If you are dreaming of touring to the Middle East or love utilizing your miles to fly on airways you have by no means skilled earlier than, we’ve got excellent news for you. It’s now doable to redeem Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles for flights on El Al, Israel’s nationwide airline.
Unlike lots of Alaska Airlines‘ companions, El Al is not a part of the Oneworld alliance — nor every other alliance. With a rising record of worldwide flights, now you can use your Alaska miles to fly with El Al to quite a few locations.
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Let’s take a better have a look at this new accomplice redemption choice to see whether or not redeeming your Alaska miles for flights on El Al is an efficient use of your miles.
Redeeming Alaska miles for El Al flights
While Alaska publishes distinctive award charts for every of its airline companions (which you’ll be able to view right here), the award chart for El Al hasn’t been revealed but, as first seen by AwardWallet. Until there’s an official award chart, you will have to hunt for award availability to see what pricing is in impact on the day you wish to fly.
That being stated, there are developments we will notice:
- Award charges in early 2023 are cheaper than these in late 2023 when flying from the U.S. to Tel Aviv, Israel‘s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV), with mileage necessities rising 17% to 25% on common. Those will increase begin as early as July on some routes however not till September or October 2023 on different routes. This means you will get a greater worth in your miles in the event you fly within the first half of 2023 when utilizing your Alaska miles to fly to Israel with El Al.
- Business-class awards begin at 85,000 miles from the U.S. to Israel however are liable to the identical will increase famous above.
- Redeeming Qantas factors for El Al flights is likely to be a greater choice, relying in your class of journey and routing. Redemption charges aren’t at all times higher, however amassing Qantas factors is far simpler.
- Finding redemptions for connecting flights is probably not stay but, as we could not discover any redemptions from the U.S. via Tel Aviv and onward to different locations like Rome, Dubai or Vienna. Plus, Alaska’s web site says redemptions are solely doable to the Middle East and Europe, which excludes locations in Asia and Africa.
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Redemption charges for early 2023
El Al flies from its base in Tel Aviv to U.S. locations like Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark and New York. Depending in your route, you may anticipate the next value ranges on nonstop flights between TLV and the U.S.:
- Economy: 40,000 to 45,000 miles per particular person, every approach.
- Premium economic system: 60,000 to 70,000 miles per particular person, every approach.
- Business class: 85,000 miles per particular person, every approach.
Redemption charges for later in 2023
However, award redemption charges enhance by as a lot as 25% later in 2023. This change in the midst of subsequent yr echoes different negatives we have seen with Alaska Airlines award redemptions not too long ago, comparable to dynamic pricing by itself flights and a few very unhealthy accomplice award charts.
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Here’s what you may anticipate to pay when redeeming Alaska miles for El Al flights between Israel and the U.S. within the second half of 2023:
- Economy: 45,000 to 50,000 miles per particular person, every approach.
- Premium economic system: 80,000 miles per particular person, every approach.
- Business class: 100,000 miles per particular person, every approach.
Other redemption choices for El Al flights
Prior to October 2020, you could possibly switch American Express Membership Rewards factors to El Al and make redemptions that approach. However, the switch charges and redemption choices had been fairly unhealthy. The most suitable choice for redeeming factors and miles for El Al flights has been utilizing the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, and chances are you’ll desire to proceed utilizing this redemption as a substitute of the brand new choice with Alaska miles.
Depending on routing, chances are you’ll want extra or fewer factors. However, the charges aren’t considerably completely different from these provided by Alaska Airlines on El Al flights. Qantas gives the next pricing on the identical LAX to TLV flight beforehand proven:
- Economy: 50,300 factors.
- Premium economic system: 93,500 factors.
- Business class: 119,200 factors.
Related: Sweet Spot Sunday: Book El Al flights to Israel with Qantas factors
The benefit is you could switch factors from American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. By comparability, the one switch accomplice to the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is from Marriott Bonvoy, along with a private and a enterprise bank card, each issued by Bank of America within the U.S. This makes incomes Qantas factors a lot simpler.
Bottom line
If you are focused on flying on El Al, it is now doable to redeem Alaska miles for flights on the airline.
This comes after the 2 airways shaped a partnership in early 2019, permitting you to earn miles with one airline for paid flights on the opposite. After an extended wait, you may lastly redeem Alaska miles for award flights on El Al, although the charges aren’t overly compelling — particularly after they seemingly go up later in 2023. That being stated, having further choices for methods to use your factors and miles is a internet optimistic.