El Al Faces Stiff Competition on Discount Winter Flights
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
A price comparison of El Al's promotional winter flights revealed that competitors like Arkia, Smartwings, Israir, Wizz Air, and Cyprus Airways offer significantly cheaper direct flights to Prague and Larnaca in January 2027. For example, Arkia's flight to Prague was $39 less than El Al's, and Wizz Air's Larnaca flight was $2 cheaper when factoring in carry-on baggage costs. The analysis included base fares and added costs for carry-on luggage where applicable.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Competitors offer cheaper direct flights than El Al's promotional winter fares.
- Arkia's Prague flight was $39 cheaper than El Al's on January 4th.
- Wizz Air's Larnaca flight was $2 cheaper than El Al's on January 1st.
- The price comparison focused on direct flights to Prague and Larnaca in January 2027.
- Carry-on luggage costs were factored into the final price comparisons.
El Al has advertised promotional prices for its Sun D'Or winter flights, but a price comparison for direct flights to Prague and Larnaca in January 2027 reveals that competitors may offer equally or more affordable options. For some Prague flights, competitor prices were found to be tens of dollars lower than El Al's advertised sale prices. Similarly, for Larnaca, a competitor offered a lower price after factoring in the cost of a carry-on bag.
On January 4th, Arkia offered a direct flight to Prague for a base fare of $95 one-way. With an additional $25 for a carry-on, the total cost reached $120. In contrast, El Al's flight on the same day was priced at $159, including a carry-on, making Arkia's offer $39 cheaper. Smartwings also provided a direct flight for $125, which includes a carry-on under its Lite fare policy, making it $34 less than El Al's offer. Israir's ticket was $112 before luggage, rising to $142 with a $30 carry-on fee, still $17 less than El Al.
Further comparisons for Prague on January 26th showed Israir offering a flight for $114, which with a $30 carry-on fee totals $144, while Smartwings offered a flight at $171 including cabin baggage. For Larnaca on January 1st, Wizz Air presented a base fare of $34. With an estimated $25 for Wizz Priority to include a carry-on, the total was $59. El Al's flight on the same date was $61 with a carry-on. Arkia's ticket was $64, increasing to $89 with a $25 carry-on fee, and Israir's ticket was $61 plus a $30 carry-on fee, totaling $91.
Cyprus Airways offered a direct flight to Larnaca for $88, with its Economy Basic fare including a carry-on bag up to 10 kg and a personal item, negating the need for extra payment. The price comparison was based on flight search engine data for direct flights, with carry-on costs added where not included. Wizz Air's additional fees were estimated, while Israir's and Arkia's were based on published luggage price lists.
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