$180 from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv? WOW

WOW air, Iceland’s low-cost transatlantic airline, just took one more excuse away from West Coast Jews who have never visited Israel.  Too expensive? Not anymore.

Starting this week, the Iceland-based economy airline will begin flying to Tel Aviv from the Los Angeles via Keflavik International Airport for as little at $179.99 one-way.

The price, which is far lower than the standard coach fare, will be available for a limited time, and for a limited number of seats (50) per flight.   The airline flies out of LAX to Tel Aviv one or two times each week.

The temporary super discount fares apply to other North American cities as well. Fares from Newark (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Boston (BOS), Washington, D.C. (BWI), and Pittsburgh (PIT) to Tel Aviv (TLV) via Iceland (KEF) are on sale for 139.99. Fares to Tel Aviv (TLV) from WOW air’s West Coast destinations San Francisco (SFO) via Iceland (KEF) are on sale for $179.99 as well.

In a press release, the airline said the fares are a celebration of its inaugural North American service to Tel Aviv. The first flight from the United States to Tel Aviv via Keflavik International Airport left from Newark Liberty International Airport on September 11 at 6:35 pm. 

Established in November 2011 by Icelandic entrepreneur Skúli Mogensen, the purple airline flies with Airbus A320, Airbus A321 and Airbus A330 models. The  average aircraft age of its fleet is 2.5 years.

When The Jewish Journal went to  WOW’s web site to book a ticket, several seats at the low price were still available. As a discount carrier, WOW charges extra in economy class for checked baggage and meals.  Larger seats are available in Business Class, where a one-way ticket is $861 — substantially cheaper than regular airline business class fares.   For the extra, passengers receive a larger seat, one free piece of checked baggage– and a meal.