Israeli Credit Card Companies Offer Free Flights With Conditions Amid Competitive Promotions
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Israeli credit card companies are competing by offering free or discounted flights to new customers, with conditions such as minimum spending and limited ticket availability. El Al's Fly Card, Cal's Playol, and SkyMAX each provide different destinations and terms, aiming to attract travelers during the winter season. While the offers include restrictions, they ultimately benefit consumers by expanding affordable travel options.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- El Al's Fly Card offers free round-trip tickets to popular European cities for new members with spending conditions.
- Cal's Playol and Issta sell discounted round-trip flights to Asian and US destinations with included fees and luggage.
- SkyMAX offers free tickets to select destinations for new members meeting monthly spending targets.
- Fly Card requires 10,000 shekels spending by November; Playol requires minimal spending; SkyMAX requires 2,000 shekels monthly for three months.
- Flight availability is limited, with Fly Card and SkyMAX offering 50,000 and 1,000 tickets respectively.
- Promotions are valid mainly for winter travel between November and March, benefiting consumers despite restrictions.
Israeli credit card companies are intensifying their competition by offering free or discounted flights to attract customers. El Al's frequent flyer program, Fly Card, provides new members with a free round-trip ticket to popular destinations like Athens, Barcelona, and Berlin. Meanwhile, Cal's Playol and travel company Issta offer round-trip tickets for $999 to destinations including Bangkok, Tokyo, Phuket, Hanoi, and New York, sometimes representing discounts of several hundred dollars along with additional benefits at the destination.
SkyMAX, a competitor under Max, has launched a promotion for new members offering round-trip tickets to a more limited set of destinations such as Naples, Budapest, and Larnaca. However, all these offers come with fine print. Fly Card's promotion is valid only for new members joining between July 5 and August 5, requiring a minimum spending of 10,000 shekels by the end of November to qualify. The offer includes 50,000 tickets excluding taxes and fees, with flights available from November through March.
Playol's offer requires minimal spending (just one shekel per month) and is valid from late October to the end of March with Arkia Airlines, including taxes, fees, and luggage. The tickets can be booked until August 22, but availability is limited to a minimum of 1,000 tickets. SkyMAX's free ticket offer is for new members joining by July 15, requiring monthly spending of 2,000 shekels in August, September, and October, with flights from November to February and a maximum of 1,000 tickets.
Despite the spending requirements and limited availability, the competition benefits consumers by providing various flight options and discounts. These promotions reflect a broader trend of credit card companies leveraging travel incentives to attract and retain customers in a competitive market.
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