anabolism

How is TLV for transit?

I'll be ending a xONEx in TLV, so connecting there, either from MAD or LHR, and then departing back to MAD or LHR.

Do intl-inl transfers need to clear immigration and emigration (as in PVG) or is it more like HKG?

Also, one option is to have a two-hour layover (arrive at 5 AM, depart at 8 AM) but outbound would be TLV-LHR-MAD, with LHR-MAD in Y. Another option is an 11-hour layover, departing at 4:30 TLV-MAD in J. Not sure which is worse: a flight in Y or 11 hours at an airport

Houminer

probably one of the worst....
becaus of security.

Unless you have an Israeli passport or have been here many times I would not risk a 2 hour connection.

joshwex90

I don't get it...is OP connecting in TLV, or flying to TLV?

seaskybound

11 hours would be more than ample to visit Jerusalem (or telaviv but not really both), But Jerusalem is Jerusalem

anabolism

Sorry for not being clear. We have a round-the-world trip that, for pricing, starts and ends in TLV. We're actually visiting Israel for a few days at the start, but when we end the trip, we'll be flying from Europe to TLV and back to Europe the same day. In on IB, out on LY.

joshwex90

OK, now I understand. You will need to clear immigration, and then head right back through security. TLV isn't really set up for transfers, except perhaps with LY flight to/from Far East.

I would not risk a 2 hour connection. Go for the 11 hour one, and spend some time in Tel Aviv.

Houminer

Are you sure they have to clear immigration?
There is a sign for connection flights before you go down to immigration. I think I read posts that say that you can go down there and only go thru security.

joshwex90

I'm pretty sure. I've heard that only works for LY flights that are booked as a single itin. And I've also heard (though perhaps someone here can confirm) that those require a form of passport control as it is

Houminer

I hope I never have to find out...

badatz

The following is a quote from the website of TLV regarding transit passengers:


"" 2. Passengers in transit to a destination abroad
Passengers arriving with a foreign airline, will collect their baggage (if necessary) in the Transit Hall and will continue the transit passenger process, which is of the same as for inbound passengers arriving on Israeli airlines, and includes:



Security check in the Transit Passengers Hall



Obtaining a boarding pass for the next leg of their journey, in the Transit Hall



Transition to the Rotunda, on Level 1. Link to to the Rotunda via the Connector.

Continue to the appropriate Concourse and exit gate.""


If needed further details can be found there.

The entrance to the Transit area is on the right before you head downwards to passport contol

joshwex90

That basically sounds like the same thing all pax need to do

badatz

The procedure seems the same but it is done in a seperate area, as the passenger does not go down to ramp to border control but is security checked in the transit lounge,checked in and given a boarding pass and then "transitioned" to the rotunda

damaxer91

Are there good RTW fares that start in TLV and include LY? There was a great QF/LY J RTW Fare which I took advantage of way back but haven't seen another in a while

anabolism

We wanted to avoid that for three reasons:

1. We're on a fairly short set of overnights to get in to TLV, so we'll be exhausted;
2. We only have 2-4 days in each stop of the RTW, so if we spend the day in TLV, we'll only have one full day in Madrid;
3. We'll have visited Tel Aviv at the start of the RTW (in April).

IB just opened up award space on the early flight to MAD, so we now have about 2.5 hours for TLV.

The LY flights were positioning after the RTW ended (not part of the RTW), and were on awards. We switched them to IB, but that means we paid an extra $450 or so for the privilege of moving award flights from OW to LY and back (as space opened up on better flights).

I recall discussion of the LY RTW, but we never used it partly because flying LY doesn't earn AA elite-status bonus miles nor elite-qualifying miles or points.