How to Book El Al Flights to Israel with Partner Miles
El Al partners with several loyalty programs. Here is how to use Virgin Atlantic, Flying Blue, Qantas, and other programs to book flights to Israel.
El Al Israel Airlines doesn't have the deepest North American partner network, but several loyalty programs do allow you to book El Al flights to and from Tel Aviv. The pricing across programs varies considerably — with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue typically offering lower rates than Delta SkyMiles for the same seats.
Here's an overview of the programs worth checking and how to approach booking.
Why Book Through a Partner Program
El Al's own Matmid program doesn't transfer in from major U.S. credit card points programs. To use transferable points on El Al, you need to go through a partner program. The upside: several of those partners price El Al business class at substantially fewer miles than you'd expect for a transatlantic route, particularly out of North American gateways.
Partner award pricing changes over time, and El Al's award space can be limited — always verify current availability and pricing on the partner program's website before transferring points.
Partner Programs to Check
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers El Al award redemptions and is generally considered one of the more competitive programs for this route. Business class pricing is in a reasonable range for a transatlantic award.
Transfer sources: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Capital One miles all transfer to Virgin Atlantic at 1:1. Transfer times are typically fast, making it practical to check availability first, then transfer.
To book, search on the Virgin Atlantic website or call customer service at 800-365-9500.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue periodically runs Promo Award sales that reduce mileage costs on specific routes by 20–30%. El Al routes have appeared in these promotions. Outside of sales, Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing, so costs vary.
Transfer sources: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Citi ThankYou all transfer to Flying Blue at 1:1. Transfer times are typically 24–48 hours.
Contact: 800-237-2747
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qantas has a published award chart for El Al flights with set pricing by cabin class. Availability is the main challenge — Qantas-bookable El Al award space is limited. It's worth checking, but don't build your itinerary around it without confirming seats first.
Transfer sources: Amex Membership Rewards and Capital One miles transfer to Qantas at 1:1.
Contact: 1-800-227-4500
Etihad Guest
Etihad prices El Al awards on a distance-based chart. Business class pricing is higher than Virgin Atlantic or Flying Blue, making it a less preferred option unless you already have Etihad miles or the other programs have no availability.
Phone booking is required for this redemption — online search doesn't reliably show El Al award space through Etihad.
Transfer sources: Amex Membership Rewards and Capital One miles transfer to Etihad at 1:1.
Contact: 877-690-0767
Delta SkyMiles
Delta uses fully dynamic pricing and El Al awards through SkyMiles tend to price at the high end across all cabin classes. SkyMiles is worth checking as a last resort, but it's rarely the best option for this route.
Tips for Booking El Al Awards
Check availability before transferring. Award space on El Al through partner programs can be limited. Confirm seats are available before moving any points — transfers are one-way and non-reversible.
Compare programs for the same flight. The same El Al seat may have different prices across Virgin Atlantic, Flying Blue, and Qantas. Look up current partner award charts and run the math for each before deciding where to transfer.
Be flexible on dates. El Al operates limited frequencies on U.S. routes (primarily JFK and LAX). Award space is easiest to find on off-peak dates and with flexible ±3 day searches.
Call for Etihad awards. Don't rely on Etihad's website for El Al availability. Phone booking surfaces seats that don't appear online.
Watch for Flying Blue Promo Awards. Air France-KLM announces Promo Award sales for specific routes monthly. If your travel dates are flexible, waiting for a sale to include El Al can meaningfully reduce the mileage cost.
Which Cards Help
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to Virgin Atlantic and Flying Blue (1:1). The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are the primary earners.
Amex Membership Rewards transfers to Virgin Atlantic, Flying Blue, Qantas, and Etihad (all 1:1). The broadest coverage for El Al partner programs.
Capital One miles transfer to Virgin Atlantic, Flying Blue, Qantas, and Etihad (1:1). The Capital One Venture X and Venture earn on everyday purchases.
Citi ThankYou Points transfer to Flying Blue (1:1). The Citi Strata Premier earns 3x on restaurants, hotels, airlines, groceries, and gas.
Bottom Line
Booking El Al through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Air France-KLM Flying Blue gives you access to competitive pricing, with the added benefit that both programs accept transfers from Chase, Amex, and Capital One. Availability is the binding constraint — check partner program sites first, and once you confirm seat availability, then transfer points.
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