ElAl Frequent Flyer Awards worth less than a Big Mac at the airport

Thats it? Yes. Amazing Fact. Do the math: Lowest fare ticket to London earns 25 points one way. 36 Oneway flights gives you 900 points required for the “bonus fare”. Bonus fare is $340. Regular fare is about $650. So you save $310 = about $9 bonus. Or “half-Chai” in appeal-speak. Thats about 30 NIS [...]

Getting to LGA from Manhattan

I usually stay in Manhattan and getting to Newark or Kennedy is easy (max 30 minutes from Penn Station). This trip – I had to be in LGA at 7am (for an AirTran flight). Cab would probably be at least $40. Israeli car service $30 + tips and tolls. Public transportation is almost non-existent. This [...]

elal airfare increase

Just got an email from ElAl – due to $117 oil, fares go up on average 6.5% on May 1. This reflects the overal trend in the airline industry. SO, if you have already booked a flight – buy it before May 1. Of course, check cancellation policy and change fee if that may be [...]

Cheap Dollar – Buy in USA

My parents would always return from US with 14 suitcases loaded with clothes, shoes, toys, tuna, plastic bags, etc. The zionist reality did not include purchasing low quality expensive stuff in Israel. While I like a nice trip to the Galleria as much as the next woman – in the past few years buying in [...]

Kosher restaurant in the south bay area

While personally I keep to Kosher dietary rules, even when travelling abroad, I do not look for Kosher certificates and just try to keep on the ‘safe’ side (eating lots of Salmon, of course). But on my last trip I was challenged with the need to find a Kosher restaurant with a colleague he keeps [...]

Searching for cheaper airfare

I guess that looking for cheaper airfares is always a priority for the traveler even though there are quite a few parameters that are important too when making travel arrangements. But let us admit it once and for all – there is no thrill like the thrill you get when you know that the guy [...]

Priceline- Cheapest car rental in JFK- sometimes

Using Priceline to rent cars is the way to go in JFK- in the range of $25 to $35 per day- not including insurance- However despite the claim on Priceline site that cars can be picked up a few hours before the official time – in reality on my last trip to NY- the car [...]

Pesach Airfare Price Drop

I thought I was being smart ordering my Pesach tickets in advance (1 month ago). I paid $1200-$1300 a person (times 6!). I bought the tickets on Expedia, as an elite member and 2 days ago I found better flights for $1000 each. It seems like ElAl has taken the unusual step of dropping prices [...]

Bad Kosher Airline food – funny?

Right now I am on the plane eating my “Economy Class Chicken Dinner” for breakfast and I am thinking of yesterdays kosher meal on Turkish Airlines. Worst ever. And I have had a lot of bad ones, including 18 lettuce only salads once. Please don’t read this if you plan to eat in the next [...]

Selecting an Airline Seat

More than once in the past I selected or got a seat on an airplane that just did not fit my needs. Personally, I prefer aisle seats that are as close as possible to the exit door of the aircraft I am flying on. The reason is simple, most of my flights are long haul [...]