Flying within Israel

When traveling on your own within Israel, don’t overlook the option of flying. Admittedly, Israel is a small country, but domestic air travel is reasonably priced and quick. Flying also offers unexpectedly good views of the landscape, since most flights operate at lower altitudes than long-haul flights. Most flights are on twin-turboprop aircraft seating between 40 and 75 passengers.

My wife, Paula, and I flew round trip between Tel Aviv’s Sde Dov airport and Eilat on Israir (phone 972 3 5109589). Both airports are conveniently located on the outskirts of their respective cities.

Our round-trip tickets cost $141 each; we bought them online 3½ months before our April ’12 trip. Our one-hour flights were on time, comfortable and surprisingly quiet, with a free snack and a nonalcoholic drink served.

In conversations with travelers, I learned that Israir has a reputation for frequently making ticketing mistakes but also for being cooperative and adept about correcting them. Our experiences were consistent with that perception.

Upon checking in for our outbound flight, we discovered an error with our return ticket. Israir’s agent quickly corrected it. The day before our return flight, Israir notified us by both e-mail and phone that our return flight was not going to be operated. We were seamlessly booked onto a later, albeit less convenient, flight.

Arkia (phone 972 9 8644444) is another option for domestic flights. Both Arkia and Israir offer packages that include hotels and tours plus international service. I did find the websites of both to be a bit more challenging to use than most.

Israel’s flagship airline, El Al (phone 972 [3] 9771111 or, in the US, 800/223-6700), operates a limited schedule of flights between Tel Aviv and Eilat using a 737.

Flying to Eilat is a good option if your destination lies beyond Israel’s southern tip. Taba, Egypt, is just southwest of Eilat, while Aqaba, Jordan, is just southeast, with Jordan’s Wadi Rum lying somewhat farther to the east. Crossing the border into Jordan from Eilat is a convenient route to Petra, Jordan, which is about a 2-hour drive north from the border crossing.

With the exception of Tel Aviv, the airports are small and easy to navigate. As you would expect, security is tighter than that for domestic flights in the US.

STEPHEN O. ADDISON, Jr.
Charlotte, NC