Slashed by as much as $2,246 (52%).
Many international Business Class fares have come down a lot in the past year, a trend started by Delta on European routes in 2012, when it introduced economy fares that came with a built-in upgrade to Business Class. Many of the new fares were not much more than the lowest economy fares, while others represented half off historical norms.
Now the Trend Has Arrived for Travel to Tel Aviv
Fares from the U.S. to Tel Aviv have historically hovered in the $4,000+ range on major carriers in the three alliances. But over the last ten months, prices have plunged.
[aside headline="What are EasyUp Fares?" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]
In short: An EasyUp Fare is an anomaly airfare that is surprisingly close in cost to the fare in the class below it.
You simply pay the First Class fare rather than the not-much-less Business Class fare—or pay the Business Class fare rather than the not-much-less coach fare.
Think of the relatively small dollar difference as the “fee” for your bargain upgrade… your easy upgrade. (No need to use miles, or work any other upgrade strategy.)
Mind you, airlines don’t call these fares EasyUp. FCF coined that term when it discovered them back in 2012.
And airlines seldom promote them.
But FCF’s tag team of global researchers find them, 24/7. Making low-cost upgrading easy for FCF members.[/aside]
One Example: On Washington, DC-Tel Aviv, Air France, Alitalia, Delta, and KLM recently published a $2,081 round-trip fare (see Aug. 4 FCF Alert). Last year, on Sept. 1, 2015, the fare was $4,327, a drop of $2,246 (52%).
As it is often the case with a new fare trend, it’s a bouncing ball: on sale, back up, back down a few weeks later, or the fare is restricted to certain U.S. departure cities and/or carriers. But keep the bigger picture in mind: discounted Business Class fares—FCF refers to them as “EasyUp” fares—have landed in Tel Aviv.
Lowest-Fare Departure Cities
SkyTeam and Star Alliance carriers have offered new lower fares—$2,000 to $2,900—to Tel Aviv from eight U.S. gateways (Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC).
From other cities, fares are $200 to $2,000 more. Oneworld (American and British Airways) fares to Tel Aviv usually start at $3,000 from Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. From other cities, fares are $500 to $2,000 more.
Want to Upgrade to First?
The programs are all different; here’s what you need to know:
Oneworld: While both American and British Airways offer mileage upgrades from low Business Class fares to First Class to a European hub such as London, onward travel to Tel Aviv is in Business Class.
Sample Savings: Take the New York-Tel Aviv route on British Airways. The lowest Business Class fare we’ve seen is $2,979—$2,578 using the AARP discount—and requires 36,000 miles (low season) round-trip to upgrade the New York-London-New York segments. The published First Class fare on this route is $6,479, giving you a great return on miles.
Star Alliance: United does not offer a First Class cabin to Tel Aviv, but SWISS does on the U.S.-Zurich leg, and it allows upgrades from low Business Class fares. Zurich-Tel Aviv is in Business Class.
Sample Savings: Take the Boston-Tel Aviv route on SWISS. The lowest Business Class fare we’ve seen is $2,104 and requires 140,000 miles round-trip to upgrade the Boston-Zurich segments. Granted, it’s a lot of miles, but SWISS’s First Class cabin is also very good. The published First Class fare is $14,219, giving you a good return on miles.
Routing Considerations
Delta and United both offer non-stop service to Tel Aviv—Delta from New York/JFK and United from New York/Newark and San Francisco. With European carriers, you must make a connection in the carrier’s hub city: London on BA, Amsterdam on KLM, Frankfurt on Lufthansa, Zurich on SWISS, Paris on Air France, Rome on Alitalia, etc.
Second Destination for a Small Fee
Some airlines allow a stopover in the hub city. This depends on the fare and the U.S. departure city, and it sometimes carries only a modest fee.
On Los Angeles-Tel Aviv, Lufthansa, which currently has the lowest Business Class fare ($2,556), allows a stopover in Frankfurt (both outbound and return) for $150.
However, the carrier’s lowest LAX-Frankfurt Business Class fare is $4,062. By making Tel Aviv your destination and Frankfurt a stopover, you can lower the fare by about 35%.
Tel Aviv for less than free has a bit of a nice ring to it.
Business Class fare to Tel Aviv $2,556 – screenshot from Lufthansa.com:
Business Class fare for two stopovers in Frankfurt: $2,706
Business Class fare to Frankfurt: $4,062
Let us know how you're faring to Tel Aviv.