Israelis waiting until the last moment to book Passover vacations are being rewarded with unexpectedly low airfare and package deals, as increased competition, seasonal routes and shifting demand have opened up bargain opportunities not seen in years.
Yaniv Lanis, founder of the popular deal-tracking site Secret Flights, said a rare combination of factors is driving prices down — Ryanair’s return to Ben Gurion Airport flooded the market with low-cost tickets to multiple destinations; Israeli airlines launched summer seasonal routes to Greek hotspots like Rhodes, Crete and Kefalonia; and Many travelers are opting to fly during the school break and Passover intermediate days, leaving pre-holiday dates with low demand and steep discounts
Among the standout offers:
- Paphos – $55 round-trip on Ryanair, April 5–12 (excluding luggage)
- Turin – $186 round-trip on Ryanair, April 6–13
- Paris – $344 round-trip on Arkia, April 6–13
- Colombo (Sri Lanka) – $674 round-trip on TUS Airways, April 6–13
Shirley Cohen-Orakby, deputy CEO at Eshet Tours, said the renewed fighting in Gaza has slowed holiday bookings, leaving attractive packages still available. Popular destinations include Malta, Batumi, Prague, Thessaloniki, Athens, Montenegro and Sicily. She recommends booking trips that begin two days before or during the second half of the holiday for the best prices.
Oren Cohen Magori, VP of marketing and sales at Flying Carpet, added that the return of foreign airlines has increased supply and competition, helping travelers find much cheaper options than last year.
Last-minute deals from major travel agencies
Arkia Airlines:
- Zanzibar – $799 (April 15–22)
- Vienna – $379 (April 7–14)
- Prague – $299 (April 6–12)
Israir Airlines:
- Tbilisi – from $414 (April 15–18)
- Budapest – from $263 (April 19–22)
Gulliver Travel:
- Bucharest – $261 (April 8–14, Israir)
- Varna – $293 (April 8–13, Israir)
- Budapest – $292 (April 11–15, Wizz Air)
- Tivat, Montenegro – $318 (April 7–13, Arkia)
- Athens – $395 (April 11–14, Arkia)
Eshet Tours:
- Malta – from €419 (April 10–13 or April 17–20)
- Prague – from €269 (April 17–22)
- Thessaloniki – from $479 (April 16–20, El Al)
Flying Carpet holiday packages:
- Crete – $469 per person (April 17–20, 3 nights, all-inclusive, Samiramis Hotel)
- Paphos – $429 per person (April 17–20, breakfast, Avlida Hotel)
- Budapest – $399 (April 17–20, includes flight and checked bag)
Gulliver holiday packages:
- Crete – $405 per person (April 10–13, half-board, Hersonissos Maris)
- Rhodes – $492 per person (April 11–14, all-inclusive, Nautica Blue Resort)
- Prague – $574 per person (April 9–13, breakfast, NH Prague City)
Eshet Tours packages:
- Batumi – $599 per person (April 9–14, 5 nights, JRW Welmond, breakfast)
- Malta – from €499 (April 17–22, Santana Hotel, breakfast, transfers)
- Prague – from €549 (April 11–17 or April 17–22, Duo Hotel, breakfast)
Arkia holiday packages:
- Rhodes – $499 per person (April 15–18, Island City Hotel, breakfast)
- Montenegro (Budva) – $539 per person (April 7–13, Twelve Hotel, breakfast)
Israir holiday packages:
- Sofia – from $373 (April 6–9, Marinria Hotel, breakfast)
- Thessaloniki – from $554 (April 14–17, Capsis Hotel, breakfast)
Issta Travel packages:
- Batumi – from $427 (April 18–24, Euphoria Hotel, breakfast)
- Protaras, Cyprus – from $367 (April 18–21, Leonardo Crystal Cove, breakfast)
Kishrey Teufa holiday packages:
- Krakow – from $475 (April 7–9, Amadeus Hotel)
- Bucharest – $435 (April 17–21, Mercure Unirii, breakfast)
- Rhodes – $490 (April 18–21, Nautica Blue Resort, all-inclusive, transfers)
How the war is reshaping Israeli travel preferences
A new survey by iPanel for Ynet reveals that price is the top consideration for Israeli travelers when choosing an airline. Security ranked second, followed by service quality, flight availability, concern about cancellations and a desire to support Israeli carriers.
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Survey results indicate that 62% of Israelis expect to travel abroad this year, 63% of those with airline preferences favor Israeli carriers and just 10% prefer foreign airlines that continued flying to Israel during the war.
Notably, preference for Israeli airlines among Jewish respondents was nearly three times higher than among Arab respondents. In contrast, Arab respondents were nearly three times more likely to prefer foreign airlines, while Jewish respondents were twice as likely to support airlines that maintained flights during the war.
Other findings: travel intentions increase with income and decrease with religious observance. Secular Israelis are twice as likely to plan a trip abroad compared to Haredi Israelis. Women cited price more frequently than men as their main consideration, and older travelers showed slightly less sensitivity to cost.