Travel out of TLV [merged experience reports & tips]
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE, IHG-Pt, HH-D, BW-D
Posts: 71
Travel out of TLV [merged experience reports & tips]
Hello Everyone.
I was not completely sure if this is the best forum to post this question, so I apologize in advance if it should be somewhere else.
I have a early morning flight out of TLV airport later this week. I'm flown out of the airport many times before but with AC, but my flight this week is with Lufthansa.
Can anyone tell me any tips for making the check-in process easier with Lufthansa? With AC I usually try to arrive 3-4 hours before departure, but with this flight being at 7:30am it will not be as easy this time and I would like to be as prepared as possible.
I already noticed that the check-in is on the ground level. Any other pieces of info people can share with me?
Cheers
I was not completely sure if this is the best forum to post this question, so I apologize in advance if it should be somewhere else.
I have a early morning flight out of TLV airport later this week. I'm flown out of the airport many times before but with AC, but my flight this week is with Lufthansa.
Can anyone tell me any tips for making the check-in process easier with Lufthansa? With AC I usually try to arrive 3-4 hours before departure, but with this flight being at 7:30am it will not be as easy this time and I would like to be as prepared as possible.
I already noticed that the check-in is on the ground level. Any other pieces of info people can share with me?
Cheers
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
Actually, there is. Go to bed at 10p.m./11p.m. and get up again at ~3a.m.
I took the 5.30a.m. flight ex-TLV a few times and found it to be perfectly sufficient to get up at 2a.m., grab a taxi and arrive at TLV 2-2.5h before departure.
For anyone travelling in Y and/or with checked baggage and/or with someone else Id recommend arriving 3h in advance.
As mentioned above TLV is a bit of a mad house in the early morning due to all the European departures.
I took the 5.30a.m. flight ex-TLV a few times and found it to be perfectly sufficient to get up at 2a.m., grab a taxi and arrive at TLV 2-2.5h before departure.
For anyone travelling in Y and/or with checked baggage and/or with someone else Id recommend arriving 3h in advance.
As mentioned above TLV is a bit of a mad house in the early morning due to all the European departures.
#6
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maribor SLO
Programs: MM silver, Flying blue Platinum, A3 gold, Marriott platinum, IHG platinum
Posts: 131
Well, I would not call it advice but just my experience: for flights ex TLV by LH or OS I make web check in and I come to the airport later than anybody else (usually 1,5 hrs before take off). At that time usually almost nobody at security check and everything runs fast.
But, as said: this is not an advice, go there as early as you think is ok for you
But, as said: this is not an advice, go there as early as you think is ok for you
#7
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: hamburg
Posts: 1,390
i always use this service; not cheap, but 2 hours of extra sleep makes it a nobrainer for me...
http://www.israelwelcome.com/airportvipservice.htm
http://www.israelwelcome.com/airportvipservice.htm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
i always use this service; not cheap, but 2 hours of extra sleep makes it a nobrainer for me...
http://www.israelwelcome.com/airportvipservice.htm
http://www.israelwelcome.com/airportvipservice.htm
Could you comment on which of the various service levels you booked and how efficient the process was, especially with regards to security?
#9
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: Disgruntled HON**, Indifferent EK Gold, skeptical BA Silver
Posts: 1,734
Get an invite: http://www.iaa.gov.il/Rashat/en-US/A...usinessmen.htm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: BAEC, M&L, Bonvoy
Posts: 1,339
Get an invite: http://www.iaa.gov.il/Rashat/en-US/A...usinessmen.htm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE, IHG-Pt, HH-D, BW-D
Posts: 71
I just wanted to comment on the experience that morning.
I arrived at the airport around 5:00am, so 2.5 hours early. I was one of only about 20-30 people in the Lufthansa area, but was able to use the business line and was in and out of the ticketing in less than 10 minutes.
I had a letter from the company I was visiting and went through security quickly. I haven't decided yet if the letter hurts or helps the process, because I have had some long long experiences even with the letter.
But this time, I was through ticketing, security and the final passport check in less than 30 minutes. Next time I would probably arrive a little bit later.
One issue I did have was that the Lufthansa drop off point is not well marked and I had to convince my cab driver to take me to the arrivals area for a drop off. The lounge was busier than usual as well, but I found the Wifi seemed to be working better somehow. I didn't really have any major complaints, which is unusual when leaving TLV. jk.
It would definitely be nice if they improved the food selection in the lounge though.
