WOW air to begin flights from US to Tel Aviv

No-frills carrier WOW air will begin flights connecting several of its U.S. gateway airports to Tel Aviv, Israel starting this fall.

Flights on Iceland’s low-cost carrier to Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv will begin Sept. 12. The carrier will make the trip four times weekly from five major East Coast cities as well as Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Introductory sale prices start at $149 each way from Boston Logan International (BOS), Newark Liberty Airport (EWR), Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), Pittsburgh International (PIT) and Chicago O’Hare International (ORD). One-way tickets start at $199 from Miami International (MIA), Los Angeles International (LAW) and San Francisco International (SFO). Tickets went on sale May 16.

WOW air founder Skúli Mogensen
Flights from the east and west coasts will include connections in Reykjavik (KEF) that will be approximately 13 and two hours, respectively. Travelers can use those few hours to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of Iceland or can spend more time in Iceland with the WOW Stopover, which includes a visit to Iceland for an unlimited amount of time before heading on to destinations in Europe and beyond.

The new Tel Aviv route will be serviced by WOW air´s Airbus fleet of A320, A321 and A330 aircraft. With an average age of 2.5 years, WOW operates one of the youngest fleets of the world’s airlines.

Typical of bargain carriers, space is at a premium. According to SeatGuru.com, each aircraft is configured with a single Economy Class cabin. Seats are 17 inches wide, among the narrowest in the industry, and pitch ranges from 30 to 31 inches, which is also tight for longer flights.

Seats with pitch of 37 inches are available for a fee on the carrier’s A330 aircraft, according to SeatGuru. Food and beverages are also available for purchase onboard.

Nonetheless, the carrier is well regarded by its passengers, who ranked WOW air as the No. 7 best low-cost airline in Europe in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 SKYTRAX World Airline Awards, the airline noted.

About the destination

Located on the country's Mediterranean coastline, Tel Aviv is a bustling city offering great beaches, important museums, and exciting nightlife as well as being the technological and cultural hub for the region.

"Visitors from all over the world continue to be attracted to the unique city of Tel Aviv,” Skúli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW air, said. "The Israeli government and tourism board have been great partners in getting the route approved and we are thankful for their support of WOW air."

The addition of WOW air flights is part of the country’s ongoing effort to attract more tourism.

"We set a goal to bring new airlines to Israel,” Yariv Levin, Israel Minister of Tourism, said. "The launching of this new historic route will significantly increase the number of tourists traveling to Israel from Iceland, Canada and the U.S., and will also contribute to the unprecedented trend of growth in the number of tourists visiting Israel over the last number of months."

More information about the new flights is available on WOW air’s website.

Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.



Photo provided by WOW air
Click on photo to view larger image

Comments