EL AL Cancellation Policy

Booking a flight can be an exciting experience, but sometimes unexpected circumstances arise that require a change of plans. That’s why it’s important to understand the cancellation policy of the airline you are flying with. EL AL, Israel’s national airline, has a comprehensive cancellation policy to provide flexibility and peace of mind to its passengers. Whether you need to cancel your flight entirely or make changes to your itinerary, EL AL cancellation policy is designed to accommodate your needs while providing transparency and fairness. 

Major Highlights of the EL AL Cancellation Policy

When it comes to travel, flexibility is key. Unexpected circumstances can arise, leading to the need for flight cancellations or changes. Whether it’s a sudden change in itinerary, unforeseen weather conditions, or personal emergencies, EL AL flight cancellation policy provides you with the flexibility and assistance you need during these challenging times. 

• You can cancel your flight and receive a full refund within 24 hours of booking, as long as the booking was made at least 7 days prior to the departure date. This holds true for all types of tickets, incl. non-refundable ones.
• If you purchased your flight ticket on/before December 31, 2022, you can cancel your flight receive a voucher for the full amount without paying any cancellation fee, subject to the conditions below:
  • Your ticket’s expiry date is not over. 
  • You use your voucher on a flight departing before November 30, 2024.
  • You cancel at least 6 hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight.
  • You haven’t purchased any of the following types of tickets:
    • With Points&Cash 
    • On-sale tickets
    • Lite/bonus tickets 
  • The above conditions do not apply to flight tickets purchased after January 1, 2023, as such tickets cannot be substituted for flight vouchers post cancellation.
• If EL AL cancels your flight, fails to operate reasonably per schedule, fails to stop at your stopover or destination, or causes you to miss a connecting flight on which you have a confirmed reservation in the same booking, you can:
  • Choose to take the next available flight at no additional cost or extend the validity of your ticket and travel later.
    OR
  • Choose to fly later to your destination within a reasonable period of time on EL AL or another carrier (as mutually agreed) at no additional charge. However, if the new fare is cheaper, the balance will be refunded.
    OR
  • Request a full refund.
• If EL AL is unable to provide space on a previously confirmed flight (boarding denial), you are entitled to receive compensation per the airline’s boarding denial compensation policy.
• According to Israel’s Consumer Protection Act, you can cancel any transaction up to 14 days after initial booking, as long as it is more than 7 working days before your flight’s scheduled departure time. In all other scenarios, you can cancel your ticket and apply for a refund per the applicable law. If you meet these conditions, you will be charged a cancellation fee of 5% of the total price of your ticket or NIS 100, whichever is lower. However, no cancellation charges will apply if the cancellation is caused due to a breach of agreement by EL AL.
• If you purchase the EL AL Protect service (insurance) at the time of booking, you can cancel your ticket and get a credit voucher (for future use) for 100% of the value of your ticket. This service is available in all service classes (Economy, Premium Economy, and Business). However, on flights offering fare families in Economy Class (from/to all destinations other than North America), the service is only provided on Classic and Flex fares.
• You can cancel your ticket online, by phone, or through your travel agent. Online cancellations can only be made if your ticket’s first flight segment is from Tel Aviv and you purchased the directly through EL AL’s website or Customer Service Center for certain dates of departure. 
• To cancel a ticket purchased from a travel agency/website, you must contact the ticket-issuing source directly.

EL AL 24 Hour Cancellation

What is EL AL cancellation policy for 24-hour cancellations?

If you purchase your ticket 7 or more days before departure, you can cancel it within 24 hours of purchase and receive a full refund. However, this only applies to tickets booked directly through EL AL (phone, website, airport counter, city ticket office) and includes bonus tickets purchased with Matmid points.

EL AL 24-hour cancellation policy applies to all types of tickets, including non-refundable fares. 

How to Cancel an EL AL Flight?

You can cancel your EL AL flight online, by phone, or through the travel agent from whom you purchased your ticket. However, online cancellations are only permitted: 

• If the first flight segment is Tel Aviv, and 
• You booked your ticket directly from EL AL’s website or Customer Service Center, and 
• For certain departure dates 

Phone cancellations are always permitted, regardless of how you purchased your ticket.

How to Cancel EL AL Flight Online?

You can only cancel your flight online if you purchased your ticket directly from EL AL’s website or call center/customer service, the first segment of your flight is from Tel Aviv, and for certain departure dates only. 

