20,833 AMEX points for 25,000 Flying Blue miles.
  • Business Class: Transfer ~62,500 points for 75,000 miles. 🤑
• How to Book: Search for El Al flights on the Flying Blue website or Air France/KLM’s site. If seats aren’t showing, call Flying Blue at 800-237-2747 📲. Promo Awards are released monthly, so check regularly!
• Earning Miles: Transfer points from AMEX, Chase, Citi, Capital One, or Marriott Bonvoy. Flying Blue’s co-branded credit card is another option 💸.
• Pro Tip 🧠: Promo Awards are a game-changer but sell out fast ⚡. Use the 20% transfer bonus and flexible dates to score the best deals! 😄

3. Qantas Frequent Flyer 🦘

Qantas can be a trickier option due to limited availability, but it’s worth considering as a backup! 😊

• Miles Needed: ~37,800 miles one-way in economy, ~70,800 in premium economy, or ~90,000 in business class from NYC to Tel Aviv.
• How to Book: Check availability on Qantas’ website, but El Al award seats are often restricted 😕. You’ll likely need to call their U.S. line at 1-800-227-4500 and try multiple agents to secure a booking 📞.
• Earning Miles: Earn Qantas miles via their credit card, flying Qantas or partners, or transferring points from AMEX, Citi, or Capital One.
• Pro Tip ⚠️: Qantas is less reliable due to seat restrictions, so prioritize Virgin or Flying Blue. Persistence is key when calling! 🔍

4. Etihad Guest 🕌

Etihad Guest is a solid option, though it requires a phone call to book El Al flights. Let’s break it down! 🕒

• Miles Needed: ~67,000 miles one-way in economy, ~74,000 in premium economy, or ~120,000 in business class from NYC to Tel Aviv.
• How to Book: Etihad doesn’t support online booking for El Al awards 😩. Call Etihad Guest at 877-690-0767 to check availability and book. Seats often align with what’s available on Delta or Virgin Atlantic.
• Earning Miles: Earn miles through Etihad’s credit card, flying Etihad or partners, or transferring points from AMEX, Citi, or Capital One.
• Pro Tip 📅: Phone bookings can be slow, so have multiple travel dates ready to increase your chances of finding seats! 😊

5. Delta SkyMiles 🛫

Delta SkyMiles offers easy online booking but comes with higher mileage rates due to dynamic pricing. Here’s the scoop! 📈

• Miles Needed: Expect 82,000–110,000 miles one-way in economy, 150,000–205,000 in premium economy, or 320,000–405,000 in business class from JFK to Tel Aviv. Round-trip awards can be lower, starting at 68,000 miles in economy or 420,000 in business 🔄.
• How to Book: Search and book El Al flights directly on Delta’s website (super intuitive!). Check multiple dates to find lower rates, as pricing varies.
• Earning Miles: Earn SkyMiles via Delta credit cards, flying Delta or partners, or transferring AMEX Membership Rewards points.
• Pro Tip 💡: Delta’s high rates make it less competitive, but round-trip bookings can save miles. Compare with Virgin or Flying Blue for better value! 🧐

Top Strategies to Maximize Your Savings 🏆

Ready to book like a pro? Here are some insider tips to stretch your miles and points further! 🚀

1. Check Availability Early 🔎: Use Delta, Virgin Atlantic, or Flying Blue’s websites to scout El Al award seats before calling Qantas or Etihad. This saves time and boosts your odds of finding availability!
2. Be Flexible with Dates 📆: Award seats are more likely during off-peak periods like February or November. Flying Blue’s Promo Awards are especially great for budget travelers 🥇.
3. Leverage Transfer Bonuses 💸:
   • Virgin Atlantic: Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points by June 15, 2025, for a 30% bonus (e.g., 17,308 points for an economy ticket) 🎉.
   • Flying Blue: Transfer AMEX, Chase, Citi, or Capital One points by June 30, 2025, for a 20% bonus (e.g., 20,833 points for economy) 🌟.
4. Hybrid Points for Paid Tickets 💳: If award seats are unavailable, use bank points to book paid El Al tickets via travel portals:
   • Chase Sapphire Reserve: Redeem points at 1.5 cents each (e.g., a $1,000 ticket costs ~66,667 points) 💰.
   • AMEX Business Platinum: Get a 35% points rebate on JetBlue codeshare El Al flights (select JetBlue as your airline). For example, a $4,912 business class ticket costs ~327,467 points, with ~114,613 points returned! 😮
5. JetBlue Codeshare Trick 🌀: Book El Al flights via JetBlue’s website for savings (e.g., $4,912 vs. $5,912 for business class). You’ll also get perks like two free checked bags if you’re a JetBlue Mosaic member 🧳, plus AMEX rebates for extra value!
6. Round-Trip Savings 🔄: Delta and Flying Blue often offer better rates for round-trip awards. Always compare one-way vs. round-trip options to maximize your miles!

Challenges to Watch Out For ⚠️

While booking with partner programs is rewarding, there are a few hurdles to navigate. Here’s what to expect:

• Qantas Restrictions 😣: Limited El Al award seats mean you may need to call multiple times and work with different agents to find availability.
• Etihad’s Phone-Only Booking 📞: No online booking option makes it time-consuming, so be patient and have backup dates ready.
• Delta’s High Rates 📈: SkyMiles awards can be pricey, so only use Delta if you find a low round-trip deal.
• Flying Blue Promo Awards ⏳: These deals are amazing but limited and sell out quickly. Check monthly releases to grab them!
• JetBlue Codeshare Changes 😬: If you book a JetBlue codeshare via AMEX, changes involve coordinating with AMEX, JetBlue, and El Al, which can be complex.

Your Game Plan for Booking El Al Flights 🥳

Here’s how to nail your El Al booking and save big:

• Best Picks: Prioritize Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with the 30% Chase transfer bonus (until June 15, 2025) for low mileage rates, or Flying Blue with the 20% transfer bonus (until June 30, 2025) for Promo Award deals. Both are fantastic for El Al flights! 🚀
• Fallback Options: Use JetBlue codeshares with AMEX points for paid tickets if award seats are scarce, or check Delta for round-trip deals.
• Compare and Save: Always compare award miles vs. cash prices with bank points to ensure you’re getting the best value. A little research goes a long way! 🕵️‍♂️

Final Thoughts ✈️

Booking El Al flights to Israel with partner airline miles is a smart way to travel to Tel Aviv without breaking the bank! 💸 By leveraging Virgin Atlantic, Flying Blue, Qantas, Etihad, or Delta, and taking advantage of transfer bonuses and JetBlue codeshares, you can unlock incredible savings. Start planning now, be flexible with your dates, and you’ll be sipping coffee in Tel Aviv in no time! ☕🛬 Happy travels! 🌍

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a financial advisor before making travel or points-related decisions. Don’t share personal information that can identify you.