Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - ben gurion ?--how are prices and shopping at airport?

are there are good deals, bargains at duty free in Ben gurion--or are we better off buying in N America?

if you morve this question--sorry i didn't really know where to put it

are there are good deals, bargains at duty free in Ben gurion--or are we better off buying in N America?

if you morve this question--sorry i didn't really know where to put it

If you have never been to the new terminal 3 you are in for a shock as pertains to duty free shopping. We cynics here call the whole setup a shopping mall with an aiport attached to it.
Everything imaginable is available in tens of shops. Prices are much cheaper then in the shops around Israel but compared to your home base it is hard to say since you didn't mention where you are from
Electronics are still probably cheaper in the big discount centers of NY or LA
There are always sales on perfume, alcohol and cosmetics etc
Israelis always leave an hour or two before departure just to go shopping and come with lists from friends and family
Enjoy the experience. You are sure to find someting you like

TLV duty free (Alcohol, Cigarettes) is cheaper compared to N. America and most airports in Europe and much more expensive compared to the far east and Middle East airports (like Dubai). Clothing and parfumes are margional compared to street prices in Israel - in some cases it would be cheaper to buy parfumes in one of the shopping malls in Israel than in the duty free.

Here are links to James Richardson (Alcohol, parfumes and cigarettes) (http://www.dutyfree.co.il/english/content/home.html) and Sakal (sports, toys and electronics) (http://www.sakaldutyfree.co.il/)

If you fly LY, here is a link to their duty free (http://www.elal.co.il/default.asp?v_doc_id=2968&v_lang_id=0) which might have better individual deals that TLV.

there are 2 CD stores in the airport, the one outside security is pretty cheap and you can get good deals on CDs there. the one inside is good to but not as cheap.

it has been about a year since we flew out of terminal 3, and i just couldn't remember how prices compared to US or city streets in israel. it is fun to shop, either way. thanks for the comments.

The prices on scotch SUCK compared to JFK and EWR. Don't buy scotch in TLV unless its for convienience (leaving it there to pick up when you get back).

Just a tangential comment for those who care - I used to buy a lot of Elite chocolate at the airport when heading back to the U.S., instead of getting it at grocery stores. They used to have really big, bulk containers of multiple, large bars, etc.

After scouring the stores in the new terminal in April and July, however, I found a very small representation of Elite products (and no bulk packages), while most of what they were selling was chocolate from Europe. (Perhaps that makes sense since Israelis can buy chocolate at home, and might prefer something European at the airport.)

The prices on scotch SUCK compared to JFK and EWR. Don't buy scotch in TLV unless its for convienience (leaving it there to pick up when you get back).

I do agree (although I am comparing with London and not USA). However, they occasionally have special offers which can be remarkably cheap.

In general I do not find good prices at all at the airport. Here is some data:

some hi end creams and soaps. $50, is $25 in US department stores. (sure they have buy 3 get 1 free in perpetuity just proving their hi prices)

cheapest wine is $19 (when I want to bring an IL gift abroad) good wines much cheaper in IL supermarkets

Bought levi jeans for 250NIS in mashbir $99 at airport

Tissot watch ~$800 bought for $500 in US (watches that I checked were even all above MSRP)

sony P900 smart phone $999 in us $600

****************************

things that might be OK is non-wine booze and running shoes on deals.

the days when Israelis would save 10 years to go abroad are over but the duty-free thing still lingers I guess

I don't buy cigarettes

are there any other airports that let you leave your purchase in the airpirt like TLV does?

cheapest wine is $19 (when I want to bring an IL gift abroad) good wines much cheaper in IL supermarkets


Just like elsewhere around the world you have $5 bottles and $100 bottles. Those you find at the grocery stores are the $5-10 ones (usually up to NIS 100 - some of which are quite good but still cheap). At the airport you will find the more expensive boutique wineries and special series of the big wineries. The wine shop at TLV is actually quite impressive and a good bargain on most of the upscale wines (compared to upscale wine shops in Israel - no to supermarkets).


Tissot watch ~$800 bought for $500 in US (watches that I checked were even all above MSRP)

sony P900 smart phone $999 in us $600


Electronics are indeed much more expensive that street and internet prices, even in Israel.

