El Al “Basic Economy” Fares Coming To Europe This Year, Will The US Be Next? Plus, More “Up” Matmid Devaluations.

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El Al will start selling “basic economy” type tickets to Europe starting on 4/30 for travel starting 10/15.

El Al will brand these fares as “Lite.”

While the US carriers exempt elite members and credit cardholders from rules that restrict baggage, El Al is even going after their Top Platinum elites.

The good news is that you can still have a free 17 pound carry-on bag on Lite fares.

While El Al currently gives a free checked bag on all coach tickets (2 bags for elites), no members will get a free checked bag on a Lite fare to Europe. Additionally, El Al Fly cardholders won’t get 50% off their first checked bag on Lite fares, though they can get 50% off a 2nd checked bag.

Non-elites, Silver elites, and Gold elites will also have to pay for an assigned seat to Europe.

Basic Economy and Lite fares are intended to make it easier to compete against low-cost carriers.

With airlines like WOW offering cheap tickets between North America and Israel, one has to wonder how long it will be until the Basic Economy/Lite scheme comes to North America-Israel flights? I’d imagine that Delta might start and that El Al and United would match it. It might not happen this year, but I don’t think we’re far off from the days when a ticket to Israel on a major carrier won’t include any baggage.

In other news, El Al has announced their former Up flights will continue to depart from terminal 1, so lounge access will not be provided.

Matmid rates for former Up destinations will increase. And of course on top of higher rates, El Al will add a fuel surcharge and taxes.

Here is the Matmid accrual chart for former Up destinations.

Sun d’Or benefits will be devalued as well.

For a tiny airline with practically no partner airline redemption options, El Al manages to have the most convoluted mileage and elite program in the world. These changes only help make the program more complicated than ever.

I shudder to think of the length of the United MileagePlus award chart (with unique prices and fuel surcharges for every destination city and unique charts for winter, summer, cardholders, and elites?) and the mileage computations required if it was redesigned by the El Al Matmid team!

Newsflash to El Al: It’s time to scrap Matmid and start again from scratch.

Will you still fly El Al between Israel and Europe on a Lite fare or will you take a competing low-cost carrier?

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21 Comments On "El Al “Basic Economy” Fares Coming To Europe This Year, Will The US Be Next? Plus, More “Up” Matmid Devaluations."

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

ExGingi

If this will be the start of pricing ex-TLV (and specifically TLV-North America) as one ways, without requiring Saturday night stay for reasonable pricing, that might be a silver lining in all of this.

As for ELAL, they need one thing, and one thing only: A total corporate DNA change!

Wijnstokken

Even when I flew El Al, I posted the miles elsewhere.

Nechoma

In simple English please explain .
I need travel from NY TO UK.
Or from NY to Israel .

Moshe OTD

This website does not speak simple English.

Huh?

In simple English: Call your local travel agent!
This site clearly does not cater to your Individual needs.

Joe

Basic English please

Szo

Take it easy, guys.
No need to attack

alex

ye its not nice to so mean somebody try to figure out somthing pepol dont have so much knowledge and we have to be the ones halping this pepol

Jacob

Where’s the best place for an American to credit miles earned from flying an elal flight?

TIA!

yankelk

anyone have luck reactivating expired miles? is it genivah from a jew if i make up a story like i was sick and wasnt able to fly in order to get my miles reactivated?

Ploni

Forget geneivah, it’s sheker! U should be ashamed u even asked that!

Shaul

You can thank “Open Skies” for this – for better and for worse. It’s allowed carriers like WoW to create a race for the bottom in TLV. I’m all for market segmentation. The average Bochur going abroad for Bein HaZmanim can save money while the hit to the bottom line for the airline is mitigated by not having to charge that lower fare for everyone & being able to recoup some of it in fees.

Achshell

In other words: Same [bad] service for less money! That’s great news!

Harry

I am not sold on the El Al security or its “the Israeli airline” arguments or on the disgusting food they provide so I will search for the lowest fare for what I want, either with or without baggage, and the best timetable and book accordingly. The surly, rude El Al flight crews don’t add to the airlines attraction either!

MT

Ditto!

Yehuda

This act of elal is a complete neglection of ther loyal customers the gold and platinum. It is very expensive to maintain the Gl and Pl Status and if the only advantage left is the lounge. It is just not worth it.

After the past few years that elal is expecting the Israeli passengers to understand all ther problems and limitations do to small old fleet of aircrafts and pilots strikes. To devaluate the loyal customers?

I am a 14 year Gl and Pl now and I don’t believe I am going to renew my status.

Hope the company will come to thir senses fast

Yoni

I’m just waiting for the elal commentators to start spewing there nonsense again…

Karma Dude

I stopped flying Elal a few years ago and never looked back. I could never subject my family to the awful service that is synonymous with Elal again. I’m not talking about the service by the flight crew but the complete lack of service on the business level. Delayed and super delayed instead of canceled flights are the norm. Records get canceled for no reason constantly. Instead of bumping passengers, they’ve been known to claim that records don’t exist when I can clearly see them in Amadeus and many other such shenanigans are par for the course with Elal and I want no part in it. I strongly discourage clients from flying Elal.

Onlyethic

I don’t see El Al as being worse than most airlines today – just bad in different ways. Everything on the ground (website, customer care; pricing methods, etc) sucks. Everything in the air (humane and patient crew; IAF trained pilots; and even the food) is good. The one big exception is the planes, which, despite the few 787s El Al marketing people are going gaga over, tend to be old and decrepit. But i’ll take an El Al flight attendant over some rude and impatient American flight attendant.

In terms of the bad, it is, indeed, a wider cultural phenomenon. Israeli businesses haven’t had to compete either because of corruption or because geopolitics made it so only one or two of anything was supportable.

On the other hand, israel has made it this far by skimping so precious resources can be diverted to essentials. It’s true other countries with smaller economies might have done more with things like their national airlines, but few have faced what Israel still faces daily.

Yes, it’s time for change. Big chnge.Absolutely.
But none of the emerged in a vacuum.

Achshell

It’s just ONE 787 that they are making all that noise about!

alex

when i fly elal from usa to tlv how do i get my points on my matmid card?
cud i get it half year after i flue?

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