EL AL the flag carrier of Israel, flies to more than 50 locations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Check out our list of the best credit card bonuses here.
Matmid Club is EL AL’s frequent flyer program where you’ll be able to earn points for flying with them. EL AL will let you transfer your rewards from your IHG Rewards Club account as well. Matmid Club points can also be redeemed for flight awards and upgrades on EL AL and more.
Read below for more information on what they have to offer.
Matmid Club Quick Facts
| Hub | Tel Aviv |
| Alliance | None |
| Redemption Options | EL AL flights, upgrades, seating, inflight WiFi, merchandise, fuel surcharges, baggage, flight cancellation insurance, hotels, restaurant discounts, concert discounts, movie discounts, donations |
| Average Point Value | $0.085 |
Matmid Club Elite Status
EL AL Matmid Club is one of the few airline loyalty programs that offer perks to their base-level members. Once you sign up, you’ll immediately get Matmid status and get prioritized seating and exclusive member offers.
There are 4 tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Top Platinum. To get status, you have to earn a specific amount of eligible points or a combination of points and flight segments in 12 consecutive months.
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | Top Platinum |
| 400 points | 1,000 points | 2,500 points | 6,500 points |
| 300 points + 10 flight segments |
500 points + 15 flight segments |
1,000 points + 20 flight segments |
5,000 points + 40 flight segments |
Status members will get the following perks:
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | Top Platinum | |
| Points bonus | 10% | 40% | 60% | |
| Last minute upgrade | x | x | x | x |
| Hand luggage x2 in economy | x | x | x | |
| Checked baggage in economy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2/3 |
| Seat selection benefits in economy | x | x | x | |
| Access to King David Lounge | You + 10 | You + 40 | You + 60 | |
| Express check-in | x | x | x | |
| Priority boarding | x | x | x | |
| Dedicated phone service center | x | x | x | |
| Personal service by Personal Account Manager | x | |||
| Concierge service | x |
Lifetime Gold membership is awarded to people aged 67 and over who have gotten Gold, Platinum, or Top Platinum status for 10 consecutive years.
Earning Matmid Club Points
Matmid Club members earn points on EL AL flights, as well as on flights with airlines that EL AL operates code-share agreements with (Aeromexico, Qantas and South African Airways). How many points you earn depends on destination, booking class and elite status.
You’ll also earn Matmid Club points when you book Cash&Points flight tickets. The amount is dependent on booking class.
Matmid members earn points on stays with partner hotel brands, such as:
- 7 to 14 points per stayat Hilton hotels.
- 1 point per $20 spent at IHG hotels, plus 10 points per stay.
- 20 points per stay at Radisson hotels.
- 12 points per stay at Marriott hotels.
Receive Matmid Club points when you rent cars from the following partner brands:
- Avis – 10 points per rental, plus 15 points with Gold or Platinum status
- Budget & Hertz – 10 points per rental
- Europcar, Sixt & Ofran – 12 points per rental (minimum 7 days)
Please note, you won’t earn points for car rentals in Israel, but you can convert Hertz Shekels to Matmid Club points at a 7:2 ratio.
Earning Matmid Club Points with IHG Rewards Club
Starting January 1, 2021, EL AL Matmid Club is not a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards.
As a U.S. citizen, the easiest way to earn these points is by transferring your IHG Rewards Club points at a 250:1 ratio. Credit Cards that earn IHG Rewards Club points are:
 The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers 100,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. You'll earn: • Up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts • 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. • 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases This card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. Member FDIC |
 The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers 4 free nights (each Free Night valued at up to 40,000 points) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll earn: • Up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts • 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. • 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases This card offers several perks that you'll sure enjoy like: an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts (plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay) And as long as you're a cardmember, you'll have Platinum Elite status. You'll get Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card. There is an annual fee of $99. |
Redeeming Matmid Club Points
Matmid Club members can use their points for:
- Free flight awards with EL AL
- Points plus cash flight awards with EL AL
- Upgrade awards on EL AL flights
- Seating awards on EL AL flights
- WiFi awards on EL AL flights
- Merchandise awards on EL AL’s Duty Free on the Plane website
- Fuel surcharges, baggage and flight cancellation insurance awards
- Hotel awards
- Restaurant, concert & movie discount awards
- Merchandise awards at EL AL Matmid Club mall
- Charitable donations
Matmid Club points expire after 120 months of inactivity. To keep your account active, make sure to earn or burn points at least every three years.
Matmid Club Tips & Tricks
The best ways to use your Matmid Club points for maximum value are:
- Fuel surcharges on award flights. For a round-trip ticket between the United States and Israel, EL AL charges $250. You can redeem 300 points to pay for $150 of the cost.
- Upgrades on cash tickets. From economy to economy plus or business, or from business to first. A one-way upgrade from economy to business between New York City and Tel Aviv is 1,350 points. Business to first on the same flight costs 1,800 points.
- Short-haul flights. For example, roundtrip flights between Tel Aviv and Athens can be as cheap as 100 points in the off season. You’ll often find flights between Israel and Europe between 300 to 900 points, depending on the season and the destination.
 |
 |
Conclusion
Once Matmid ended their partnership with American Express Membership Rewards, EL AL Matmid Club has little use for American consumers. The frequent flyer program doesn’t come with lots of options for U.S. based members to earn Matmid Club points. Additionally, it doesn’t have appealing ways for Americans to burn points.
However, if you want to redeem rewards to fly EL AL, it’s recommended to use Qantas miles instead. You’ll be able to use: American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One Rewards to transfer.
