The Qantas Trick for El Al Awards

How to use Qantas points to book El Al flights from the US, including the dates that never show up online.

Facts verified September 2026 Independent, community-run

Ask anyone who flies to Eretz Yisroel twice a year on points how they do it, and this trick comes up within a minute. Qantas - yes, the Australian airline - is one of the best ways to book El Al. Here is exactly how it works.

The short answer

Open a free Qantas Frequent Flyer account, transfer Amex, Capital One, or Citi points in at 1:1, and book El Al on qantas.com at fixed chart prices that do not jump when cash fares spike before yom tov.

Why this works

El Al and Qantas are partners. Qantas sells El Al seats from its own fixed award chart - a set price per distance band. When a JFK-TLV nonstop that runs $1,400 on a quiet November week doubles or worse before Sukkos, the Qantas points price is the same as any other week. That is the whole trick: fixed chart vs panic pricing.

Step by step

  1. Open a Qantas Frequent Flyer account at qantas.com. It is free and takes five minutes. Do this today - accounts sometimes need a day to fully activate for partner bookings.
  2. Search before you transfer. On qantas.com, search JFK (or Newark, LAX, Miami) to Tel Aviv with “Use points” selected. Try one-way searches and flexible dates.
  3. Confirm the seat and the price. Write down the exact flight, date, points, and taxes.
  4. Transfer your points. Amex, Capital One, and Citi all move to Qantas at 1:1, usually within 24-48 hours (Amex and CapOne are often faster). Transfers cannot be reversed.
  5. Book the moment the points land. Qantas holds nothing for you - the seat can go while you wait.

When the flight does not show online

Some El Al routings never appear on the Qantas site even though the seat exists. Two fixes: search segment by segment (JFK-TLV alone, not as part of a bigger trip), and if El Al’s own site shows classic award space on your date, call Qantas Frequent Flyer and feed the agent the exact flight numbers. Phone bookings work when the website shrugs. If your points are stuck at Chase, use Flying Blue to book El Al instead.

Now the practical part - which cards actually build Qantas points fastest:

Ranked: the best cards for earning Qantas points

  1. Amex Gold - 4x on food, transfers 1:1 to Qantas. Apply now
  2. Capital One Venture X - 2x everywhere, 1:1 transfers. Apply now
  3. Citi Strata Premier - 3x on groceries, gas, and travel, 1:1 transfers. Apply now

Partnership and transfer terms verified September 2026 on qantas.com.

Frequently asked questions

Which credit cards transfer to Qantas Frequent Flyer?

In the US, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, and Citi ThankYou points all transfer to Qantas at 1:1. Chase does not - if your points are at Chase, use Flying Blue to book El Al instead.

Why book El Al through Qantas instead of El Al's own program?

Qantas prices El Al awards on a fixed distance-based chart, so the points price stays flat even when the cash fare doubles or worse before yom tov. Dynamically priced options get expensive exactly when you most need the seat.

What if my El Al flight does not show up on the Qantas website?

Some El Al flights and dates are not bookable online through Qantas. Search segment by segment, and if El Al's own site shows classic award space on your date, call Qantas Frequent Flyer and book it by phone with the exact flight numbers.

Can I book El Al business class through Qantas?

Yes, when El Al releases premium-cabin partner space - which is less often than economy. Expect around 108,000 points or more one-way from New York at current chart rates. Search far ahead and be flexible on dates.