I arrived at the airport around 5:00am, so 2.5 hours early. I was one of only about 20-30 people in the Lufthansa area, but was able to use the business line and was in and out of the ticketing in less than 10 minutes.
I had a letter from the company I was visiting and went through security quickly. I haven't decided yet if the letter hurts or helps the process, because I have had some long long experiences even with the letter.
But this time, I was through ticketing, security and the final passport check in less than 30 minutes. Next time I would probably arrive a little bit later.
One issue I did have was that the Lufthansa drop off point is not well marked and I had to convince my cab driver to take me to the arrivals area for a drop off. The lounge was busier than usual as well, but I found the Wifi seemed to be working better somehow. I didn't really have any major complaints, which is unusual when leaving TLV. jk.
It would definitely be nice if they improved the food selection in the lounge though.
#12
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,067
I just wanted to comment on the experience that morning.
I arrived at the airport around 5:00am, so 2.5 hours early. I was one of only about 20-30 people in the Lufthansa area, but was able to use the business line and was in and out of the ticketing in less than 10 minutes.
I had a letter from the company I was visiting and went through security quickly. I haven't decided yet if the letter hurts or helps the process, because I have had some long long experiences even with the letter.
But this time, I was through ticketing, security and the final passport check in less than 30 minutes. Next time I would probably arrive a little bit later.
One issue I did have was that the Lufthansa drop off point is not well marked and I had to convince my cab driver to take me to the arrivals area for a drop off. The lounge was busier than usual as well, but I found the Wifi seemed to be working better somehow. I didn't really have any major complaints, which is unusual when leaving TLV. jk.
It would definitely be nice if they improved the food selection in the lounge though.
I arrived at the airport around 5:00am, so 2.5 hours early. I was one of only about 20-30 people in the Lufthansa area, but was able to use the business line and was in and out of the ticketing in less than 10 minutes.
I had a letter from the company I was visiting and went through security quickly. I haven't decided yet if the letter hurts or helps the process, because I have had some long long experiences even with the letter.
But this time, I was through ticketing, security and the final passport check in less than 30 minutes. Next time I would probably arrive a little bit later.
One issue I did have was that the Lufthansa drop off point is not well marked and I had to convince my cab driver to take me to the arrivals area for a drop off. The lounge was busier than usual as well, but I found the Wifi seemed to be working better somehow. I didn't really have any major complaints, which is unusual when leaving TLV. jk.
It would definitely be nice if they improved the food selection in the lounge though.
A few years back I also did the afternoon LH flight and spent the night at a Frankfurt Airport Hotel for my connecting flight and arrived early as well
#13
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: United 1.9MM
Posts: 168
*G flying out of TLV - how many hours to budget?
Apologies if a well worn topic. Last thread I saw was 2011. Anyway, I have a LH flight leaving TLV about 2:30 pm. How many hours beforehand should I show up at TLV? Single white Antipodean tourist with small backpack. Is there a *G line to facilitate things?
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
IIRC there's some sort of priority line for security, but I can't remember whether it was just for J/F pax or also *G members.
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: A3 *G, BA silver, LH, UA
Posts: 518
Assuming there are no other aspects that would raise the agents' attention and you don't plan to check any baggage I'd recommend arriving 2.5h before departure. If you want to be absolutely safe, arrive 3h in advance, but arriving any earlier is just a waste of time IMO. Personally, when travelling in J with hand baggage only I usually arrive ~2h before departure which leaves me with >1h for security if necessary (I have spent anywhere from 5min - 45min at security, the latter not being a particularly fun experience, and I still had sufficient time to get to the gate).
IIRC there's some sort of priority line for security, but I can't remember whether it was just for J/F pax or also *G members.
IIRC there's some sort of priority line for security, but I can't remember whether it was just for J/F pax or also *G members.
- travelling only with hand luggage (after OLCI + printing boarding passes, go to the "departure gates", just when you are asked to present passport+boarding passes, there is a counter on the right side for security questioning).
- J/F (try to enter the regular queue and ask them to guide you to the J/F queue. in the case of flights leaving from the ground floor (LH,OS,US, if I remember correctly), it is on the right of all the regular queues).
Note that after the questioning, you go throw the security check point like everyone else, and there are no priority queues (usually not needed - the maximum I waited in these is 15 minutes).
2. Personally, I set the timer at 2h. Assuming you are non-threat (have an invitation letter from an Israeli colleague/business partner with their phone number on it), this is more than enough (TLV has a nice duty free and lousy lounges, so no point in rushing through security).