Ive Never found TLV to be of any bargain what so ever, Unless you are buying 3 so that you get the 4th free. But then its the cheapest which is free so buy 3 Wines at $25 and 1 at $15 the $15 is free. Buy less then 3 then its cheaper to buy it in the City and pay the VAT.

also by buying it in the City you can pack it in your checked muggage and not have to schelp it onto and off the plane. Bottles are heavy and if travelling alone not easy to get all 4 into ones carry on and past Customs.

As for Scotch the cheapest I found was recently in SAL (El Salvador) and SJO ( Costa Rica) its usually 750ml but it ends up less per liter. Eg Glenlivet was $21 for a 750 so a liter will be 750 by 3 = 250 x 4 = 1 liter, = 21 by 3 = 7 x 4 = $28 a liter. The cheapest I saw a Liter for in EWR was $35 in TLV its 2 for $79.90 , JFK if the sale is on its 2 liters for $60 and then I have to schelp it down there and back to NY.

Ive never found any Scotch or Perfume when Buying just 1 or even 2 that is cheaper in TLV then in NY with paying the tax.

Ive Never found TLV to be of any bargain what so ever, Unless you are buying 3 so that you get the 4th free. But then its the cheapest which is free so buy 3 Wines at $25 and 1 at $15 the $15 is free. Buy less then 3 then its cheaper to buy it in the City and pay the VAT.

also by buying it in the City you can pack it in your checked muggage and not have to schelp it onto and off the plane. Bottles are heavy and if travelling alone not easy to get all 4 into ones carry on and past Customs.

As for Scotch the cheapest I found was recently in SAL (El Salvador) and SJO ( Costa Rica) its usually 750ml but it ends up less per liter. Eg Glenlivet was $21 for a 750 so a liter will be 750 by 3 = 250 x 4 = 1 liter, = 21 by 3 = 7 x 4 = $28 a liter. The cheapest I saw a Liter for in EWR was $35 in TLV its 2 for $79.90 , JFK if the sale is on its 2 liters for $60 and then I have to schelp it down there and back to NY.
bit for the locals its a great deal!
Ive never found any Scotch or Perfume when Buying just 1 or even 2 that is cheaper in TLV then in NY with paying the tax.

are there any other airports that let you leave your purchase in the airpirt like TLV does?

I believe in GIG I saw DF pick up

are there any other airports that let you leave your purchase in the airpirt like TLV does?

What I've seen in a few places (India, Australia) is the ability to buy Duty Free on the way into the country. If you can do that there is no need to buy on the way out and leave behind.

In general I do not find good prices at all at the airport. Here is some data:

some hi end creams and soaps. $50, is $25 in US department stores. (sure they have buy 3 get 1 free in perpetuity just proving their hi prices)

cheapest wine is $19 (when I want to bring an IL gift abroad) good wines much cheaper in IL supermarkets

Bought levi jeans for 250NIS in mashbir $99 at airport

Tissot watch ~$800 bought for $500 in US (watches that I checked were even all above MSRP)

sony P900 smart phone $999 in us $600

****************************

things that might be OK is non-wine booze and running shoes on deals.

the days when Israelis would save 10 years to go abroad are over but the duty-free thing still lingers I guess

I don't buy cigarettesI think you can still buy Ahava pretty reasonably within Israel itself, compared both to TLV and USA prices. I haven't bought any Levi's in a while, but even 250 NIS sounds pretty high for jeans if you live in the U.S., no?

When I lived in Israel several years ago and bought a pair of "na'alei bayit" (house shoes, zip-up slippers) at the Mashbir, a close family member called me a frier (sucker) for buying them there and not at a shuk. ;)

I bought a bunch of CDs at the disc shop before passport control...
They were about 50 NIS ($12), which is not bad, but my credit card shows a $50 charge.. not sure what that is all about...

Hatav Hashmini (the 8th tune) - the CD store outside security is a branch of a Jerusalem store with the same name which is considered the cheapest CD store in Israel. The store in the airport also a good bargain and is cheaper than most stores in Tel Aviv and around.