Cancelling an EL AL flight online is simple. All you need to do is: 

1. Go to the online cancellation form 
2. Enter your Booking code and Last name 
3. Check the box to confirm that you wish to cancel all the flights and accompanying services on the booking 
4. Click on the Cancel and refund my ticket button

It’s important to note that cancellation fees may apply depending on your fare type and route. If you encounter any difficulties or have further inquiries, call EL AL for assistance. 

How to Cancel EL AL Flight by Phone?

The easiest and most convenient way to cancel your EL AL flight is by phone. Simply call EL AL’s hotline and follow the prompts to speak with an agent. Remember to have your booking code and flight information handy to expedite the cancellation process. The agent will guide you through the necessary steps and provide any additional information or assistance you may need. It’s important to note that there may be fees or restrictions associated with cancelling your flight, so it’s do review EL AL cancellation policy presented at the beginning of this page. 

EL AL Cancelled Flight Policy

EL AL’s cancelled flight policy applies to flight cancellations made by EL AL. If EL AL cancels your flight, you can choose from any of the following options: 

1. Ask for a full refund, or 
2. Take the next available flight offered by the airline (at no extra cost), or 
3. Take a flight to your destination later when convenient on EL AL or a different carrier (mutually agreed) at no additional charge. If the new ticket is cheaper, you will be refunded the balance 

If you purchased your tickets with points, they will be re-credited to your frequent flyer account. 

Click here to apply for a refunds or voucher online.

EL AL Cancellation Fee

EL AL cancellation fees will depend on your route and the type of ticket you’ve purchased, as shown below. For detailed information regarding cancellation fees and any refund policies, contact EL AL directly or consult your travel agent. 

• The flight cancellation fee for Europe, Morocco, and the Middle East is:
  • $260 for a round-trip ticket and $160 for a one-way ticket on Economy Classic.
  • Nil for Economy Flex (Y, M) tickets.
  • $50 for all other types of Economy Flex tickets.

Note. Economy Lite tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded. 

• The flight cancellation fee for the Far East and Africa is:
  • $260 for a round-trip ticket and $160 for a one-way ticket on Economy Classic.
  • Nil for Economy Flex (Y, M) tickets.
  • $50 for all other types of Economy Flex tickets.

Note. Economy Lite tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded. 

The cancellation fee for flights to the United States and in premium classes will be indicated on the ticket at the time of purchase.

EL AL Refund Policy

EL AL Airlines refund policy provides clear guidelines and procedures for requesting refunds, whether it’s due to flight cancellations, changes in travel plans, or other eligible reasons. The section below walks you through EL AL’s refund policy, detailing the eligibility criteria and the steps to follow in order to receive your refund.

• The unused portion of ticket can be refunded, subject to the fare rules for tickets purchased for destinations in Europe in Economy Class (Lite, Classic, Flex), subject to the following conditions:
  • Refunds will only be made to the person whose name appears on the ticket or the person/entity who paid for the ticket, subject to the presentation of adequate proof of payment. 
  • If a ticket or services were purchased by someone other than the passenger named on the ticket, and there’s restriction on the refund, the refund will only be made to the person/entity that paid for the ticket/services, or someone authorized by such person/entity.
  • Unless in case of lost or e-tickets, refunds will be made only upon the surrender of the ticket plus all the unused flight coupons/services that have been paid for. 
  • For unused tickets, applicable taxes, charges, and fees will also be refunded in case your flight is cancelled or terminated by the airline.
  • Refunds will only be made to the person whose name appears on the ticket or the person who is entitled to receive the refund. 
  • If the tariff conditions of your ticket do not place a limit on when you can apply for a refund, you must apply for a refund within 5 years of the first travel date indicated on your ticket. 
  • If EL AL cancels or delays your flight, you will be entitled to care/assistance and/or compensation based on the Israeli Aviation Law (Compensation and Assistance for flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions) 5772-2012.
  • If EL AL does not carry you or prematurely terminates your flight due to breach of duty on your part, the refund amount will be calculated according to Israeli Aviation Law (Compensation and Assistance for flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions) 5772-2012, but no refund will be issued for the flight in which the breach occurred. Plus, the airlines will deduct an administration fee of USD 50 (or its equivalent) as well as any reimbursement due by you.
  • You will not be entitled to any refund:
    • If you apply for it after your ticket’s validity expires. 
    • If you present a ticket to EL AL or government officials as proof of your intent to depart from a country, unless you can prove that you are permitted to remain in the country or will depart from it via an alternate mode of transportation. 
  • If 14 CFR 374.3 and 12 CFR part 226 apply to a flight to/from the U.S., and you purchase your ticket by credit card, EL AL will submit your refund to the credit card company within 7 business days of your refund application. However, it may take longer to reflect in for your credit card account. If you purchase you ticket with cash, check, or another form of payment, your refund will be issued within 20 business days of your submitting the refund request. 
  • Before requesting for a refund, you must cancel your flight booking. When cancelling, be sure to provide your correct name, address, credit card number that you purchased your ticket with, your date of travel, and departure and destination cities. 
  • Refund currency. EL AL will refund in the currency in which you purchased your ticket or where the refund is being made. The amount of refund will be the equivalent of the amount paid by you and subject to government regulations of the country of purchase and the country of refund. 
  • EL AL, its authorized agent, or the carrier that originally issued the ticket will make voluntary refunds only at the location in which the ticket was originally issued and in the currency in which it was originally purchased. 
  • You cannot cancel and refund a ticket online if you’re required or have requested the refund through another channel. 
  • If you’re cancelling online, the cancellation will apply to all tickets and services in your booking. You cannot cancel additional services without cancelling the entire flight ticket.
  • Handling fees paid to customer service are non-refundable. 
  • If you have a completely unused discounted ticket and you’re prevented from flying due to Force Majeure, you must immediately notify EL AL and furnish evidence of the Force Majeure. If you do, you will be provided with a travel credit of the non-refundable portion of the fare toward future travel with EL AL after the deduction of an administrative fee. You can use the travel credit to purchase a ticket for someone else also.

