JordyC

Hi all,

I'm trying to plan a trip from BOS to either TLV or AMM between June 10th - 25th. Does anyone know what the best route is? Best carriers?

I want to go to both Israel and Jordan, but do not plan to backtrack, so I don't think travel to Israel will be a problem like it would be on a longer trip around the Middle East. However...

1. Should I fly into TLV or AMM?
2. What's the cheapest way to route the ticket? I can also fly out of New York if that helps.
3. Any way to work in an interesting layover?

I am fine going from Jordan to Israel (or vice versa) either by land or by air, but I have not yet gotten my visa and time is running out...any advice about that would be great, too!

Much thanks,

Jordy

yosithezet

What alliances do you belong to? If you are a OW traveler then I'd think that doing something like BOS-LHR-AMM-TLV-LHR-BOS would make a good deal of sense.

joshwex90

Do US passport holders automatically receive a visa (for a fee) on entry to Jordan?

As for flying, it depends on what you want to do. If you mostly want to see Israel with a short visit to Jordan, it might make sense to just do a day trip to Jordan from Israel, or vice versa.

ludocdoc

I'm doing a combined trip in October. If I knew how to link things, I'd link you to my posts (I think Josh above has offered me some help in a few threads too). I'm CP with US, and have upgrade certs, so I'm very biased to flying the US route PHL-TLV and connecting inand out of Jordan. Plus, my travel companion is in the Philly area. So, I'm probably going to make the jump from there. Other alliances fly from the New York area, unless you want to connect in LHR or FRA. The FRA to Amman flight is an awful time, though, leaving a looooooong layover in FRA. Plus, if things in Jordan go the way of Syria and Libya (seems unlikely), this way my flights are in and out of Israel. I can just not go to Jordan, or hustle back across the border, and dont have to rebook my AMM-JFK flight when 100s of others are trying to flee the region. I'm not really worried, but I like a backup plan.

RJ (Royal Jordanian) flies TLV-AMM. The times are different each day of the week, and not evey date has that days' usual flights -- random ones drop out (like the 5 or 6pm TLV-AMM on Oct 30, for some reason). It's really pricey. Minimum 400 JD round trip, usually onan E190 or an Airbus (forget 319, 20, 0r 21). You get your entry visa at the airport for a fee which I'm not sure if you can put on a credit card or if you need cash. Just wait in the line.

The main border crossing by ground takes all day. You should leave in the AM, and expect to be in your hotel by dinner. Maybe it'll be faster, but you dont want to bet on it. One government website told me that the Eastbound crossing at the Allenby bridge closes to tourists at something like 4pm. Other sites say it's till 11 pm, not specifying tourists vs diplomats and aid workers. To use this bridge, you must have your Jordanian Visa in advance. It's reported to be a one day turnaround at the Tel Aviv consulate (or is it an Embassy), but I'd do it before leaving the states if thats practical for you.

Easier crossings are harder to get to. There's a crossing well North of that bridge which is probably impractical. There is a reportedly much easier crossing between Eilat and Aqaba in the south, which might be better for you if your main Jordan goal is Petra. Getting to Eilat involves a bus or somebody's car. Last time I was there, bus schedules were more suggestions than rules, but that was 20 years ago.

I think you can drive across the Eilat crossing. Well, not you in a rental, but your friend who lives there. I have relatives in Israel, and they told me to fly.

ludocdoc

The RT to Philly is $99 from Bos, PVD, MHT, if you're into the US idea. Aso, US is cheaper from EWR or LGA many dates, with the connection in Philly, because they are competing with all the directs.

Your other questions:
Cheapest.... ITA software helps me. I'll bet its out of New York, as there is competition. RJ flies ORD and JFK direct AMM, and was cheaper once to TLV with teh AMM connection. Miles earned are half or non with most discount fares on .. OW? I think, though there is some sharing with US I cant figure out the milesage accrual.

Layovers... well, I'm thinking about PHL-FCO-TLV with a 14 or 29 hour layover. Mostly to get another Tartuffo at Tre Scalini.....mmmmmm..... It's cheaper than the direct some days.

joshwex90

It's the Jordanian Embassy, not Consulate, and it's located in Ramat Gan, just outside Tel Aviv.

TWA884

According to the Royal Jordanian timetable, there are two flights on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, three flights on Fridays and only one flight on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

ludocdoc

Right. I just wanted our OP to note that there are some dates where all the flights dont go. One date I was considering was Oct 30. Sundays before that, there seems to be a 7:15 and 16:45 departure. For some reason, the 30th, the 16:45 is gone and a 22:30 is added. The weeek after, there are 3 Sunday flights. I'm sure there is some reason, but I dont know what it its.

I was going to book a US TATL to TLV to connect to the RJ flight. Not that the OP would go and book a pricey flight without making sure his connection was good, but you cant assume that the 5 pm runs every Sunday, and that rule might apply to other dates as well.