EL AL Flight Cancellation Reimbursement

The flight cancellation reimbursement offered by EL AL will depend on the distance of the flight, the length of the delay compared to the original flight, and flight route. 

Flight cancellation reimbursement for flights covered under EU Regulation 261/2004

If your flight takes off from an airport in the E.U., Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, and is cancelled and you were notified of the cancellation within 14 days of departure or your flight is delayed by at least 3 hours, you may be entitled to: 

• Assistance in the form of meals and refreshments 
• 2 telephone calls/emails/faxes
• Hotel accommodation (if required) plus transportation between the airport and the hotel 
• Compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the distance traveled

Also, if your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours or cancelled, you will be entitled to a full refund in addition to compensation.

The amount of compensation will be as follows:

• €250 for short distance flight delays below 1500km 
• €400 for medium distance flight delays between 1500 –3500km
• €400 for flight delays exceeding 1500km within the EU Community
• €600 for long distance flight delays exceeding 3500km 

Exceptions. You will not be entitled to any compensation if your flight is cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances over which EL AL has no control, such as adverse weather conditions, strikes, security risks, airport closure, political instability, etc. You will also not be entitled to any compensation if you were notified about the flight cancellation: 

• 2 weeks to 7 days before departure and provided a re-route departing within 2 hours of the scheduled departure time and arriving within 4 hours after the scheduled arrival time.
• Less than 7 days before departure and provided a re-route departing within 1 hour of the scheduled departure time and arriving within 2 hours after the scheduled arrival time.

Reduction in Compensation

If you’re offered a replacement flight to your final destination, your compensation will be reduced by 50% as shown in the table below. 

Flight cancellation reimbursement for flights covered Israeli Aviation Law (Compensation and Assistance for flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions) 5772-2012

If your flight to/from Israel is cancelled, you are entitled to:

• Food and drink depending on the waiting time 
• Communication Services: 2 telephone calls/emails/faxes
• Accommodation Services, i.e., hotel accommodation if an overnight stay/longer stay is required 
• Travel Services, i.e., transportation between the airport and the hotel/place of accommodation chosen by the passenger at a reasonable distance 
• Compensation ranging from NID 1,250 to 3,000, depending on the distance traveled, as shown in the table below

Exceptions. You will not be entitled to any compensation if you are informed of the flight cancellation:

• At least 14 days before departure, or
• 7 – 14 days before departure and provided a re-route that takes off no later than 2 hours before the original flight and lands at the destination no later than 4 hours after the original flight, or
• Within 7 days of departure and provided a re-route that takes off no later than 1 hour before the original flight and lands at the destination no later than 2 hours after the original flight

You will also not be entitled to any compensation if:

• You refuse to accept the re-routed flight 
• Your flight was cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances over which the airline had no control
• Your flight was cancelled to prevent the desecration of a Jewish holiday or the Sabbath

Frequently Asked Questions on EL AL Airlines Cancellation Policy

Are you planning to travel with EL AL and have questions about the airline’s cancellation policy? This section addresses some of the most frequently asked questions regarding EL AL cancellation policy. Whether you’re wondering about refund eligibility, rebooking options, or any other related concerns, we’ve got you covered. Read on to find the answers you need before your next flight with EL AL.